Transforming Fate Into Destiny: The Theological Ethics of Stanley Hauerwas

Rating:
Summary: Great Critical Introduction to Hauerwas
Review: I've read nearly everything by Stanley Hauerwas, much of it more than once and I can safely say that this book is a superb summary of Hauerwas's theological ethics. Moreover, not only does this book perfectly present Hauerwas's theological ethics, it also offers some important recomendations for how to improve on Hauerwas's model and go beyond it in some way that Hauerwas had not done at the time of this book's writting. In particular, Well's use of the notion of drama to supplement Hauerwas's use of narrative is excellent, also of note is the way Wells uses an explicitly eschatological focus to respond to Hauerwas's critics. The notion of the church as living in a different time than the world is a very helpful way of putting the matter to clarify that Hauerwas is not a sectarian, despite the ravings of his critics.

If you have not yet read Hauerwas, this book can serve as an excellent introduction to his thought. There has not yet been a book written on Hauerwas to match this one. However, do not shortchange yourself. Reading Wells is not a substitute for reading Hauerwas himself.

Rating:
Summary: Great Critical Introduction to Hauerwas
Review: I've read nearly everything by Stanley Hauerwas, much of it more than once and I can safely say that this book is a superb summary of Hauerwas's theological ethics. Moreover, not only does this book perfectly present Hauerwas's theological ethics, it also offers some important recomendations for how to improve on Hauerwas's model and go beyond it in some way that Hauerwas had not done at the time of this book's writting. In particular, Well's use of the notion of drama to supplement Hauerwas's use of narrative is excellent, also of note is the way Wells uses an explicitly eschatological focus to respond to Hauerwas's critics. The notion of the church as living in a different time than the world is a very helpful way of putting the matter to clarify that Hauerwas is not a sectarian, despite the ravings of his critics.

If you have not yet read Hauerwas, this book can serve as an excellent introduction to his thought. There has not yet been a book written on Hauerwas to match this one. However, do not shortchange yourself. Reading Wells is not a substitute for reading Hauerwas himself.