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50 Ethical Questions: Biblical Wisdom for Confusing Times
"Those who read 50 Ethical Questions will find answers that are reasonable, helpful, and best of all, biblical." ―Tim Challies Christians cannot escape difficult questions. What we need is guidance to think well. In 50 Ethical Questions , J. Alan Branch addresses questions about ethics, sexuality, marriage and divorce, bioethics, and Christian living. Readers will find biblical and reasonable guidance on their questions,
With Branch's help, you can navigate ethical challenges with care and conviction.
With Branch's help, you can navigate ethical challenges with care and conviction.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 2, 2024
thanks to my youth pastor for recommending this book.
April 6, 2025
PROS
+ He follows a sound approach when interpreting biblical law.
Quote "The biblical concept of love does not mean that we can disregard G-d's rules. Christians should not use vague and unbiblical notions of love as an excuse to circumvent G-d's moral boundaries. Love for G-d will motivate us to be obedient to G-d's moral precepts."
+ Great stance on 'Social Justice', I quote: "What biblical justice does demand is that poor people not be exploited and that all people, regardless of class or social standing, be treated equally in the eyes of law enforcement. These goals are far more limited than modern, expansive notions of social justice that want to guarantee that every member of society ends up at the same place economically. This means that while justice is clearly a biblical principle, social justice may or may not be."
+ Great stance on the moral status of preborn human life, against abortion; to suggest adoption as response to a child conceived after a rape; for the preservation of a precious human being with the down syndrome; against in vitro fertilization; against the use of surrogates; against the donation or reception of sperm or eggs; for signing an advance directive declining medical treatment if that treatment is hindering G-d's plan and the natural course of things; against physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia; for courtship over dating; for repentance and restoration after unchastity; against living together before marriage; against the 'morning-after pill'; for marriage and against divorce; against homos**ual activities; against gambling and against profanity.
CONS
- Correct stance against suicide, but highly problematic (probably evil) statement: "In cases where Christians commit suicide, they are still covered by G-d's grace, though G-d does not approve of suicide".
Suicide is murder which means breaking the Moral Law. While transgressions of the Moral Law can be forgiven upon repentance, repentance can hardly take place after the act of suicide is initiated. We should therefore abstain from implying that THEOS' grace could still cover such an act. It could be (in rare exceptions according to THEOS' special judgment), but this is not up to us to define or to publically speculate about.
- Correct stance on fornication, but he implies that the Bible does not properly define it which is wrong. The Bible provides at least 28 definitions of 'fornication' and 'unchastity', but we have sadly thrown out both terms from our Bible translations (the KJV trumps here).
Strong's G4205, ΠΟΡΝΟϹ, pornos - clearly confirms the case against 'fornicators': 1Cor 5:9-11, 1Cor 6:9-10, Heb 12:14-16, Rev 21:8
Strong's G4203, ΠΟΡΝΕΥⲰ, porneuo - is the term correctly translated with 'to commit fornication': 1Cor 6:18, 1Cor 10:8
Strong's G4202, ΠΟΡΝΕΙΑ, porneia - is often watered down with 'sexual immorality', but it clearly refers to fornication / unchastity / any type of sexual intercourse before the wedding night'. The watering down of this term has done immense damage to the church. The term 'fornication' is found in Mat 15:19, Joh 8:41, Act 15:20, Rom 1:29, Act 15:28-29, 1Cor 5:1, 1Cor 6:13, 1Cor 6:18, 1Cor 7:2, 2Cor 12:21, Gal 5:19, Eph 5:3, 1The 4:3-7, Rev 2:21 and Rev 9:21. The term 'unchastity' is found in Mat 5:3 and Mat 19:9.
