Hypocrisy: Moral Fraud and Other Vices

A respected congressman is found guilty of shady financial dealings. A highly regarded sports personality is busted for drug possession. Hypocrisy seems to be everywherereports of it are in the news almost every day. Christians especially are prone to the charge of hypocrisy: Theyre all a bunch of hypocrites. Yet surprisingly, the topic of hypocrisy has remained largely unaddressed in Christian literature or in secular publishing. In Hypocrisy: Moral Fraud and Other Vices, James Spiegel draws insights from ethics, theology, psychology, apologetics, and spiritual formation to guide readers through this complex subject. Spiegel deftly analyzes the concept and content of hypocrisy, then moves to a discussion of its morality and its relation to moral weakness and sanctification. In his closing chapter he takes up the charge of the churchs hypocrisy and whether it poses a sufficient reason for rejection of Christian truth, as critics maintain. Highly accessible yet philosophically sophisticated, Hypocrisy will sharpen the wits of serious readers and students of philosophy alike. This important book is destined to be a sought-after reference in moral and theological discussions for years to come.