Overview

An interdisciplinary conversation between law and Christian thought exists, but has so far been centered in the legal academy. Law scholars have fruitfully critiqued contemporary legal and jurisprudential issues by drawing upon concepts and norms from the field of religious ethics. However, the conversation needs to move in the opposite direction as well-centered in religious studies and theology and reaching out to the legal field. Ethics at the Edges of Law begins this movement by arguing for the discipline of law as a valuable source of moral wisdom and conceptual insight for ethicists.Cathleen Kaveny shows how the work of important contemporary figures in Christian ethics, including John Noonan, Stanley Hauerwas, and Margaret Farley, can be enriched and illuminated by engagement with particular aspects of the American legal tradition. The book is divided into three parts: Part I, ""Narratives and Norms,"" examines how the legal tradition can shed light on the development of religious and moral traditions. Part II, ""Love, Justice, and Law,"" uses particular legal cases to advance questions about the relationship of love and justice in Christian ethics. Part III, ""Legal Categories and Theological Problems,"" shows how legal concepts can reframe and even resolve moral controversies within religious communities. With this book, Kaveny leads the way towards a mutually profitable exchange between the American legal tradition and the tradition of Christian ethics.

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9780190612290

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Reviews

Cathleen Kaveny's new work brilliantly demonstrates not only that law can be a fruitful conversation partner for theological ethics, but that it is a necessary one. Her mastery of the fields of law, ethics, and theology is marshaled throughout as she probes perennially vexing problems and explores new questions. Highly original, sometimes provocative, always illuminating, Ethics at the Edges of Law is a tour de force. --Linda Hogan, Professor of Ecumenics and former Vice-Provost of Trinity College Dublin Ethics at the Edges of Law is one of the most important recent books at the intersection of law and theology. Kaveny's thoughtful and at times unconventional engagement with some of the major twentieth-century figures in these two disciplines offers glimmers of both tragedy and hope-and a reminder that our lived experiences unfold in the shadow of both. --John D. Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion, Washington University in St. Louis Cathleen Kaveny is one of the most important scholars in the interdisciplinary field of law and religion since the field began to flourish about forty years ago. Ethics at the Edges of Law is a superb book. In it, Kaveny succeeds in doing precisely what she set out to do, namely, 'jump start . . . a complementary interdisciplinary conversation . . . centered in religious studies and theology and reaching out to the legal field.' --Michael J. Perry, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law, Emory University

"""In the end, while Kaveny's book and its conceptually rich mining of the disciplines of law and religious ethics is directed, in the first instance, toward the revitalization of the field of religious ethics, Kaveny's many reflections on legal pedagogy suggest that interdisciplinary approaches can benefit the study of law, as well."" -- M. Christian Green, Emory University, Journal of Law and Religion ""Cathleen Kaveny's collection of essays, Ethics at the Edges of Law, provides abundant practical wisdom about pressing issues by showing how the legal tradition can serve as a source of insight for Christian ethicists and for the morally serious general public as well. Those of us who seek inspiring examples of how careful and articulate thinking can advance the quality of public life should be grateful for books like Kaveny's [...] In sum, both the range of issues in this book and the depth of wisdom and learning that Kaveny brings to them are consistently impressive."" -- Mark R. Schwehn, Commonweal Magazine ""Ethics at the Edges of Law is a sophisticated plea for ethicists to take law seriously in their pursuit of justice, with implications that extend far beyond simple adjustments to method or approach."" --Nathaniel Grimes, Reading Religion ""In Ethics at the Edges of Law, Cathleen Kaveny makes a robust and compelling case that the methodology and categories of the law would help theologians clarify their work and navigate the controversies which beset them."" --Matthew Lee Anderson, Journal of Church and State ""Cathleen Kaveny's new work brilliantly demonstrates not only that law can be a fruitful conversation partner for theological ethics, but that it is a necessary one. Her mastery of the fields of law, ethics, and theology is marshaled throughout as she probes perennially vexing problems and explores new questions. Highly original, sometimes provocative, always illuminating, Ethics at the Edges of Law is a tour de force."" --Linda Hogan, Professor of Ecumenics and former Vice-Provost of Trinity College Dublin ""Ethics at the Edges of Law is one of the most important recent books at the intersection of law and theology. Kaveny's thoughtful and at times unconventional engagement with some of the major twentieth-century figures in these two disciplines offers glimmers of both tragedy and hope-and a reminder that our lived experiences unfold in the shadow of both.""--John D. Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion, Washington University in St. Louis ""Cathleen Kaveny is one of the most important scholars in the interdisciplinary field of law and religion since the field began to flourish about forty years ago. Ethics at the Edges of Law is a superb book. In it, Kaveny succeeds in doing precisely what she set out to do, namely, 'jump start . . . a complementary interdisciplinary conversation . . . centered in religious studies and theology and reaching out to the legal field.'""--Michael J. Perry, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law, Emory University"

