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Enjoying God Blog

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What is it about Wayne Grudem and massive hardback books? His Systematic Theology, currently being revised, came in at a hefty 1,264 pages. Politics according to the Bible was a mere 624 pages, and Bible Doctrine brings up the rear with a paltry 528 pages.

Wayne’s most recent work, Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning (Crossway), tops them all. It is 1,296 pages! My only objection is that it is too large and too heavy for me to find space for it in my briefcase. Wherever I go, I have to carry it by hand. Maybe Wayne intended it that way so more people would take notice of its existence! In any case, it is a gloriously large and remarkably substantive work.

There are 42 chapters, each taking up a separate topic relating to how Christians are to live in a way that is pleasing to God. Just to mention a few:

Our Source of Ethical Standards: The Bible
The Joys and Blessings of Obedience to God and the Harmful Consequences of Sin
How Should Christians Use the Old Testament for Ethical Guidance?
Lying and Telling the Truth
Civil Government
Capital Punishment
War
Self-Defense
Abortion
Euthanasia
Suicide
Alcohol and Drugs
Pornography
Divorce and Remarriage
Homosexuality and Transgenderism
Poverty and Wealth
Borrowing, Lending, and the Question of Debt.

And that’s only 17 topics of the 42 covered in the book. When Wayne finished his first draft of the book he asked me to read it and provide an endorsement. I was happy to do so. Here is what I said:

“This nearly exhaustive treatment of Christian ethics is destined to become the standard evangelical text for many years to come. It is wide-ranging, thoughtful, and unafraid to engage with controversial issues and with those who take a different approach. Regardless of whether one can side with Grudem on each topic, all of us can benefit immensely from his lucid presentation. There is hardly an ethical issue he doesn’t address, and I will be consulting his work regularly for wisdom and guidance on a variety of matters that the church faces in a morally decadent and confused world. Highly recommended!”

So, don’t wait to purchase it. I doubt if anyone will read it through at one sitting (you’d probably have to skip a couple of nights sleep to do so!), but it should prove to be an incredible resource to help us process the many moral dilemmas we face in today’s world.

3 Comments

Grudem has some rehabilitation to his reputation necessary. By breaking with Dr. Piper to indicate that the only correct moral choice in the 2016 election was to support Donald Trump, he has disqualified himself in my eyes and the eyes of many of my peers.

Like many, he has a wheelhouse, and is no doubt an expert while remaining within that wheelhouse. There are unquestionably millions of faithful and good-intentioned Christians who voted for the current President as a "lesser of two evils". But Grudem has gone beyond that - baptizing the southern border wall, and calling Trump a "flawed but good candidate" that would be a "good moral choice" for a Christian to vote for.

Piper's exhortation, in contrast: "I am not saying we are bound not to vote. I am saying that the children of God are free to hear the voice of their Master about how to best witness to his supremacy. I will vote. But I have no intention of voting for either of these presidential candidates."

Many of the 40-and-under Christians were raised in the era of Clinton, and were taught that truth is absolute, and that personal morality and leadership MEANS something. As a result, we're keeping a long list of receipts relating to the older evangelical thought leaders who sacrificed principal for power. Grudem, unfortunately, appears to be among those.

I hope that this book is a return to what makes Grudem great.
Any book projects planned yourself Dr. Storms?
Does he discuss insurance, which is usually overlooked.
Swearing including words like Gosh. Secular Dictionary even tells us:

mid 18th century: euphemism for God.

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