Christian Ethics

Religion 2000

Fall, 2000

Dr. Dennis Sansom

Chapman 21 5

 

Course Description: to present the major sources, teachings, and virtues of Christian ethics; to apply these to some current issues; to present a cogent and compelling Christian understanding of morality.

Requirements:

    1. 50%--three lecture tests, only from class notes and discussions
    2. 25%--reading tests from Moral Issues and Christian Response, edited by Paul Jersild et al; each test is ten short-answer questions from the reading assignments to be taken at the first of the class period; will drop the lowest grade
    3. 25%--critical review of The Nature and Destiny of Man: Human Nature, volume 1, by Reinhold Neibuhr

The paper should follow these steps:
    1. approximately six to eight pages; typed, double spaced, with footnotes
    2. state explicitly the book’s thesis; i.e., what is the author trying to prove
    3. what is the unique feature of the Christian view of human nature in contrast

to the Classical and Modern

d. the limitations of the view of human nature in Romanticism, Idealism, and

Naturalism

e. the relevance of the Christian view of the Image of God
    1. the relationship between "sin" and human moral responsibility
    2. the significance of "justitia originalis" for Christian ethics
    3. your evaluation:

1) what did you learn (must be specific and reflective)

2) was he consistent and persuasive (must be specific with examples)
    1. what are the limitations or deficiencies of the book (don’t mention the

writing style or its difficult arguments)

4. the paper is graded according to the following:

on time; 1) five points off for each day late
    1. follow the guidelines
    2. accuracy of interpretation
    3. logical and cogent
    4. presentation–spelling and grammar
    1. attendance–cannot pass with more than six absences; must have excused absence (i.e., contact me before hand) to take a make up exam or test
    2. the class follows the University’s Honor Code and Disabilities Code

 

Schedule:

1. 8/29: Introduction

  1. 31: Introduction, Reading Quiz #1 pp. 29-54
  2. 9/5: Introduction
  3. 7: Life and Death–War, Reading Quiz #2 pp. 232-243
  4. 12: Abortion, Reading Quiz #3 pp. 387-410
  5. 14: Abortion
  6. 19: Euthanasia, Reading Quiz #4 pp. 413-429
  7. 21: Capital Punishment, Reading Quiz #5 pp. 251-265
  8. 26: Test
  9. 28: Sexual Ethics–Identity, Marriage, Reading Quiz #6, pp. 59-69
  10. 10/3: A Theology of Sexuality, Reading Quiz-#7 pp. 69-83
  11. 5: In Vitro Fertilization, Reading Quiz, #8, pp. 369-383
  12. 10: Surrogate Mothering,
  13. 12: Homosexuality, Reading Quiz-#9 pp. 160-182
  14. 19: Social Issues–Ecology, Reading Quiz-#10 pp. 208-228
  15. 24: Ecology
  16. 26: Test
  17. 31: Racial and Sexual Discrimination, Reading Quiz #11, pp. 108-131
  18. 11/2: continue

20. 7: continue, Reading Quiz #12 pp.132-157

  1. 9: Business Ethics–the Morality of Economic Systems
  2. 14: Advertising and Corporations, Reading Quiz #13 pp. 271-301
  3. 16: Capitalism, Socialism, Human Virtue and the Kingdom of God
  4. 21: Medical Ethics–Health and Power, Reading Quiz #14 pp. 345-367
  5. 28: Death, Health Care for the Elderly
  6. 30: Public vr. Private Rights, Confidentiality
  7. 12/5: Genetic Engineering
  8. 7: Medicine and the Christian Virtues

Final