Why be good?
The objective existence of a good creator means there is a universal meaning of goodness.
What kind of good?
God, pre-eminently in Jesus in his cross-centred mission to the world, as a demonstration of what good is.
How is it possible to be good?
The Gospel as the only way in which change can happen so that people become consistently good.
[Seems a good structure for presenting the moral argument in it's fullness - inspired by Michael Green's approach]
I've been dipping into a old book by Michael Green called Runaway World. Very stimulating and well written. He explains that to many people:
Christianity is the religious man's form of escaping from reality; it is his private way of 'getting away from it all'.
I believe this charge to be largely though not entirely false. Certainly we live in a runaway world, but for the most part it is not the Christians who are running away from reality. We have our escapists in the churches, no doubt. But this book is written in the conviction that the Christian faith itself is the very antithesis of escapism. It provides us with the most credible account of the universe and man's place in it, with the motive and the dynamic for serving our fellow men, with the ability to face the harshest of situations with realism, and with a message of urgent relevance to the many who suspect Christians of escapism but are themselves running away from truth. The issue before us in this book resolves itself into this question: 'Who are the escapists?'
The chapter titles are:
In each chapter he explains the charge that people level at Christians and shows how Christianity in comparison to many other worldviews is actually the least guilty of that charge.
It is the first time I've read a Michael Green book and I love his style, approach, knowledge and heart. It won't be the last.
Sadly, it is out of print, it assumes too much knowledge for many, and is very of-its-time, so is not the kind of book you can give away (feast your eyes on the cover). But someone else loved it enough to put online (probably illegally but I suspect Michael Green doesn't mind) so you can read it if you like.
I mention it because I think this is really good apologetics. Escapism along with immorality are two of the biggest charges people level against Christianity in my experience. Engaging with the questions and acknowledging their weight, turning the questions back on the questioner, and presenting Christ as an answer of truth and beauty seems the way to respond.
