Abstract
It is my goal in this essay to articulate a nonsectarian conception of a distinctively Christian ethic which is congruent with the traditional theological nuances and anthropological assumptions of the Roman heritage. My argument hinges on three theses. First, theological convictions are not hypotheses which can be validated or falsified by reference to so-called "objective" fact. They are rather presumptions through which agents construe their world. Second, for an ethic to be distinctively Christian, its wisdom need not be absolutely unique to those who are explicitly Christian. Relative congruence between Christian and non-Christian sources of moral wisdom does not vitiate all that is distinctive about Christian ethics. Third, there are neglected resources within the Roman heritage which are supportive of a nonsectarian conception of a distinctively Christian ethic.