T he international political and economic scene has changed dramatically in recent years; the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union are among the most visible signs of the changes which have swept through Europe and other parts of the world. As we approach a new millennium, we face a world that is increasingly interdependent and globalist in perspective. What are the implications of these changes for Christian ethics? Does Christian ethics have anything useful or relevant to say in the face of these changes? The Abingdon Press Studies in Christian Ethics and Economic Life series is intended to address such questions by providing teaching resources for upper-level college and seminary courses in Christian ethics that focus on the analysis and reconstruction of basic ethical perspectives and principles in our post-Marxist, highly technological, and increasingly interdependent global civilization.

David Krueger here sets forth a bold, creative, and controversial proposal he develops a theologically and empirically rooted, ethically ordered concept of "productive justice" as a contemporary addition to the classically known concepts of "commutative" and "distributive" justice. While "commutative justice" is necessary in all of civil society and "distributive justice" may be the special province of government, Krueger makes a strong case for the distinctive character of "productive justice" as proper to the new institutions, the modern business corporations, that are increasingly coming to dominate economic activity around the world. From different perspectives, both Don Shriver and Laura Nash challenge Krueger's proposal; Shriver particularly questions its adequacy in the face of the growing divisions between rich and poor both in this country and around the globe, and Nash challenges its applicability in the "real world" of the modern business corporation.

"David Krueger's discussion of 'productive justice-based on his long experience with business corporations and a theological commitment to the common good-may not persuade all, but it makes an important contribution to our thinking about justice in a global economy in which the ends of growth, just distribution, and ecological responsibility compete. One of the merits of this book is that Krueger has offered his proposals to the perceptive critical scrutiny of Don Shriver and Laura Nash, respectively a noted theologian and a more empirically oriented teacher of business ethics, thus initiating the discussion that we need about this important complex of issues."

-Jon P. Gunnemann, Candler School of Theology, Emory University