Divine Imperative

One of the major works of the great German theologian Emil Brunner, The Divine Imperative deals with what we ought to do. People are unconvinced that there is an inviolable moral obligation governing human life because they do not believe that the 'good' can be precisely and clearly known. Haven't some generations called bad what others have called good? Aren't moral standards relative? Doesn't religion lack uniform and practical moral guidance? Brunner discusses the moral confusion we face. He analyses the nature of the Good, showing why the Christian faith as understood by the Protestant Reformers provides the only true approach and answer to the ethical problem. Philosophical ethics, whether ancient or modern, cannot correctly define the Good, because the Good is regarded either as too abstract and absolute or as too concrete and relative. Christianity, by contrast, sees the moral problem as one of responsibility between humans who are created so as to respond to God. He created men for responsive fellowship with Him, establishing orderly ways of acting in the world. Correct understanding of the nature of society, family, state, economic life, is needed to discern one's duty. Because Brunner's analysis is at once fundamental and comprehensive, this book remains a fresh and compelling treatment of the moral problem. It offers a provocative discussion and solution of a perennial human problem.

Table of Contents

Contents: AUTHOR'S PREFACE (TO THE GERMAN EDITION) TRANSLATOR'S NOTE. BOOK I: THE PROBLEM SECTION 1 - NATURAL MORALITY I. The Problem of the Good: an Imperative Challenge II. The Phases of the Immanent Moral Understanding of the Self III. Morality and the Religions of the World IV. The Rationalization of the Moral in Philosophical Ethics V. The Deepening of the Problem by the Deepening of the Contradiction SECTION II - THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE AND NATURAL MORALITY AND ETHICS VI. The Christian Message as the Revelation of the Good VII. The Christian Interpretation of the Contradiction as Sin VIII. justification by Grace alone as the Removal of the Contradiction and the Foundation of the Good IX. The Definition of the Christian Ethic X. The Christian Ethic: Past and Present BOOK II: THE DIVINE COMMAND SECTION 1 - THE WILL OR GOD AS THE BASIS AND THE NORM OF THE GOOD XI. The Divine Command as Gift and Demand XII. The Command of the Creator and Redeemer XIII. The Unity and the Variety of the Divine Command XIV. The Threefold Meaning. of the Law SECTION 2 THE NEW MAN XV. The New Man, as Created and Claimed by God XVI. Goodness and the "Virtues" XVII. Self-Affirmation and Self-Denial XVIII. The Better Righteousness SECTION 3 - THE NEIGHBOUR XIX. Service XX. The Calling. XXI. The Natural Orders and the Kingdom of God XXII. Service as an "Office" and as a Personal Relation SECTION 4 - THE WORKS OF LOVE XXIII. The Active Life as a Gift and a Demand XXIV. The Hallowing of the Means by the End. XXV. Autonomy, Natural Law, and Love XXVI. Success and Progress BOOK III: THE ORDERS INTRODUCTION SECTION 1 - THE INDIVIDUAL, THE COMMUNITY AND THE ORDERS OF SOCIETY XXVII. The Individual and the Community XXVIII. Religious and Moral Practice as Limiting Cases of the Moral. A. Our Relation to God in the ethical sense: Religious Practice. B. The Relation to the Self: Moral Practice XXIX. Life in Love XXX. The Natural Forms of Community. SECTION 2 - THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE: MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY XXXI. The Fundamental Problem of Marriage 1. The Crisis of Marriage. 2. The Argument for Monogamy: the Creation 3. Marriage as it is in Reality XXXII. Individual Problems connected with Marriage 1. Marriage, Love, and Law 2. Divorce and Celibacy 3. Marriage and Children 4. Marriage and the Economic Question 5. The Emancipation of Woman, and the Relation between the Sexes apart from Marriage SECTION 3 - THE COMMUNITY OF LABOUR XXXIII. Labour and Civilization XXXIV. The Nature and the Task of the Economic Order 1. The Economic Order as a Problem of Ethics 2. Economic Life as an Infringement of the original Order of Creation 3. The Norm of the Economic Order 4. The Evil in the Economic Order 5. The Individual Economic Factors from the Ethical Point of View XXXV. The Christian in the Present Economic Order 1. The Christian and the Capitalist System 2. The Search for a Better Order 3. The Task of the Christian within the Present Economic System 4. The Task of the Church in the Economic Struggle of the Present Day SECTION 4 - THE COMMUNITY OF THE PEOPLE AND OF LAW XXXVI. The Nature of the State 1. The Riddle of the State 2. The State as a God-given Order of Sinful Reality 3. The Power of the State 4. The Law 5. Law and Force 6. The Nation and the State. 7. The State in its Relation to the other Forms of Community XXXVII. The Acting Christian in the Acting State 1. The Attitude of the Christian towards the State. 2. The Christian and "Reasons of State" 3. The Christian and the Form of the State 4. The Christian and Force: the Problem of War 5. The Christian and the Penal Law SECTION 5 - THE COMMUNITY OF CULTURE XXXVIII. The Christian in the Community of Culture XXXIX. Science XL. Art XLI. Education XLII. The Free Forms of Community. SECTION 6 - THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH XLIII. The Nature of the Church. 1. The Church of Faith 2. The Church as both Divine and Human XLIV. The Church in Action 1. The Church and the Churches. 2. Church Order and Church Law 3. State Church, National Church, Free Church 4. Church and State. XLV. The Action of the Church 1. The Functions of the Church and the Offices of the Church. 2. False and True Ecclesiasticism NOTES AND APPENDICES. INDEX

Dr. (Heinrich) Emil Brunner (1889-1966) was made Privatdozent at the University of Zurich at the age of 33, and later was appointed Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology. In 1953 he became Professor of Christian University, Tokyo (Japan) and 1955 returned to Zurich. Publications: The Mediator, 1934 Man in Revolt, 1939 The divine imperative, 1941 Justice and social order, 12.06.1945 The Christian doctrine of God, 1950 Dogmatics (3 volumes), 1950-62 The misunderstanding of the church, 1952 Faith Hope and Love, 1957 The Letter to the Romans, 1959 The great invitation Zurich Sermons, 1955 I Believe in the Living God, 1961