Strong's G1608, ΕΚΠΟΡΝΕΥⲰ, ekporneuo is 'fornication': Deu 22:21, Jud 1:7 (Greek OT)
Strong's H2181, זָנָה, zânâh is 'unchastity' Lev 21:7, Isa 57:3, Hos 4:14, Deu 22:21 (see also the in-depth word study on 'Sexual Discipline')
- He wrongly teaches that divorce is allowed in case of adultery. He uses an erroneous translation of the exception clause to include the oxymoron 'except on the basis of adultery, commits adultery'. The content of this exception clause cannot be identical with the result which is 'adultery' = marital unfaithfulness ... Correct translation: "But I say to you, that anyone who should abandon his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her commit adultery." (see also the in-depth study on 'Marriage vs. Divorce')
- He wrongly infers that abuse justifies divorce, which is against the biblical teaching. Abuse can justify a separation if the presbyters of the church (= elders / overseers / pastors) declare the spouse to be an unbeliever, based on ongoing abuse and absence of repentance. No divorce and consequently no remarriage is allowed, and the vicious circle is therefore stopped. If we would follow his worldly advise of divorce & remarriage, then the vicious circle almost certainly continues.
- Problematic stance on same-sex-weddings, leaving it as an option for believers to attend. Would IESOUS have attended? No! He sat with sinners, but did not celebrate sin!
- He refers to the Catholic Pontifical Academy for Life when searching for authoritative guidelines regarding vaccines. He refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church when speaking about por**graphy. He refers to Pope Paul VI when looking for guidance on contraception. He consults the position of the Catholic Church on gambling.
> This endorsement of the RCC as ultimate authority is highly problematic and the reason why I have to abstain from recommending this book which contains many valuable teachings but also serious transgressions.
- Repeated endorsement (3x) of C.S. Lewis (believed in purgatory; Tao is the highest morality; rejected biblical inerrancy; theistic evolutionist; considered Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims as brothers in CHRISTOS).
"When considering ethics", he goes as far as to consider Lewis' suggestions on how "we should think in 3 conceptual categories: 1. External Relationships, 2. Internal Faculties, 3. Serving Proper Goals ..."
- He quotes (1x) Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Freemason, Black Fraternity 'Der Igel' (The Hedgehog) in Tübingen, strong affinity for Jesuits, claimed that "the biblical witness is uncertain with regard to the virgin birth")
- He endorses the Westminster confession (Calvinist manifest).
+ He follows a sound approach when interpreting biblical law.
Quote "The biblical concept of love does not mean that we can disregard G-d's rules. Christians should not use vague and unbiblical notions of love as an excuse to circumvent G-d's moral boundaries. Love for G-d will motivate us to be obedient to G-d's moral precepts."
+ Great stance on 'Social Justice', I quote: "What biblical justice does demand is that poor people not be exploited and that all people, regardless of class or social standing, be treated equally in the eyes of law enforcement. These goals are far more limited than modern, expansive notions of social justice that want to guarantee that every member of society ends up at the same place economically. This means that while justice is clearly a biblical principle, social justice may or may not be."
+ Great stance on the moral status of preborn human life, against abortion; to suggest adoption as response to a child conceived after a rape; for the preservation of a precious human being with the down syndrome; against in vitro fertilization; against the use of surrogates; against the donation or reception of sperm or eggs; for signing an advance directive declining medical treatment if that treatment is hindering G-d's plan and the natural course of things; against physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia; for courtship over dating; for repentance and restoration after unchastity; against living together before marriage; against the 'morning-after pill'; for marriage and against divorce; against homos**ual activities; against gambling and against profanity.
CONS
- Correct stance against suicide, but highly problematic (probably evil) statement: "In cases where Christians commit suicide, they are still covered by G-d's grace, though G-d does not approve of suicide".
Suicide is murder which means breaking the Moral Law. While transgressions of the Moral Law can be forgiven upon repentance, repentance can hardly take place after the act of suicide is initiated. We should therefore abstain from implying that THEOS' grace could still cover such an act. It could be (in rare exceptions according to THEOS' special judgment), but this is not up to us to define or to publically speculate about.
- Correct stance on fornication, but he implies that the Bible does not properly define it which is wrong. The Bible provides at least 28 definitions of 'fornication' and 'unchastity', but we have sadly thrown out both terms from our Bible translations (the KJV trumps here).
