Who Are We?

“In this haunting volume one of the world's leading ethicists offers compelling contemporary evidence that we are at once sinners and saints, reprobate and righteous, lost and saved —simul justus et peccator, in Martin Luther's famous phrase. Jean Bethke Elshtain testifies both to the ample pathos of modern American life and thought and to the enduring promise of the cardinal Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity. No one who reads this book can come away unmoved or uninspired.”

John Witte Jr.

“Who Are We? is vintage Elshtain—social criticism at its best, politically astute and theologically informed. These essays, with pointed stories and examples, remind us that we constitute ourselves, individually and collectively, by our actions and decisions. Elshtain raises the question 'Where are we going?' and invites us to reflect on whether we are really headed in the direction of what is best and truest.”

Mary Ann Glendon

“At times Jean Bethke Elshtain reaches heights rarely attained in contemporary moral philosophy. This whole book both inspires and chastises. Quite an achievement.”

George Kateb

“Jean Bethke Elshtain is one of our most insightful interpreters and critics of contemporary culture. Her religiously grounded voice is distinctive and penetrating. Who Are We? is a compelling set of reflections, both disturbing and prophetic.”

Michael Perry

“Jean Bethke Elshtain has a rare ability to integrate serious theological speculation with acute political and social commentary. Beginning with a meditative reflection on the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and John Paul II, she perceptively analyzes both 'Who Are We?' and 'How Far Have We Fallen?' Focusing on the sins of pride and sloth, she seeks to show their relevance to some of the most pressing issues of the day: rampant economic greed, eugenics and cloning, the pervasiveness and perniciousness of a rational choice mentality, the failure to realize the work required for genuinely loving children, the teenage explosion of gratuitous murder, and the acceptance and increasing use of the death penalty. With wit and humane sensitivity, Elshtain demonstrates her living Christian faith by showing how it is relevant to the moral dilemmas that we all confront every day. She has a knack for getting to the heart of issues by presenting these in a most vivid manner. Her prose is always lively and makes powerful use of concrete examples, including recent films. I suspect that some readers will be delighted with her forcefully expressed judgments and others will be outraged. But all will agree that — in the best sense — Elshtain is always thought-provoking.”

Richard J. Bernstein