Summer 2020/Fuller Online

ET501

Rector

ET501: CHRISTIAN ETHICS (4 Units: 161 hours). Laura Rector.

DESCRIPTION: A foundational course in Christian ethics that studies core Christian ethical vision, values, and convictions (telos, norms, and virtues) shaping and guiding Christian moral agency, decisions, and ecclesial practices. The course discusses the methods of ethical decisions, authority of Scripture, formation of moral agency, norms of love and justice, together with the issues of economic, racial, and ecological justice, the sanctity of life, sexual faithfulness, and violence and peacemaking with special attention to global, pluralistic contexts of Christian ministry today.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will demonstrate that they (1) understand core Christian moral convictions, vision, values, and virtues of Christian faith (the kingdom of God, covenant, law, cruciformity/cross, love and justice, human dignity, nonviolence, community, etc.); (2) have learned the basic skills of critical moral description, analysis, and ethical reasoning; (3) understand and can assess different ethical views and assumptions besides their own; (4) have gained competence in teaching Christian ethics in their own particular social contexts and in articulating their moral convictions in the public realm in conversations with others; (5) have learned how to identify and apply core Christian vision, values, and virtues to major contemporary ethical issues.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: As a foundational course in Christian ethics, this course studies core Christian ethical vision, values, and convictions (telos, norms, and virtues) shaping and guiding our moral agency, decisions, and practices. The course seeks to implement the SOT PLO: “Students will have demonstrated capacities for historically and informed theological and ethical reflection.” TH6 courses fulfill the MDiv, MATM, and MDiv PLO that states, “Students will have demonstrated capacities for historically informed theological and ethical reflection.” Addresses MAICS Area of Interest Class: “Students will have demonstrated capacities to pursue vocations that engage the mission of God globally.”

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: Approx. 1,200 pp. of required reading.

De La Torre, Miguel A. Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins, 2nd Ed. Orbis, 2014. ISBN: 978-1626980754, Pub.Price $35.00. Available as an e-book through the Fuller Library [147 pp. assigned].

Smedes, Lewis. Mere Morality: What God Expects from Ordinary People. Eerdmans, 1989. ISBN: 978-0802802576, Pub. Price $23.00 [185 pp. assigned].

Stassen, Glen, and David Gushee. Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context. 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 2016. ISBN: 978-0802874214, Pub.Price $40.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller library [402 pp. assigned].

Sanders, Cheryl. Empowerment Ethics for a Liberated People: A Path to African American Social Transformation. Fortress, 1995. ISBN:978-0800629175, Pub. Price $17.00 [152 pp.].

Selected articles. [105 pp. assigned].

Choose ONE of the following:

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Strength to Love. Fortress, 2010. ISBN: 978-0800697402, Pub. Price $24.00. Available as an e-book under A Gift of Love from the Fuller library [192 pp.].

Lee, Hak Joon. The Great World House: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Global Ethics. Pilgrim Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0829818215, Pub. Price $25.00 [256 pp.].

Niebuhr, H. R. The Responsible Self. Westminster John Knox, 1999. ISBN: 978-0664221522, Pub. Price $30.00 [200 pp.].

West, Traci. Disruptive Christian Ethics: When Racism and Women's Lives Matter. Westminster John Knox Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0664229597, Pub. Price $30.00 [179 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Ethics. Touchstone, 1995. ISBN: 978-0684815015, Pub. Price $16.99 [384 pp.].

Davis, Ellen. Biblical Prophecy: Perspectives for Christian Theology, Discipleship, and Ministry. Westminster John Knox, 2014. ISBN: 978-0664235383, Pub. Price. $40.00 [304 pp.].

Hays, Richard. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. Harper Collins, 1996. ISBN: 978-0060637965, Pub. Price $29.99 [528 pp.].

Isasi-Diaz, Ada Maria. En La Lucha/In the Struggle. Fortress, 2003. ISBN: 978-0800635992, Pub. Price $23.00 [280 pp.].

Kao, Grace and Isup Ahn, ed. Asian American Christian Ethics: Voices, Methods, Issues. Baylor, 2015. ISBN: 978-1481301756, Pub. Price $44.95 [343 pp.].

Kunhiyop, Samuel Waje. African Christian Ethics. Zondervan, 2008. ISBN: 978-9966805362, Pub Price $24.99 [416 pp.].

Marshall, Christopher D. Crowned with Glory and Honor. Cascadia, 2003. ISBN: 978-1931038041, Pub. Price $13.95 [160 pp.].

Sider, Ronald. Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America. 2nd. Ed. Baker, 2007. ISBN: 978-0801066139, Pub. Price $25.00 [352 pp.].

Thurman, Howard. Jesus and the Disinherited. Beacon Press, 1996. ISBN:978-0807010297, Pub. Price $16.00 [124 pp.].

Wright, Christopher. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. IVP Academics, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830839612, Pub. Price $38.00 [520 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Weekly lessons including audio files, videos, teacher’s posts, other directed learning activities [15 hours].
2. 250 to 350-word weekly posts and 3 100-word weekly replies (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-5]. [29 hours].
3. 1,200 pages of required reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-5]. [60 hours].
4. 3,000-word term paper comparing 2 Christian ethical perspectives analyzing a variable that affects the outcome of moral issue within the student’s context (25%). The final term paper is the signature assignment for ET501. The scholarly paper has to engage at least two different Christian ethical perspectives on the same ethical issue or variable, e.g. human dignity, justice, or power, in light of a student’s own particular cultural context. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 4, 5]. [30 hours].
5. 1,200-word position paper or 7-minute video presentation shared and discussed with a peer small group to help students grow in specialized knowledge of a justice or human rights topic and apply class concepts to a topic not covered by lectures (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-5]. [12 hours of research writing, 3-4 hours of group interactions].
6. An Ethics in the Real World Project that includes a 4-hour observation with at a non-profit heavily related to a social justice issue and the course materials, followed up by a video discussion with students’ peer small groups to help students apply class concepts beyond the classroom (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-5] [10 hours, including travel, preparation, recording time, and interactions].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Fulfills the TH5 or TH6 requirements in the 120 MDiv Program (Fall 2016). Fulfills the TH6 requirement in the 80 MAT and 80 MATM Programs (Fall 2016). Option to meet the C4 or TH5 requirements in the 120 MDiv Program (Fall 2014). Option to meet the C4 requirement in the 80 MATM and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015). Meets ETH in the 144 MDiv Program. Meets MAT program requirement (Winter 2010) and Seminary Core Requirement (SCR) for other MA degrees (Winter 2010).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.