Seven Books on Ethics Every Pastor Should Own

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Seven Books on Ethics Every Pastor Should Own
by Alan Branch, Ph.D.

Christian ethics is the most exciting subject any preacher can study. While the non-believer may not care whether or not the local pastor is a three -pointer, four-pointer, or five-pointer, they will get fighting mad if a preacher says some aspect of their lifestyle (ethics) is a sin!

Unfortunately, many ethics courses in seminaries make this exciting field a complete bore. In fact, many preachers are required to plow through Reinhold Niebuhr at some point in seminary. I want to make a claim that will cause many modern ethicists to shudder: the average preacher really doesn't need to read Reinhold Niebuhr! (Perhaps this says more about the fact that I am a NASCAR fan, but I find Niebuhr dry as dust.) Besides that he really didn't believe most of the Bible was true.

So my list of seven ethics books doesn't include Niebuhr. What my list does include are seven books that this pastor has found to be very helpful. I've chosen each of these books because they have helped me to articulate clearly what the Christian stance is on various issues:

Ethics for a Brave New World by John and Paul Feinberg (Crossway Books, 1993) -- Every preacher needs one book on Christian ethics that touches on a whole host of topics along with some of the foundational issues. Though the book is now somewhat dated, the Feinberg brothers offer a concise introduction to some of the major issues -- along with a good evangelical analysis of significant issues such as abortion, euthanasia, sexuality, and Christian activism. Furthermore, the Feinbergs do a good job summarizing where different Christians stand on the issue of divorce.

Politically Correct Death by Francis Beckwith (Baker Books, 1994) -- Not long after Roe v. Wade, C. Everett Koop argued that once life was devalued on one end of the spectrum (abortion), it would not be long before life would be devalued on the other end of the spectrum (euthanasia). The sanctity of human life remains the defining moral issue of the day. This is the most helpful book I can recommend to any pastor about abortion. Beckwith's book is loaded with direct quotes from pro-abortion advocates, and it will help the local pastor wade through some of the pro-abortion arguments and present a positive view of the Christian, life-affirming position.

A Different Death by Edward J. Larson and Darrel W. Amundsen (InterVarsity, 1998) -- This book is a "must-read" in relation to the subject of euthanasia. The book is divided into two parts, Amundsen's review of the Christian view of suicide and Larson's review of recent legal challenges to laws against euthanasia. The danger in euthanasia is more than Jack Kevorkian and his "Mercitron" death machine. Even most euthanasia advocates find death in the back of a VW van morally repugnant. The real danger is those who come behind him and present a more benign face to institutionalized death. Part of their argument is that euthanasia must be institutionalized in order to restrain the fringe actions of people like Kevorkian. In a frightening turn of events, some federal judges have suggested that Christians are logically inconsistent when they oppose euthanasia since early Christians committed suicide in their martyrdom and were praised for their acts.

Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth by Jeffrey Satinover (Baker Books, 1996) -- Beyond the sanctity of life issue, human sexuality towers above the ethical landscape. This book's author, Satinover, perplexes non-believers because he holds degrees from MIT and Harvard, which bursts the pre-conceived notion of evangelicals as intellectually weak and easily manipulated. I highly recommend this book.

How and When to Teach Your Kids About Sex by Stanton and Brenna Jones (Navpress, 1993) -- This book is important because the sexual chaos in our society means that our children will be exposed to overt sexual messages at a very early age. This husband and wife team presents a workable approach for Christian sex education.

The Encyclopedia of Biblical and Christian Ethics, edited by R. K. Harrison (Thomas Nelson, 1992) -- Inevitably, someone will ask you - the pastor -- a question which requires the most spiritual answer you have … something like, "Hmmm, let me research that for you." The Encyclopedia of Biblical and Christian Ethics is a good resource for you to do your "research." This work has articles on every subject from Alcoholism to Television.

Bad Bet by Timothy O'Brien (Random House, 1998) -- This is unique in this list because it is not written from a specifically Christian point of view. However, O'Brien, a newspaper reporter, has written a very engaging book on gambling in the United States. His research is superb, and the book will help pastors understand the extent of our nation's gambling mania.

Certainly there are other books, which could be mentioned, such as Piper and Grudem's Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Koop and Schaeffer's Whatever Happened to the Human Race?, and Nigel Cameron's The New Medicine. However, I chose to recommend these seven books because they are affordable; they are enjoyable to read; and they will help the average preacher articulate the nature of an ethical problem along with an appropriate Christian response.