Strong's G4205, ΠΟΡΝΟϹ, pornos - clearly confirms the case against 'fornicators': 1Cor 5:9-11, 1Cor 6:9-10, Heb 12:14-16, Rev 21:8
Strong's G4203, ΠΟΡΝΕΥⲰ, porneuo - is the term correctly translated with 'to commit fornication': 1Cor 6:18, 1Cor 10:8
Strong's G4202, ΠΟΡΝΕΙΑ, porneia - is often watered down with 'sexual immorality', but it clearly refers to fornication / unchastity / any type of sexual intercourse before the wedding night'. The watering down of this term has done immense damage to the church. The term 'fornication' is found in Mat 15:19, Joh 8:41, Act 15:20, Rom 1:29, Act 15:28-29, 1Cor 5:1, 1Cor 6:13, 1Cor 6:18, 1Cor 7:2, 2Cor 12:21, Gal 5:19, Eph 5:3, 1The 4:3-7, Rev 2:21 and Rev 9:21. The term 'unchastity' is found in Mat 5:3 and Mat 19:9.
Strong's G1608, ΕΚΠΟΡΝΕΥⲰ, ekporneuo is 'fornication': Deu 22:21, Jud 1:7 (Greek OT)
Strong's H2181, זָנָה, zânâh is 'unchastity' Lev 21:7, Isa 57:3, Hos 4:14, Deu 22:21 (see also the in-depth word study on 'Sexual Discipline')
- He wrongly teaches that divorce is allowed in case of adultery. He uses an erroneous translation of the exception clause to include the oxymoron 'except on the basis of adultery, commits adultery'. The content of this exception clause cannot be identical with the result which is 'adultery' = marital unfaithfulness ... Correct translation: "But I say to you, that anyone who should abandon his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her commit adultery." (see also the in-depth study on 'Marriage vs. Divorce')
- He wrongly infers that abuse justifies divorce, which is against the biblical teaching. Abuse can justify a separation if the presbyters of the church (= elders / overseers / pastors) declare the spouse to be an unbeliever, based on ongoing abuse and absence of repentance. No divorce and consequently no remarriage is allowed, and the vicious circle is therefore stopped. If we would follow his worldly advise of divorce & remarriage, then the vicious circle almost certainly continues.
- Problematic stance on same-sex-weddings, leaving it as an option for believers to attend. Would IESOUS have attended? No! He sat with sinners, but did not celebrate sin!
- He refers to the Catholic Pontifical Academy for Life when searching for authoritative guidelines regarding vaccines. He refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church when speaking about por**graphy. He refers to Pope Paul VI when looking for guidance on contraception. He consults the position of the Catholic Church on gambling.
> This endorsement of the RCC as ultimate authority is highly problematic and the reason why I have to abstain from recommending this book which contains many valuable teachings but also serious transgressions.
- Repeated endorsement (3x) of C.S. Lewis (believed in purgatory; Tao is the highest morality; rejected biblical inerrancy; theistic evolutionist; considered Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims as brothers in CHRISTOS).
"When considering ethics", he goes as far as to consider Lewis' suggestions on how "we should think in 3 conceptual categories: 1. External Relationships, 2. Internal Faculties, 3. Serving Proper Goals ..."
- He quotes (1x) Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Freemason, Black Fraternity 'Der Igel' (The Hedgehog) in Tübingen, strong affinity for Jesuits, claimed that "the biblical witness is uncertain with regard to the virgin birth")
- He endorses the Westminster confession (Calvinist manifest).
January 16, 2026
All theological questions a college student will ask can be put into one of two categories. Either something about predestination or a question that is answered in this book. Because of that you should read this book. A lot of odd questions a college student will ask are answered here.
January 23, 2023
One Thing: An aid in the formation of character so "you too can be trusted "to carry the milk to the sick without nipping it along the way."
November 10, 2023
3.5
Useful starting point
Useful starting point
October 7, 2024
Simple and efficient in dealing with the questions many Christians have in applying their faith to today’s world.
November 29, 2024
A very helpful book with short chapters on pretty much every topic that comes up as a believer. Even though this was a book for class, I enjoyed it and found it very helpful!
February 26, 2025
I don't agree with everything this author says regarding his stance on things like birth control. But helpful in terms of critical thinking.
April 13, 2026
Read for seminary. Super helpful reference book for Christian Ethics. Gives a good concise overview of each question with Biblical support and appropriate suggestions on dealing with the topics.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews