Comparative Religious Ethics: Everyday Decisions for Our Everyday Lives

Contents

v Photo acknowledgments viii Introduction: Comparative Religious Ethics and the Contemporary Search for Meaning 1 Dealing with Bias 2 Growth of Agnosticism and Secularism 5 Private Religion 7 Beyond Secularization Theory 9 Audience for This Text: Seeker-Skeptics 11 Chapter 1: Ethics and Spirituality in Religion 15 Virtue Ethics 16 Deontological, or Rule-Based, Ethics 17 Teleological, or Consequentialist, Ethics 24 Contemporary Rethinking of Traditionally Accepted Moral Rules 29 Asking the Virtue Question 31 Consequentialism in Social Ethics 32 Shorthand Rules in Religion 35 Choosing an Ethical Method 37 Contents vi contents Chapter 2: Religions on Food, Fasting, and Feasting 41 Framing the Issues 41 Religious Treatment Concerning Food, Fasting, and Feasting 43 New Ethical Questions on Food, Fasting, and Feasting 54 Case Study: Food 61 Discussion Questions 63 For Further Reading 63 Films 64 Chapter 3: Religions on Making Work Human 67 Framing the Issues 67 Religious Treatment Concerning Human Work 73 New Ethical Questions on Human Work 87 Case Study: Work 92 Discussion Questions 94 For Further Reading 94 Films 95 Chapter 4: Religions on Body Covering, Appearance, and Identity 97 Framing the Issues 98 Religious Treatment Concerning Body Covering, Appearance, and Identity 102 New Ethical Questions on Body Covering, Appearance, and Identity 109 Case Study: Body Coverings and Decoration 114 Discussion Questions 115 For Further Reading 116 Websites on Ethical Buying 116 Chapter 5: Religions on Sexuality and Marriage 119 Framing the Issues 119 Religious Treatment Concerning Sexuality and Marriage 127 New Ethical Questions on Sexuality and Marriage 136 Case Study: Arranged Marriage 146 Discussion Questions 149 For Further Reading 150 Films 150 vii Contents Chapter 6: Religions on Making and Keeping Families 155 Framing the Issues 156 Religious Treatment Concerning Making and Keeping Family 163 New Ethical Questions on Making and Keeping Family 168 Case Study: Family and Friends 179 Discussion Questions 180 For Further Reading 181 Films 181 Chapter 7: Religions on Anger and Violence 185 Framing the Issues 185 Religious Treatment Concerning Anger and Violence 187 New Ethical Questions on Anger and Violence 198 Case Study: Anger and Violence 205 Discussion Questions 205 For Further Reading 208 Films 208 Chapter 8: Religions on Charity and Beggars 211 Framing the Issues 212 Religious Treatment of Charity and Beggars 213 New Ethical Questions on Charity and Beggars 219 Case Study: Charity and Beggars 227 Discussion Questions 228 For Further Reading 229 Films 229 Glossary231 Index245 ...