Different ethical situations require different homiletical responses. John McClure organizes recent literature on ethics and preaching into four ethical approaches. Does your situation require public moral leadership? Then a communicative ethic is best. Does your situation require the development of countercultural moral character? Then a witness ethic is best. Does your situation require ethical consciousness-raising and organizing for social justice? Then a liberationist ethic is best. Does your situation require genuine moral conversation and the discernment of shared commitments in spite of our differences? Then a hospitality ethic is best. Each ethical approach is briefly and carefully explored, correlated with appropriate contexts and situations, and demonstrated with model sermons. The result is a useful handbook for quickly discerning what ethical approach is needed, how to preach that approach, and what to expect as a result.

Different ethical situations require different homiletical responses. John McClure organizes recent literature on ethics and preaching into four ethical approaches. Does your situation require public moral leadership? Then a communicative ethic is best. Does your situation require the development of countercultural moral character? Then a witness ethic is best. Does your situation require ethical consciousness-raising and organizing for social justice? Then a liberationist ethic is best. Does your situation require genuine moral conversation and the discernment of shared commitments in spite of our differences? Then a hospitality ethic is best. Each ethical approach is briefly and carefully explored, correlated with appropriate contexts and situations, and demonstrated with model sermons. The result is a useful handbook for quickly discerning what ethical approach is needed, how to preach that approach, and what to expect as a result.

In this examination of the ethical significance of preaching, Charles Campbell provides both fresh insights into the relationship between preaching and ethics and a challenging moral vision for the contemporary church. Moving beyond a narrow focus on moral decision-making or social-issues sermons, Campbell argues that a particular ethic--nonviolent resistance--is inherent in the practice of preaching and shapes the moral life of the church. In the face of the powers, the fundamental ethical task of preaching involves building up the church as a community of resistance. Employing three dimensions of character ethics--vision, practices, and virtues--Campbell demonstrates the concrete ways in which preachers may undertake this task.

Calling for accountability, Practice What You Preach discusses ethical questions that arise in congregations and pastoral leadership. Formation of pastors, empowering leaders, resolving power struggles between clergy and laity-these and other critical pastoral issues are addressed by an ecumenical group of contributors. Divided into four parts: the way the churches train their pastors; the way their pastors live; the way communities worship; and the way communities behave, this collection identifies and offers positive solutions to areas where churches are often slow to change. Each essay begins with a case describing a typical problem-from wages to in-fighting-and then discusses what virtues or character traits might be developed to resolve the problem effectively.

How do clergy preach to meet the legitimate needs of their congregation and live up to standards of professionalism and personal integrity? Preaching Ethically offers guidelines for preaching in light of a range of factors that might tempt a preacher to misuse the pulpit. How do you preach about controversial issues? What do you say from the pulpit when your marriage is in trouble? What are the ethics of preaching in times of local or national crisis? How do you draw from resources found on the Internet and elsewhere without plagiarizing or misleading listeners about the source of the materials? How do you write a sermon when you know very little about a subject? Why and how do you feed a congregation a balanced sermonic diet? To be true to ourselves and our calling, says Sisk, we must examine how the many factors that can influence our preaching come into play. the calling to preach to gospel compels us to preach in ways that keep the gospel foremost, treat the congregation fairly, and are true to our own convictions and our personal integrity.

A trusted Bible teacher explores 18 key teaching passages that address relevant ethical questions of our day, helping preachers and teachers train congregants to think biblically and ethically.

The student, church staff person layperson, or professional ethicist searching for an introduction to contemporary ethical issues that is substantive enough for class room use yet functionally oriented toward the local church will find Understanding Christian Ethics invaluable.