Lying and Christian Ethics

Defends Augustine and Aquinas' controversial 'absolute view' of lying: it is always wrong, even when for a good cause.

List of contents

General editor's preface; Introduction; 1. What is lying?; 2. The Christian case against lying: Augustine and Aquinas; 3. The Christian case for lying: Cassian, Bonhoeffer, and Niebuhr; 4. Moral absolutes; 5. Integrity, sociality, truth, and religion; 6. Justice and the right to truth; 7. The casuistry of truth-telling and deception; 8. Lying for a good cause; Conclusion.

About the author

Christopher Tollefsen is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina. He has also been a visiting Associate Professor of Politics and a visiting fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University, New Jersey. He serves on the editorial boards of The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy and Christian Bioethics. His most recent book is Biomedical Research and Beyond: Expanding the Ethics of Inquiry (2010).

Summary

This book defends the controversial 'absolute view' that lying is always wrong. Whereas most people believe that lying for a good cause is morally acceptable, Tollefsen argues that Christians should support the absolute view, invoking Augustine and Aquinas to illustrate that lying violates the goods of integrity, sociality, religion, and truth.

Product details

• Authors: Christopher Tollefsen, Christopher O. Tollefsen, Christopher O. (University of South Car Tollefsen, Christopher O. (University of South Carolina) Tollefsen
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 28.04.2014
• EAN: 9781107061095
• ISBN: 978-1-107-06109-5
• No. of pages: 220
• Series: New Studies in Christian Ethics; New Studies in Christian Ethics; New Studies in Christian Ethic
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works