The author writes from a Roman Catholic Christian perspective and argues that adequate Christian ethics must place the words and actions of Jesus at its center. Spohn believes that Christianity confesses Jesus Christ to be the definitive but not exclusive revelation of God. "Morally, this confession means that Jesus Christ plays a normative role in Christians' moral reflection. His story enables us to recognize which features of experience are significant, guides how we act, and forms who we are in the community of faith" (2).

The first three chapters make the case for the sources and method that the author employs. The argument is that three particular sources shape Christian ethics: the New Testament, virtue ethics, and spirituality. The second half of the book addresses how one perceives God's reign and Jesus' compassion vision, as well as exploring the emotions and dispositions of the Christian life. When explaining the importance of compassion in the ethical vision introduced by Jesus, the author writes, "Luke's parable of the Good Samaritan shows that compassion is the optic nerve of the Christian vision" (87).

The author concludes that the Christian moral life is grounded in the person of Jesus, and this grounding is demonstrated through the regular Christian practices that shape the lives of committed believers.

This book is rich. It is beautifully written and a joy to read. Statements like 'The Synoptics make clear that God's reign comes into history through human responses; it is not a theophany that reorders the world by sovereign power' shows that we all are co-creators in this life. The chapter 'The Analogiclal Imagination' gives great hope, especially for social justice issues. My faith witness recommends this book to all who have hope in Jesus Christ