Reviewed Book: Maguire, Daniel C. The moral Core of Judaism and Christianity: reclaiming the revolution. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1993

Wiebe, Ben

English

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The moral core of Judaism and Christianity: reclaiming the revolution

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 20Issue 1 A Ministry Miscellany Article 215-1-1994The moral core of Judaism and Christianity:reclaiming the revolutionBen WiebeFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationWiebe, Ben (1994) "The moral core of Judaism and Christianity: reclaiming the revolution," Consensus: Vol. 20 : Iss. 1 , Article 21.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol20/iss1/21Book Reviews 137The Moral Core of Judaism and ChristianityDaniel C. MaguireMinneapolis: Fortress, 1993296 pp. $14 U.S.Books on theological or religious ethics keep appearing. With a moresober realization of the present human situation there is perhaps a newreadiness to examine neglected or overlooked resources. Is there anythingnew to report? Our knowledge of God is itself moral—to know God is toknow God as just and loving. Response to God therefore also has a moralstamp. This work offers an insightful review of themes like justice, hope,truth, and peace for our situation.The book is in two parts. Part one deals with “The Single Source ofMorality and Religion” and part two deals with “Scripting a New Human-ity”. Maguire begins by offering a critical review of religion. He makesnote of the perceived association of religion with ignorance and magic andwith “some of the worst” things in history done “in the name of religion”(17-19).Questions begin with Maguire’s starting point. It is essential to recog-nize evils done in the name of religion. He clearly names some of them.But he is simply inadequate in his distinction of what in scripture counts asa dark encumbrance and what as gold. With all his effort to establish hiscritical credentials, he essentially holds to a flat interpretation of scripture(in his own way much like a “fundamentalist”). To address his charge ofmisogyny, the opening chapters of Genesis affirm man and woman made inGod’s image with woman created as the complementary partner of man.These texts cannot properly be understood in support of misogyny. Humanexperience malformed by sin issues in misogyny and is certainly reflected inthe pages of scripture as it records that experience. What is the directionof God’s action with Israel? As a whole is it an endorsement or is it actionwithin history that leads through and beyond misogyny? In a similar way,with reference to the New Testament, to ask seriously what it would havemeant in historical context for Paul to challenge the institution of slaveryis to take an important step. Only if we think from a position of power orcontrol do we think of an imposition of the new order on the old. In actualhistory the way of Christ is not simply an alternative to the present orderbut a renewed way of living within that order (cf. Philemon).Maguire highlights an urgency in the present human situation. Thiswork is important in pointing to the resources within Judaism and Chris-tianity for response. He articulates clearly the connection between justiceand life together in community. At the same time he sometimes ends upactually undermining or weakening his case. For him the future of human-ity cannot depend on the “unanimous” decision on the being of God. Itdepends on “our common humanitas and of the values that will preserveour endangered life together” (x). To begin, we seem to be no closer to138 Consensusreaching agreement about a common humanity than about God. The fu-ture surely cannot depend on a unanimous decision. More than once inhistory the day has been saved by the “mighty minority”.Now, if none of us is really clear about what we mean when referringto God, we can simply recognize our differences and get on with othermore important matters. This is an attractive alternative in the modernsetting. There is a place, certainly, for making strategic alignments withvarious people in specific activities to accomplish certain ends. But whatabout resources to provide balance, purpose or hope? If God is (ratherthan “God” being a code word for our own ideals or ideas) and if God actsto reveal himself (rather than being merely a reference to our own bestwishes or sincere decisions), then reference to God has a place of ultimateimportance. This book is important because it explores the resources ofJudaism and Christianity for our contemporary situation. The reader willbe provoked, sometimes perhaps to criticism, but often also to insight andperhaps even to action.Ben WiebeHamilton, OntarioPreaching the Topical SermonRonald J. AllenLouisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1992xii + 164 pp.Ronald J. Allen, Associate Professor of Preaching and New Testamentat Christian Theological Seminary, and a Disciples of Christ minister, hasset himself the task of restoring the tarnished image of the topical sermon.Other than David Buttrick’s model of “preaching in the role of praxis”,a somewhat ignored section of his massive Homiletic^ topical preaching-per se has been in eclipse since its heyday in Harry Emerson Fosdick’s“life situation” model; the tidal wave of the biblical theology movementquite washed it away—and with justification. Allen wisely asserts that “thetopical sermon is an occasional alternative to regular expository preaching”;it is “a vitamin supplement to the nourishing fare of regular preaching fromthe Bible” (4). And he is careful to stress continuously that “the centre ofthe topical sermon is the interpretation of the topic in light of the gospel”(5), and therefore the preacher who takes up a topic must “analyze [it] witha credible theological method” (4) and in conversation with the Bible.After locating the topical sermon on the current homiletical map toestablish its nature and purpose (Ch. One), Allen discusses eight occasionswhen a topical sermon is appropriate, e.g., when understanding or actionis urgent; when the topic is larger than a single text, image, or theme;

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The moral core of Judaism and Christianity: reclaiming the revolution

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