Winter 2016/Fuller Online

ET501

Lee

ET501: CHRISTIAN ETHICS (4 Units: 160 hours). Seung Woo Lee.

DESCRIPTION: A foundational course in Christian ethics that studies Christian vision, values, and convictions shaping moral agency, decisions, and practices. Seeking a holistic Christian ethics that aids personal spiritual-moral growth, ecclesial practices, and the enhancement of social justice to serve the triune God who revealed in Jesus Christ as Lord in all of life and ministry, the course studies different methods of ethical reasoning, authority of Scripture, formation of moral agency, norms of love and justice, together with the issues of economic, racial, and ecological justice, sanctity of life, sexual faithfulness, violence and peacemaking with a special attention to global and pluralistic contexts of Christian ministry today.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will demonstrate that they (1) understand core Christian moral convictions, vision, values, virtues of Christian faith (e.g., the kingdom of God, the Ten Commandments, covenant, the Sermon on the Mount, the sanctifying work of the Spirit, love and justice, human dignity, nonviolence, 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.

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, which is outlined below in the assignment and assessment section. 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: 1,200 pp. of required reading.

De La Torre, Miguel A. Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins. 2^nd ed. Orbis, 2014. ISBN: 978-1626980754, Pub. Price $35.00 [240 pp. assigned].

Hollinger, Dennis. Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World. Baker Academic, 2002. ISBN: 978-0801025631, Pub. Price $28.00 [156 pp. assigned].

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Strength to Love. Fortress Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0800697402, Pub. Price $24.00 [164 pp. assigned].

Stassen, Glen, and David Gushee. Kingdom Ethics: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context. InterVarsity Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0830826681, Pub. Price $40.00 [400 pp. assigned].

Wright, Christopher J.H. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. IVP Academic, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830839612, Price $32.00 [140 pp. assigned].

Course Packet (available on eReserves) [approx. 100 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Horsley, Richard. Covenant Economics: A Biblical Vision of Justice for All.Westminster John Knox Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0664233952, Pub. Price $25.00.

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

Migliore, Daniel. Faith Seeking Understanding. Eerdmans, 2014. ISBN: 978-0802871855, Pub. Price $30.00.

Niebuhr, H. Richard. The Responsible Self. Westminster John Knox Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0664221522, Pub. Price $30.00.

Peters, Rebecca Todd. In Search of the Good Life: The Ethics of Globalization. Continuum, 2004. ISBN: 978-0826418586, Pub. Price $29.95.

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

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Weekly lessons including instructor’s posts, audio files, videos, other directed learning activities [20 hours].

2. 250-word weekly posts (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-5]. [10 hours].

3. 250-word weekly replies (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-5]. [10 hours].

4. 1,200 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-5]. [65 hours].

5. Two 1,000-1,250 word critical reflection papers based on course materials, auxiliary readings, and/or movie screenings. (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2, 3, and 4]. [15 hours].

6. Final exam on assigned readings and lectures (open book). (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, 3, and 5]. [10 hours].

7. A 2,500 – 3,000 word research paper and presentation. (40%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2, 3, 4 and 5]. [30 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the C4 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program, 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: Yes.