The Family in Christian Social and Political Thought (Oxford Studies in Theological Ethics)

Book info: The Family in Christian Social and Political Thought (Oxford Studies in Theological Ethics) (Hardcover, 336 pages) – Oxford University Press, 2007. Language: English.

Brent Waters examines the historical roots and contemporary implications of the virtual disappearance of the family in late liberal and Christian social and political thought. Waters argues that the principal cause of this disappearance is late liberalism's fixation on individual autonomy, which renders familial bonds unintelligible. He traces the history of this emphasis, from its origin in Hobbes and Locke, through Kant, to such contemporary theorists as Rawls and Okin. In response, Waters offers an alternative normative account of the family's role in social and political ordering, drawing upon the work of Althusius, Grotius, Dooyeweerd, and O'Donovan. Editorial Reviews Book Description Offers a fresh approach to the current debate about "family values." About the Author Brent Waters is Director, The Jerre L. and Mary Joy Stead Center for Ethics and Values, and Associate Professor of Christian Social Ethics, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.