""In the end, while Kaveny's book and its conceptually rich mining of the disciplines of law and religious ethics is directed, in the first instance, toward the revitalization of the field of religious ethics, Kaveny's many reflections on legal pedagogy suggest that interdisciplinary approaches can benefit the study of law, as well."" -- M. Christian Green, Emory University, Journal of Law and Religion ""Cathleen Kaveny's collection of essays, Ethics at the Edges of Law, provides abundant practical wisdom about pressing issues by showing how the legal tradition can serve as a source of insight for Christian ethicists and for the morally serious general public as well. Those of us who seek inspiring examples of how careful and articulate thinking can advance the quality of public life should be grateful for books like Kaveny's [...] In sum, both the range of issues in this book and the depth of wisdom and learning that Kaveny brings to them are consistently impressive."" -- Mark R. Schwehn, Commonweal Magazine ""Ethics at the Edges of Law is a sophisticated plea for ethicists to take law seriously in their pursuit of justice, with implications that extend far beyond simple adjustments to method or approach."" --Nathaniel Grimes, Reading Religion ""In Ethics at the Edges of Law, Cathleen Kaveny makes a robust and compelling case that the methodology and categories of the law would help theologians clarify their work and navigate the controversies which beset them."" --Matthew Lee Anderson, Journal of Church and State ""Cathleen Kaveny's new work brilliantly demonstrates not only that law can be a fruitful conversation partner for theological ethics, but that it is a necessary one. Her mastery of the fields of law, ethics, and theology is marshaled throughout as she probes perennially vexing problems and explores new questions. Highly original, sometimes provocative, always illuminating, Ethics at the Edges of Law is a tour de force."" --Linda Hogan, Professor of Ecumenics and former Vice-Provost of Trinity College Dublin ""Ethics at the Edges of Law is one of the most important recent books at the intersection of law and theology. Kaveny's thoughtful and at times unconventional engagement with some of the major twentieth-century figures in these two disciplines offers glimmers of both tragedy and hope-and a reminder that our lived experiences unfold in the shadow of both.""--John D. Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion, Washington University in St. Louis ""Cathleen Kaveny is one of the most important scholars in the interdisciplinary field of law and religion since the field began to flourish about forty years ago. Ethics at the Edges of Law is a superb book. In it, Kaveny succeeds in doing precisely what she set out to do, namely, 'jump start . . . a complementary interdisciplinary conversation . . . centered in religious studies and theology and reaching out to the legal field.'""--Michael J. Perry, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law, Emory University

Cathleen Kaveny's new work brilliantly demonstrates not only that law can be a fruitful conversation partner for theological ethics, but that it is a necessary one. Her mastery of the fields of law, ethics, and theology is marshaled throughout as she probes perennially vexing problems and explores new questions. Highly original, sometimes provocative, always illuminating, Ethics at the Edges of Law is a tour de force. --Linda Hogan, Professor of Ecumenics and former Vice-Provost of Trinity College Dublin Ethics at the Edges of Law is one of the most important recent books at the intersection of law and theology. Kaveny's thoughtful and at times unconventional engagement with some of the major twentieth-century figures in these two disciplines offers glimmers of both tragedy and hope-and a reminder that our lived experiences unfold in the shadow of both. --John D. Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion, Washington University in St. Louis Cathleen Kaveny is one of the most important scholars in the interdisciplinary field of law and religion since the field began to flourish about forty years ago. Ethics at the Edges of Law is a superb book. In it, Kaveny succeeds in doing precisely what she set out to do, namely, 'jump start . . . a complementary interdisciplinary conversation . . . centered in religious studies and theology and reaching out to the legal field.' --Michael J. Perry, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law, Emory University

Author Information

Cathleen Kaveny is the Darald and Juliet Libby Professor of Law and Theology at Boston College. She earned her J.D. and her Ph.D. in religious ethics at Yale University. She came to Boston College in 2014 after teaching for many years at the University of Notre Dame. She is a past president of the Society of Christian Ethics and chair of the board of trustees of the Journal of Religious Ethics.

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