THE DIVINE IMPERATIVE

by Emil Brunner

"This book has established itself as one of the major works in con- temporary theology. It is, indeed, the only comprehensive treatment of Christian ethics, written from a Protestant standpoint, that is avail- able today.

"It commends itself... as the best modern treatise on Christian ethics for two main reasons. The first is the consistent theocentrism of the ethics presented; the second is the comprehensiveness of the treatment of the problems of Christian life and action...... Here, perhaps for the first time since Luther's Treatise on Good Works, we have a discussion of the Christian life which begins and ends with the understanding that God is Lord and that He only is to be served.

"The second excellence of the work lies in its inclusiveness. Beginning with questions about the relations of Christian ethics to philosophical ethics, it proceeds to the principles and moves on to the problems of Christian action in the various human communities of marriage and family, of labor, political society, culture, and religion.

"[Readers] will find in THE DIVINE IMPERATIVE a first-rate contri- bution to Christian self-knowledge and self-criticism as well as a practical guide to the Christian life. It will probably remain unique in its class for a long time."