Morality, Law and Grace by J. N. D. Anderson (review)

392 BOOK REVIEWS Morality, Law and Grace. By J. N.D. ANDERSON. Downers Grove, Illinoin: Inter-Varsity Press, 197Q. Pp. 1Q8. $1.95. J. N.D. Anderson's book Morality, Law and Grace begins with a regret that it is not what it might have been, viz., a more developed presentation of the " vast range of subjects " pertaining to Christian Ethics rather than a two chapter addition to a trifold lecture series. Unfortunately, the opusculum suffers in that it raises more questions than it attempts to answer. Indeed, the questions it does attempt to answer hardly bristle with relevance. Interest is not vibrant in the area indicated by the title. Dr. Anderson's chapters on "Morality and Determinism " and " Morality in The Permissive Society " lay claim and credence to the fact that it is sensible to address oneself to the contemporary horizon of discussion. Such advertence would, of necessity, include delving into the nature of secularity, world-hominization, and the active virtues flowing from them-all of which are regrettably bypassed. Certainly, B. F. Skinner's contention that man is freedomless is scarcely challenged by indicating that there is " insoluble mystery " surrounding speculation on man's being preconditioned. " (p. 38) In the second chapter the author concerns himself more creditably with offering alternatives to the" man come of age" morality of J. A. T. Robinson and the distinctive situation ethic of J. Fletcher. This is, perhaps, the better segment of Dr. Anderson's work since here he argues congently for moral criteria along traditional lines. But, even here, there are reservations. He says: " To leave everything to man's better judgement presupposes a moral perfection in human beings which contradicts the basic facts of life." (p. 49) Be this as it may, this is no justification for the following assertion: "This is precisely why the Bible includes...clear-cut moral principles or 'laws' which represent the Maker's instructions... " (pp. 4950 ) This is Biblical fundamentalism at its boldest! These statements are never integrated into the broader context of man under grace which the author refers to as " the power for moral living. " The role of Christian conscience vis-a-vis the ethical situation is never discussed. It is disconcerting -indeed, alarming-to find Dr. Anderson so superficially conclude that " ...whether abortion is or is not justified must in the nature of the case be justified by the medical profession; so it is in my view wrong to introduce any criteria which are outside of a doctor's competence." (p. 80) The peculiarity is that mention is made of the sanctity of life, but there is no attempt made to demonstrate the aforementioned " exception " to the law. Positively speaking, Morality, Law and Grace does argue, even if unsystematically, to the interrelationships among morality, law, and grace. Basically, the book is apologetic by way of suggestion rather than by way of serious dialogue and demonstration. One could hardly find time and BOOK REVIEWS 393 space in lecture format to seek to establish the necessary complementarity between reason and faith. Time ought to have been allotted to set in perspective the relationship between Biblical and natural ethics. In sum, one has no doubt that Dr. Anderson sees the broader dimensions of the topics he has chosen to put before us. If the reader lacks his perspecuity, he may be bored or deceived by his book's avoidance of more fundamental questions. Providence College Providence, R. I. ALAN MILMORE, 0. P. Causality and Scientific Explanation. Vol. I: Medieval and Early Classical Science. By William A. Wallace. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1972. Pp. 294. $12.00. Rapidity of change in the philosophy of science is illustrated by the fact that twenty years ago-in the heyday of the " logical empiricist " or "logical positivist" movement-it would have been considered misleading to speak of causality and scientific explanation in the same breath of voice. It was then assumed that the task of the philosopher of science was the formal representation of scientific theories in general, leaving to the practicing scientist the job of confronting his conclusions with actual scientific procedure. Philosophy of science, thus disengaged from the specific tenets of particular scientific theories...