Ethics in the presence of Christ [Book Review]

Theology does not simply include mere moral reflection. It is ethics. The study of ethics, specifically Christian ethics, is not just a discourse about a particular set of ethical commands; however, Christian ethics is the study of human moral agents whose actions encounter and reflect the Divine Will to love God and neighbor - that is to be responsible, in the presence of Christ. This relationship is not self-evident but is illumined as one considers God's own self-revelation, in Jesus Christ who is responsible for us. Accordingly, several theologians, most notably Karl Barth, emphasise the commanding importance of the Word of God as moral truth, which ought to be understood, rather is given for one to hear and act responsibly. This is the ground for which Barth, for example, may argue that the problem of ethics is the proper concern of dogmatics. That is, the inclusion of theology as ethics is vital, for knowing theology without doing theology is simply impossible.