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."