DESCRIPTION:

The course's aim is to examine the shape of Christian life. Following the discussions in Stassen and Gushee's Kingdom Ethics, we will try to articulate the Biblical and theological bases for a Jesus-centered ethics and its relationship and relevance to different ethical traditions (both Christian and secular) and practical ethical issues relating to family and sexuality, war and self-defense, poverty and wealth, racism and social justice. An emphasis will also be laid on the crucial role the church plays in discerning, nurturing, and empowering the Christians in their effort to follow Jesus.

A good grasp of Christian ethics is an indispensable component of an adequate theological understanding of Christian faith. An authentic faith is one that "bears fruit." Moreover, the most pressing problems confronting our world are fundamentally ethical in nature. Here, Christian ethics plays an important role in relevant Christian witness to the world. The course will not offer simple answers to burning ethical issues of our time. It will nonetheless help the students to form their own convictions about the shape of Christian life by reflecting on one's biblical, theological, and communal traditions in relation to other ethical traditions.

Lectures and discussions. Class will meet daily for four-hour sessions for two weeks.

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Why We Can't Wait. Reissue ed. Signet Classic, 2000.

Meilaender, Gilbert. Bioethics: A Primer for Christians. Eerdmans, 1996.

Sider, Ronald. Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Word, 1997.

Stassen, Glen and David Gushee. Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context. InterVarsity Press, 2003.

Yoder, John Howard. The Politics of Jesus. 2d ed. Eerdmans, 1994.

Reading and analyzing assigned texts; class participation; four short papers (three pages each); take-home Mid-term and Final exams.

Sider's and Yoder's books will be discussed in the first week of class. We will also discuss the first half of Stassen's book. The other books will be discussed during the second week. Students should complete the readings prior to the week they are due.

None.

Meets M.Div. core requirements in Ethics (ETH).

Take-home exam.