Summer 2016/Houston
ET522
Christian

ET522: CHRISTIAN ETHICAL TRADITIONS: LIBERATIONIST, EVANGELICAL, AND EMERGENT (4 Units: 163 Hours). Charles W. Christian

DESCRIPTION: Developing a strong Christian ethic means being aware of key traditions that influence our approaches to ethics. This is because particular ethical traditions face specific cultural, moral, and political challenges and responsibilities. This course will explore key portions of the Christian ethical landscape, with special focus upon Liberationist (e.g., African-American, Latino/a, and Feminist ethics), Evangelical (including Protestant influences of major Evangelical traditions), and Emergent church perspectives. Students will be invited to engage these perspectives and enter into dialogue in such a way that allows a generous conversation with these traditions in relation to the student’s own background and influences.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated (1) a beginning understanding of a range of Christian ethical traditions, both theologically and practically; (2) the ability to interact critically and sympathetically with the various Christian approaches to ethics, including variations in gender, race, and ethnicity; (3) consideration of the importance and necessity of Christian engagement in society; (4) the development of one’s own approach to Christian ethics by carefully identifying with one or more traditions; and (5) a developing approach to ministry that recovers or creates ways of shaping Christian life as a practical application of Christian ethics.

COURSE FORMAT: This course meets for four weekends (Friday evenings and Saturday mornings) for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 1200 pages of required reading

De la Torre, Miguel A. Doing Ethics From the Margin. 2nd edition. Orbis, 2014. ISBN: 978-1626980754, Pub. Price $35.00 [377 pp. assigned]

Penner, Myron B., ed. Christianity and the Postmodern Turn: Six Views. Brazos Press, 2005. ISBN:  978-1587431081, Pub. Price $26.00 [240 pp.].

Sanders, Cheryl J. Empowerment Ethics for a Liberated People: A Path to African American Social Transformation. Fortress Press, 1995. ISBN: 978-0800629175, Pub. Price $18.00 [152 pp. assigned].

Wells, Samuel. Improvisation: The Drama of Christian Ethics. Brazos Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-1-4412-1288-7, Pub. Price $24.00 [240 pp. assigned].

Choose ONE of the following:

Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the World and Me. Spiegel and Grau, 2015 ISBN: 978-0812993547, Pub. Price $24.00 [176 pp.]

Garcia, Ismael. Dignidad: Ethics Through Hispanic Eyes. Abingdon Press, 1997 ISBN: 978-0687021345, Pub. Price $21.99 [192 pp.].

Storkey, Elaine. Origins of Difference: The Gender Debate Revisited. Baker Academic, 2001. ISBN: 978-0801022609, Pub. Price $11.00 [160 pp.].

RECOMMENDED READING:

DeYoung, C.P. and Karen Chai Kim, et al. United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race. Oxford Press USA, 2003. ISBN: 978-0195177527, Pub. Price $19.99 [240 pp.].

Dyson, Michael Eric. Between God and Gangsta Rap: Bearing Witness to Black Culture. Oxford, 1996. ISBN: 978-0195115697, Pub. Price $24.95 [240 pp.].

Harris, Paula and Douglas Schaupp. Being White. IVP, 2004. ISBN: 978-0830832477, Pub. Price $17.00 [192 pp.].

Husbands, Mark and Timothy Larsen, eds. Women, Ministry, and the Gospel. IVP, 2007. ISBN: 978-0830825660, Pub. Price [300pp.].

Ingersoll, Julie. EvangelicalChristian Women: War Stories in the Gender Battles. NYU Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0814737699, Pub. Price $26.00 [191 pp.].

Law, Eric H.F. The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb: A Spirituality for Leadership in a Multicultural Community. Chalice Press, 1993. ISBN: 978-0827242319, Pub. Price $18.99 [131 pp.].

Thistlewaite, Susan. Sex, Race, and God: Christian Feminism in Black and White. Crossroad, 1991. ISBN:  978-1606085691, Pub. Price $22.00 [192 pp.].

Tyson, Tim. Blood Done Sign My Name. Three Rivers Press, 2005. ISBN: 978-1400083114, Pub. Price $16.00 [368 pp.].

Volf, Miraslov. Exclusion and Embrace. Abingdon Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0687002825, Pub. Price $28.99 [336 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 1,200 pages of required reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, and 3] [70 hours].
2. A reading journal comprised of key summaries of the required reading textbooks (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 3, and 4] [15 hours].
3. Students will write an analysis and critique of the chosen book option (Coates, Garcia, or Storkey) (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2 and 4] [15 hours, including 10 hours of DLAs].
4. One case study addressing ethics from various Christian ethical traditions and ethnic perspectives (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4 and 5] [8 hours].
5. A research paper, around 2,500 words (12 point Times New Roman, double-spaced, one inch margins), addressing key themes of this course, illustrating the student’s ability to interact with diverse theological perspectives and concluding with the student’s perspective and analysis. The paper will focus upon at least two different Christian ethical perspectives, one of which must be from a different race, ethnicity, or gender than that of the student, on an ethical issue. (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4 and 5] [25 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Fulfills C4 or C5 requirement. Meets 144 MDiv core requirement in Ethics (ETH).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.