Divine Love Theory

Book excerpt: What if the loving relationships of the Trinity are the ultimate, objective source for living morally? Adam Lloyd Johnson injects a fresh yet eternal reality into the thriving debate over the basis of moral absolutes. While postmodernism's moral relativism once temporarily disrupted the footing of classic moral theories like natural law and divine command, many nontheistic philosophers assert that morality must rest on something real and objective. Divine Love Theory proposes a grounding for morality not only in the creator God but as revealed in the Christian Scriptures--Father, Son, and Spirit eternally loving one another. Johnson contends that the Trinity provides a remarkably convincing foundation for making moral judgments. One leading atheistic proposal, godless normative realism, finds many deficiencies in theistic and Christian theories, yet Johnson shows how godless normative realism is susceptible to similar errors. He then demonstrates how the loving relationships of the Trinity as outlined in historic Christian theology resolve many of the weakest points in both theistic and atheistic moral theories. "Johnson leaves no stone unturned, his research is exceptional, and his topic and treatment of it are first-rate. I very strongly recommend this book." --J. P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University "Divine Love Theory is an important and original contribution to the on-going contemporary debate between theists and non-theists over the foundations of morality. It is a work that will be of interest to theologians and philosophers alike." --Erik Wielenberg, professor of philosophy, DePauw University "Johnson's own proposal is a refreshing and insightful address that is often missed in the moral debate of mere theism: Trinitarianism. Divine Love Theory is at once more consistent with the largest theistic population, Christians, but also provides greater explanatory power over competitors, theistic and atheistic alike." --Corey Miller, President of Ratio Christi