Winter 2018/Pasadena

ET521

Beckett

ET521: SEXUALITY AND ETHICS (4 Units: 160 hours). Joshua Beckett.

DESCRIPTION: Popular Western culture is highly sexualized; our identities have become hitched to our sexuality, including our sexual practices or “preferences.” Contemporary Western Christian culture is generally muddled about how our sexuality matters for our discipleship; we often unknowingly adopt the assumptions of our broader culture and fail to reflect on the implications of doing so for our life and witness. This course explores our sexuality from a theological perspective and encourages development of an alternative vision for how our sexuality matters for our personal discipleship and communal witness.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will gain tools for analyzing how our culture shapes our perceptions of sexuality; (2) students will reflect on how despite Scripture’s temporal and cultural distance from us, theological interpretation can guide us in our sexual beliefs and practice; (3) students will develop a culturally relevant sexual ethic informed by Scripture, church tradition, and social science; and (4) students will practice convicted civility when discussing sex and sexuality.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets twice per week for two-hour sessions for a total of 40 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion.

REQUIRED READING: 1,200 pages of required reading.

Core Texts: Approximately 625 pages assigned.

Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction. Translated by Robert Hurley. Vintage Books, 1990. ISBN: 978-0679724698, Pub. Price $15.00 [150 pages assigned].

Loader, William. Sexuality in the New Testament: Understanding the Key Texts. Westminster John Knox Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0664231613, Pub. Price $20.00 [150 pages assigned].

Paris, Jenell Williams. The End of Sexual Identity: Why Sex Is Too Important to Define Who We Are. IVP Books, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830838363. Pub. Price $16.99 [150 pages assigned].

Simon, Caroline J. Bringing Sex into Focus: The Quest for Sexual Integrity. IVP Books, 2012. ISBN: 978-0830836376. Pub. Price $17.00 [175 pages assigned].

Parallel Readings: Approximately 175 pages assigned. Choose ONE of the following books:

Regnerus, Mark and Jeremy Uecker. Premarital Sex in America: How Young Americans Meet, Mate, and Think About Marrying. Oxford Univ. Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199743285. Pub. Price $26.95.

Sprinkle, Preston, ed. Two Views on Homosexuality, the Bible, and the Church. Zondervan, 2016. ISBN: 978-0310528630. Pub. Price $16.99.

West, Traci C. Disruptive Christian Ethics: When Racism and Women’s Lives Matter. Westminster John Knox Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0664229597. Pub. Price $30.00.

Yarhouse, Mark. Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture. IVP Academic, 2015. ISBN: 978-0830828593. Pub. Price $20.00.

E-Reserves: Approximately 375 pages assigned.

In an effort to keep costs down for students while accessing quality material, several articles and shorter readings are provided via Canvas, written by: Wendell Berry, Lisa Sowle Cahill, Sarah Coakley, Patricia Hill Collins, Megan DeFranza, Erin Dufault-Hunter, Mary Eberstadht, Donna Freitas, Elizabeth Lewis Hall, Eugene Rogers, Love Sechrest, and Rowan Williams.

Scriptures: Approximately 25 pages assigned.

Additionally, preparation for each class session includes meditation on an assigned passage from the Bible, in connection with the theme of the week.

RECOMMENDED READING: A list of recommended reading materials will be provided in the syllabus.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 1,200 pages of required reading (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 2, & 3].
    [75 hours].

  2. Composition of a weekly journal reflecting on the biblical passage of the week in relation to sexual ethics (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome 2]. [5 hours].

  3. Completion of two 5-page critical book reviews (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1, 3, & 4]. [15 hours].

  4. 2500-3000 word final paper comparing two views of sexuality, concluding with an outline of the student’s own theological ethic of sexuality and how this vision shapes Christian practices such as prayer, marriage, dating, and celibacy (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 2, 3, & 4]. [25 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the C5 or TH5 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Option to count in Christian Ethics emphasis.

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.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.