Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Part 1. The focus of Christian ethics : three accounts. John Cassian's ethic of individual sanctification -- Walter Rauschenbusch's ethic of social redemption -- John Howard Yoder's ethic of communal witness -- Part 2. A prismatic case : the Epistle to the Ephesians. The goal and basis of life together in Christ : a reading of the Epistle to the Ephesians (part one) -- The character of life together in Christ : a reading of the Epistle to the Ephesians (part two) -- Part 3. Possible exceptions. Possible exceptions : the self -- Possible exceptions : society -- Part 4. The shape of an ecclesial ethic. The goal, basis, and character of an ecclesial ethic -- The ecclesial setting of a devout and holy life -- An ecclesial view of life in civil society -- An ecclesial view of life within political society (part one) -- An ecclesial view of life within political society (part two).

This book introduces Christian ethics from a theological perspective. Philip Turner, widely recognized as a leading expert in the field, explores the intersection of moral theology and ecclesiology, arguing that the focus of Christian ethics should not be personal holiness or social reform but the common life of the church. A theology of moral thought and practice must take its cues from the notion that human beings, upon salvation, are redeemed and called into a life oriented around the community of the church. This book distills a senior scholar's life work and will be valued by students of Christian ethics, theology, and ecclesiology.