The Moral Function of Doctrine

Abstract

“[The] divorce of theoretical from practical concerns in doctrinal exegesis has been maintained at a high price: Intellectual concerns have obscured the moral shaping function of Christian beliefs. Yet, a careful examination of many dogmatic treatises reveals concern for the moral effects of doctrine alongside coherence and intelligibility. Where the two are found together, ignoring the moral and pastoral questions in favor of those of coherence and intelligibility distorts the author's intention and robs the church of one of its central tasks: the formation of character.”