Why Bother Being Good?: The Place of God in the Moral Life

Does morality need God?Everyone, it seems, struggles with moral and ethical issues. On a daily basis, newspapers, television, radio and magazines feature the moral scandals of political, religious and business leaders--not to mention entertainers. Moral failure has become so common that it no longer shocks us. We wonder whether it is possible to be morally good in a largely secular society.What is the source of moral authority?Do we need God to be good?In Why Bother Being Good? John Hare explores the nature of goodness, the human condition, the role of reason and the value of community in moral development. He also shows how these relate to the Christian doctrines of atonement, justification and sanctification. With a general audience in mind, Hare carefully defines terms and uses poetry and narrative to illuminate his arguments. He writes, "If all the arguments in this book work, what I have shown is that the morality we are familiar with requires a theological background if it is going to make sense."Unique and surprisingly fresh, this book is an excellent introduction to moral philosophy.