Summer 2020/Fuller Online

ET501

Sanders

ET501: CHRISTIAN ETHICS (4 Units: 165 hours). Ron Sanders.

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: Approximately 1200-1300 pp. of required reading (depending on which parallel track reading you choose).

De La Torre, Miguel A. Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins: 2nd Edition Revised and Expanded. Orbis Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-1626980754, Pub. Price $35.00 [58 pp. assigned] plus a selected chapter of various lengths as a resource for your group presentation (approximately 20-30 pp.). Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

Hays, Richard. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation, A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. Harper Collins, 1996. ISBN: 978-0060637965, Pub. Price $29.99 [Parts I, II, & sections of part IV, 252 pp. assigned].

Park, Andrew Sung. Racial Conflict and Healing: An Asian American Theological Perspective. Wipf and Stock, 2009. ISBN: 978-1608990498, Pub. Price $25.00 [182 pp. assigned].

Riggs, Marcia. “Living as Religious Ethical Mediators,” In Womanist Theological Ethics: A Reader. Eds. Katie Geneva Cannon, Emilie M. Townes, And Angela D. Sims. Westminster John Knox Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0664235376, Pub. Price $35.00 [7 pp. assigned]. (On E-Reserve).

Stassen, Glen, and David Gushee. Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context. 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 2016. ISBN: 978-0802874214, Pub.Price $40.00 [62 pp. assigned, plus a selected chapter of various lengths for group presentation (approximately 20-30 pp.)]. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

Townes, Emilie. “Ethics as an Art of Doing the Work our Souls Must Have,” in Womanist Theological Ethics: A Reader. Eds. Katie Geneva Cannon, Emilie M. Townes, And Angela D. Sims. Westminster John Knox Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0664235376, Pub. Price $35.00 [16 pp. assigned]. (On E-Reserve).

Woodley, Randy S. Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012. ISBN: 978-0802866783, Pub. Price $25.00 [166 pp. assigned].

Wright, Christopher J.H. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God (Part I). Intervarsity Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830839612, Pub. Price $38.00 [102 pp. assigned]. (On E-Reserve).

Selected Articles [50-75 pp. assigned].

PARALLEL TRACK READING: Students must choose one additional work from the following, according to their interest.

Cahill, Lisa Sowle. Sex, Gender and Christian Ethics. Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0521578486, Pub. Price $51.99 [348 pp.]. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

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

Rasmussen, Larry. Earth Community, Earth Ethics. Orbis Books, 1998. ISBN: 978-1570751868, Pub. Price $30.00 [376 pp.].

Williams, Reggie. Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance. Baylor, 2014. ISBN: 978-1602588059, Pub. Price $39.95 [196 pp.]. Available with 25% Discount Code BTXT at baylorpress.com

Hunter, James Davison. To Change the World: the Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility of Christianity In the Late Modern World. Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0199730803, Pub. Price $34.95 [286 pp.]. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

Some supplementary primary sources to be distributed in class or provided online.

RECOMMENDED READING: Recommended reading will be given during the course of the lectures.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

Class attendance and participation in online activities: forums, group projects, and module activities [200-300 word forum posts + shorter responses to others’ posts—15 posts required]. (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, #2]. [20 hours+16 hours of DLAs].
E-quizzes (7 total) based on reading schedule (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [7 hours].
Précis on parallel track reading (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #5]. [12 hours].
Group project on applying Christian ethics to a contemporary issue. This assignment requires group participation and collaboration. (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome 3]. [5 hours online participation and 5 hours individual research and writing].
3,000 word term paper (no less than 10 pp. and no more than 15 pp.). The final term paper is the signature assignment for ET501. This scholarly paper has to engage at least two different Christian ethical perspectives on the same ethical issue or variable, e.g. human dignity, justice, power, in light of a student’s own particular cultural context.(35%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4, #5]. [20 hours].
1200-1300 pp. of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [80 hours].

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). Requirement in Christian Ethics emphasis and Just Peacemaking emphasis.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.