Everyone, it seems, struggles with moral and ethical issues. On a daily basis, newspapers, television, radio, and magazines feature the moral scandals of political, religious, and business leaders, not to mention entertainers. Moral failure has become so common that it no longer shocks us. We wonder whether it is possible to be morally good in a largely secular society. What is the source of moral authority? Do we need God to be good?
In Why Bother Being Good? John Hare explores the nature of goodness, the human condition, the role of reason and the value of community in moral development, and shows how these relate to the doctrines of atonement, justification and sanctification. Writing for a general audience, Hare carefully defines terms and uses poetry and narrative to help the reader follow his arguments. He says, ""If all the arguments in this book work, what I have shown is that the morality we are familiar with requires a theological background if it is going to make sense.""
Unique and surprisingly fresh, this book is an excellent introduction to moral philosophy.
John Hare is Noah Porter Professor of Philosophical Theology at Yale Divinity School. He is the author of The Moral Gap and God's Call.
