Old Testament Ethics for the People of God

Some Christians distinguish the moral laws in the Old Testament (which must be obeyed) from the ceremonial and civil laws (which may be disregarded). Others prefer a strictly New Testament ethic. Neither option, argues Chris Wright, does justice to the Old Testament as an essential part of our Bible. In this lively and readable approach, he develops a comprehensive alternative. First, he proposes a theological, social and economic framework for Old Testament ethics. Then, in relation to contemporary issues, he explores a variety of themes: economics, the land and the poor; ecology and the earth; politics and the world of nations; law and justice; society, culture and the family; the way of the individual. Since its first appearance in 1983, Chris Wright’s ‘Living as the People of God’ has been widely appreciated. Now fully revised, updated and restructured, it incorporates material from the author’s ‘Walking in the Ways of the Lord’, together with new surveys of historical and contemporary scholarly approaches to Christian ethical use of the Old Testament. This fresh and accessible study will appeal to non-specialists, while the greatly expanded bibliographies will make it a useful resource for students.