More Than Things, Paul Louis Metzger
More Than Things, Paul Louis Metzger
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More Than Things
A Personalist Ethics for a Throwaway Culture

Author: Paul Louis Metzger

Narrator: Jonathan Yen

Unabridged: 17 hr 59 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/19/2023


Synopsis

We live in a culture of commodification. People are too often defined by what they do or own; they're treated as means to an end or cogs in a machine. What goes missing is a deep sense of personhood—the belief that all humans are unique subjects with inherent worth and the right to self-determination.

In a world dominated by things, we must work hard to account for one another's personhood. We need to cultivate relational structures that honor every human's dignity in vital interpersonal community. The theological and philosophical framework known as personalism can help guide us toward such a culture. Drawing from a wide range of thought leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II, Paul Louis Metzger presents a personalist moral vision founded on the Christian ideals of faith, hope, and love. He demonstrates how this moral compass can help us navigate a pluralistic world by applying it to a variety of pressing ethical issues, including abortion, genetic engineering, immigration, drone warfare, and more.

Ultimately human personhood begins with the personal, triune God, who invites us to live more fully as human beings. When we refuse to reduce our fellow humans—and ourselves—to mere abstractions or objects, we follow the example of Jesus in honoring the value of every person and of creaturely life as a whole.

About Paul Louis Metzger

Paul Louis Metzger is professor of Christian theology and theology of culture at Multnomah University and Seminary and director of The Institute for Cultural Engagement: New Wine, New Wineskins. He is the author of numerous books, including Consuming Jesus: Beyond Race and Class Divisions in a Consumer Church and Connecting Christ: How to Discuss Jesus in a World of Diverse Paths, and coeditor of A World for All?: Global Civil Society in Political Theory and Trinitarian Theology.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Conrade on August 08, 2023

There is a worrying trend in society today. Socially, people are being reduced to statistics. Medically, the health and wellness of a person are defined by numbers displayed in life support systems. Individual identities are based on their social security numbers. In a paranoid environment about pri......more

Goodreads review by Cynthia on July 25, 2023

This book is beautifully researched and provides a lengthy, in-depth discussion of the concept of personhood. It is highly theological and clearly intended for the academic market. Even as a seminary grad, I found it slow-going and a bit much for the casual reading. This would be great for an advanc......more

Goodreads review by Bob on September 10, 2023

Summary: Draws upon the theological and ethical framework of personalism to uphold the dignity of persons, with applications to a variety of medical issues related to human life and extending from immigration and drone warfare to space exploration. I was always taught that we should love people and u......more

Goodreads review by Richard on February 02, 2024

R.C. Sproul once wrote a book titled "Everyone is a Theologian" and I think it’s true to say we’re all ethicists to one degree or another. Even if we disagree as to what our moral principles are, we should strive to ensure our they are internally cohesive and correspond to reality. I was excited to......more

Goodreads review by Derrick on September 10, 2023

Full disclosure: I worked with Dr. Paul Louis Metzger as a research assistant for several years while he was writing and revising this book. That said, Paul is one of the few theologian's I truly respect for attempting not only to engage and navigate the deep complexities of ethical and religious is......more