Fall 2013/Fuller Online

ET501

Rector

ET501: CHRISTIAN ETHICS. Laura Rector.

DESCRIPTION: This introductory course in Christian ethics seeks to shape Christian disciples for moral engagement by emphasizing the concrete meaning of Jesus’ teachings and actions for Christian living. It does so by developing the critical thinking skills used in moral analysis and by teaching a method that encourages repentance, personal and communal growth, and compassion for others’ suffering. The class follows an agenda set by the Sermon on the Mount, covering contemporary social issues.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Students will learn to more adequately articulate complex moral realities in order to strengthen, encourage, and teach the body of Christ and to bear witness to others by living the gospel in their communities.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) develop critical thinking skills needed to analyze both their own and others’ methods of making moral decisions; (2) be prepared to dialogue in an informed, thoughtful, compassionate manner with others about personal and social moral issues; (3) learn a method of moral reasoning that allows them to analyze issues beyond those covered in the course; (4) be encouraged to integrate biblical and theological reflection with experiential knowledge.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar. 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:

Appiah, Kwame Anthony. Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. W.W. Norton, 2006. ISBN: 978-0393329339, Pub. Price $15.95 [176 pp. assigned].

De La Torre, Miguel A. Christian Ethics from the Margins. Orbis, 2004. ISBN: 978-1570755514, Pub. Price $24.00 [147 pp. assigned].

Sanders, Cheryl. Empowerment Ethics for a Liberated People: A Path to African American Social Transformation. Fortress, 1995. ISBN: 978-0800629175, Pub. Price $18.00 [115 pp. assigned].

Stassen, Glen, and David Gushee. Kingdom Ethics. InterVarsity Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0830826681, Pub. Price $35.00 [382 pp. assigned].

Selected articles on E-Reserve. [71 pp. assigned].

Your choice of ONE of the following:

Isasi-Diaz, Ada Maria. En La Lucha/In the Struggle. Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 978-0800635992, Pub. Price $23.00 [102 pp. assigned].

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Strength to Love. Fortress, 1981. ISBN: 978-0800697402, Pub. Price $24.00 [154 pp. assigned].

Marshall, Christopher D. Crowned with Glory and Honor. Cascadia, 2002. ISBN: 978-1931038041, Pub. Price $13.95 [128 pp. assigned].

Walzer, Michael. Exodus and Revolution. Basic Books, 1986. ISBN: 978-0465021635. Pub. Price $16.00 [149 pp. assigned].

Wright, N. T. Evil and the Justice of God. InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830833986, Pub. Price $15.00 [165 pp. assigned].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: 111-122 hours total class time

  1. Weekly posts and participation (300-350 words) reflecting on assigned reading, online lectures, and weekly responses to a classmate’s posts (100 words) - (30%). [3 hours reading/week; 1.5 hours of online activities & lectures/week, 2-3 hours posting/week]

  2. Group wiki posts helping students grow in specialized knowledge of a specific topic and apply class concepts to a topic not covered by lectures (350 words each) - (25%). [2 hours posting & research/week]

  3. A four-page, single-spaced comparison paper analyzing the methods used by a secular ethicist with a Christian ethicist’s methods, using a book of the student’s choice from the reading list (25%). [12-13 hours reading/preparing, 8 hours writing].

  4. An Ethics in the Real World Project that includes observation at a non-profit or the execution of a ministry project to help students apply class concepts beyond the classroom (20%). [6 hours executing, observing, writing]

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Christian Ethics (ETH); meets MAT program requirement and Seminary Core Requirement (SCR) for other MA degrees.

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.