Contents

Cover    i

Half Title Page    ii

Title Page    iii

Copyright Page    iv

Dedication    v

Editor’s Preface    ix

Abbreviations    xvii

Introduction to Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics by Dirk van Keulen and John Bolt    xxi

Introduction    1

§1 Historical Overview of Christian Ethics    2

§2 Terminology    17

§3 Division and Organization of Ethics    23

§4 Foundation and Method of Ethics    25

Book I Humanity before Conversion    31

1. Essential Human Nature    33

§5 Human Beings, Created in God’s Image    35

§6 The Content of Human Nature    44

§7 Human Relationships    49

2. Humanity under the Power of Sin    77

§8 The Devastation of the Image of God in Humanity    78

§9 The Organizing Principle and Classification of Sins    100

3. The Self against the Neighbor and God    117

§10 Sins of Egoism in the Narrow Sense    118

§11 Sins against the Neighbor    129

§12 Sins against God    139

4. The Fallen Image of God    147

§13 The Image of God in Fallen Human Beings    148

5. Human Conscience    165

§14 The Conscience    167

6. The Sinner and the Law    215

§15 The Law    216

§16 Natural Morality    228

Book II Converted Humanity    237

7. Life in the Spirit    239

§17 The Nature of the Spiritual Life    240

§18 The Origin of the Spiritual Life    253

§19 The First and Basic Activity of the Spiritual Life    264

8. Life in the Spirit in the Church’s History    273

§20 Mysticism, Pietism, and Methodism    275

9. The Shape and Maturation of the Christian Life    315

§21 The Shape of the Christian Life: The Imitation of Christ    317

§22 The Growth of the Spiritual Life    341

10. Persevering in the Christian Life    361

§23 Security and Sealing    363

11. Pathologies of the Christian Life    415

§24 Diseases of the Spiritual Life and Their Roots    417

12. Restoration and Consummation of the Christian Life    461

§25 Means of Restoration    462

§26 Consummation of the Spiritual Life; Meditation on Death    493

Bibliography    495

Selected Scripture Index    528

Name Index    541

Subject Index    554

Back Cover    565