James F. Keenan, SJ, is Canisius Professor of Theology and Director of The Jesuit Institute at Boston College. He is the author or editor of a number of books, including University Ethics: How Colleges Can Build and Benefit from a Culture of Ethics and The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Moral Wisdom beyond the Moral ManualsPart I: The LessonsChapter One: LoveChapter Two: ConscienceChapter Three: SinChapter Four: SufferingPart II: The TextsChapter Five: The Ten CommandmentsChapter Six: Jesus in the New TestamentChapter Seven: Practicing the Corporal Works of MercyChapter Eight: Cultivating the Cardinal VirtuesPart III: The TaskChapter Nine: Moral AgencyNotesIndexAbout the Author

Keenan's book is sharp, offering constructively critical analyses of fundamental moral theological ideas with a profound respect for the Catholic tradition. Keenan uses his own personal stories to recast moral theological ideas in ways that resonate deeply with our lives. Students and colleagues alike identify well with his struggles with moral issues. The chapters on love, sin, suffering, and mercy are extraordinary.