Is Legalism a Heresy? The Legacy of the Pharisees in Christian Ethics explores a wide range of ethical topics from a Jewish Christian perspective. Attacks on "legalism" in the Church often ignore, misunderstand or deliberately misrepresent the tradition of Jewish Christianity. Such attacks have an ancient history and all too easily have been redirected against the Jews themselves. With chapters on worship, government, peacemaking, the family, homosexuality and affluent consumption, Professor Boulton argues that the Jewish Law tradition given shape by the Pharisees so many centuries ago contains long-neglected and substantial resources for Christian political ethics.

Wayne G. Boulton is Associate Professor of Religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and holds degrees from Lafayette College, McCormick Theological Seminary, and Duke University. A Presbyterian minister, he has served churches in Wisconsin and North Carolina, and has done experimental mission work in Thailand. This is his first book.