A review of Talking about Ethics by Justin Denholm.

Justin Denholm is a doctor, and faces ethical questions every day; but he points out in his prologue that we all do:

• Someone comments about another boatload of asylum seekers
• A customer/client/patient yells at a staff member, how do we balance caring for the former with responsibility for the latter?
• An older couple expecting a child wonder whether they will test their foetus for Down’s syndrome and how they would respond to the result
• A friend is keen to leave her job, but should she wait until she has a new position?

There are so many times when we are involved in ethical conversations. Denholm says thinking and talking about ethics helps us to think about ourselves, and what we believe and why; it gives us the tools to ask hard questions about what is really important to us; and it provides us with rich opportunities to explore our faith and the difference it makes in how we live our lives.

In this short (65-page) book, he traces through why Christians should care about ethics, as well as understanding and challenging ethical positions, and presents Christian ethical positions. He then moves to different situations in which we might talk about ethics: in a casual conversation, a mentoring relationship, a small group, in church or in a public presentation.

The great thing about this book, is that Denholm avoids all the ethical jargon – the technical language – that can confuse and distract. Rather than examining deontological concepts or dynamic responsibility or ethical congruence, Denholm deals with three common ethical frameworks: principles and rules, utility and character.

Helpfully, he explains all these frameworks, talks about the good things, the dangers, the proponents, real life examples, and a Christian response.

In challenging ethical positions he suggests asking some clarifying questions:

• How did you come to this position?
• Do you think that that is true in every situation, or are there exceptions?
• Have you always believed that?
• Do you think motivation matters, or is it about what we do?
• Do you think that being a member of a particular religious/cultural group makes a difference to how you think about this question?

Denholm explains that a Christian perspective is centred on principles (for example, the Ten Commandments) and character or virtue ethics (Galatians 5:19-23). He also gives Romans 14:10 as an example of a further ethical position: relationship ethics. “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”

In a biblical response to ethics questions, Denholm suggests we pray, reflect, start with what we know, think about related questions, consider where other people have gone, return to passages rich in ethical teaching, understand those passages, and look for themes.

When confronted by an opportunity in casual conversation to talk about ethics, Denholm sets out the following approaches:

• Actively look to bring a specifically Christian dimension into conversation; speaking from a Christian perspective, or talking about Christian principles, character or relationship dimensions
• Encourage people to write down their thoughts; write down your thoughts on common ethical issues, and ask others to try to write down their thoughts on their issues. Writing allows for more careful reflection, and the raising of more thoughtful questions.

There are many helpful ideas for other sorts of conversations.

Denholm has designed the book to be used in a small group, and there is a study guide at the end. The ethical discussions in such a setting could be fertile ground for better adherence to principles, or development of good character, or attention to relationships; as well as encouraging exploring the Gospel in casual settings.

He ends the book with an exhortation to pray, for “Ultimately, ethics is not an intellectual exercise, but a spiritual one, and we must remember that we need the Holy Spirit in order to honour God in how we think and talk and live.”

Acorn Press supplied a review copy.