Christian Ethics

Is it possible for a Christian to love his or her country too much? Is America itself even deserving of a Christian’s loyalty? If Christians have anything to offer the civil kingdom, how should they go about it?

In a recent issue of Providence, several scholars presented a defense of liberalism that cited Augustine. Daniel Strand responds that many things about Augustine are not liberal at all and would probably set him deeply at odds with American liberal democracy.

While the just war tradition has typically focused on international conflict, just war logic has rarely been used to analyze the ethics of border security and border walls. This failure is to our detriment.

This retreat of democracy and free government represents a challenge—and a threat—to America.

Should Christians promote nation-states in all places at all times? No.

As young Christians continue to rediscover the religion’s historical ethical tradition, their affinity for Niebuhr is likely to continue to abate.

A socially responsible Christian ethic understands that the ordinance of the nation-state—even in a fallen world—calls for prophetic scrutiny in hopes that it would be brought back in alignment with civic and moral righteousness.

The attack on Hiroshima was a moral horror but not a moral wrong. As such, it reveals important committments that ought to guide Christian moral reasoning.

American Christians should advocate for exhaustive attempts at diplomacy before endorsing US policies that produce further conflict and chaos.