ST2420 Ethics I: Introduction to Christian Ethics                                   Spring 2008

Prof. Marc Kolden, Instructor                                                                                                         (first half)

 

 

Catalog Description:  An overview of the various ways that Christians make moral arguments

                                    and decisions.  The focus is on methods and models for moral discourse and the relationship of theological ethics and its biblical, historical, and confessional sources to insights from philosophy and other disciplines.  Half course.

 

 

Course Objectives: (for all sections of Ethics I)

 

1. Character:

 

  • Willingness to engage in civil, reasonable, and responsible conversations about important and often contentious moral issues.
  • Commitment to the possibilities and importance of moral deliberation in individual human development and well being and in the formation and promotion of human and global community.
  • Courage to engage the world and attend to the complexities and ambiguities of contemporary ethical issues in a responsible way.

 

2. Attitudes:

 

  • Respect for conversation partners, especially for those with different views.
  • Care with respect to the task—in the use of language, in listening to the arguments of others, in doing research, in facing complexity, in articulating one’s own positions, and in making decisions.
  • Passion for discerning the triune God’s activity within situations of moral ambiguity.

 

3. Knowledge of:

 

  • The various ways of construing the relationship between theology and ethics and of the role and authority of the Bible in moral deliberation.
  • Specific Lutheran contributions to the doing of Ethics, including the two realms [or two kingdoms], law and gospel, the uses of the law, the orders of creation, the hidden and revealed God, and vocation.
  • The history of theological and philosophical ethics and key figures in the discipline.
  • Various ways of constructing moral arguments and the implications of such arguments for responsible engagement with the world.

 

4. Skills:

 

  • Ability to make ethical judgments in a publicly responsible way.
  • Ability to reflect critically on ethical judgments.
  • Ability to exercise leadership in education in the congregation in the area of Christian ethics.
  • Ability to give reasons for ethical judgments that are at least interesting to those who disagree.

 

 

Note that this course will move very quickly.  Don’t get behind.  Don’t miss class unless absolutely necessary.  Don’t ask for an Incomplete grade except in the case of extraordinary emergency, because

the instructor needs to get grades in on time and you need a break over the Good Friday-Easter period.

 

 

 

Required Readings:

 

            James Burtness, CONSEQUENCES

            Lewis Smedes, MERE MORALITY

Marc Kolden, “Faith and Ethics—with a Lutheran flavor” (paper; to be distributed)

and other handouts

 

 

Recommended Readings and Reference Books:

 

WESTMINSTER DICTIONARY OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS                 The first three books listed

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ETHICS, 3 vols., 2nd edition                                here are in the Library

NEW DICTIONARY of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology                Ref. Room under BJ63….

 

Tom L. Beauchamp, PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICS

Robert Benne, ORDINARY SAINTS   (2nd ed.)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ETHICS

Lisa Cahill and James Childress, eds., CHRISTIAN ETHICS: problems and prospects

William Frankena, ETHICS

Stanley Grenz, POCKET DICTIONARY OF ETHICS

Karen Lebacqz, SIX THEORIES OF JUSTICE

Gilbert Meilaender, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS

H. Richard Niebuhr, THE RESPONSIBLE SELF

Paul Ramsey, BASIC CHRISTIAN ETHICS

Jacques Thiroux, ETHICS: THEORY AND PRACTICE  (3rd ed. or later)

           

 

Course Requirements:

 

  • Regular attendance and participation at all class sessions.
  • Attention to the course objectives.
  • Completion of the required reading in a timely fashion (i.e., for class discussion).
  • In a group of 3 persons, and utilizing models and methods discussed in class, prepare arguments on two or more sides of a particular issue and present your results in 15 minutes to the class on March 17—the final meeting of this course. 

            (Your group and topic should be picked prior to class on February 25.)

 

Preparing for this short presentation should include reading articles, chapters, reference books, and/or newspaper stories on a specific moral issue or actual case, covering several sides of the issue; analyzing what you have found; and then preparing an argument (or two or three) for particular positions or ways of addressing the issue or case.

 

  • Take and pass two examinations:

           

Quiz on technical terms—at 2:15 p.m. on Monday, March 3.

 

Take-home exam on the two main course books (by Burtness and Smedes) plus materials from course presentations, handouts, and discussions; available after class on Monday, March 17.  Due no later than Wednesday, March 19 by 4:00 p.m.   An “open-book” exam.

 

 

Class Schedule:          Tuesdays 2:10-5:00 p.m.       BH 116

 

 

Feb. 11                        Introduction to course and to the study of ethics; discussion of portions

                                    of Kolden’s paper, “Faith and Ethics, with a Lutheran flavor” (sent out

                                    a week prior to the first class session—to be read ahead of time).

 

 

Feb. 18                        Discussion of Burtness, Consequences, chapters 1-15.  Bring book to class.   Consideration of the chart on models of moral deliberation (attached to Kolden’s paper from Nov. 5—bring it to class also).

 

 

Feb. 25                        Discussion of Smedes, Mere Morality, chapters 1 – 5 (first part; through

                                    p. 118).  Presentation and exercises on constructing moral arguments from chart attached to Kolden’s paper.

 

 

Mar. 3                          Quiz on technical terms at 1:15.  Discussion of Smedes, Mere Morality, chapters 5, p.118 – chapter 9.  Presentation on Luther’s ethics and Reformation themes and approaches; evaluation and criticism

 

 

Mar. 10                        Discussion of Burtness, Consequences, chapters 16-24.  Presentation

                                    on and discussion of the roles and uses of the Bible in ethics.

 

 

Mar. 17                        Looking at particular issues/cases in light of different models of moral deliberation.  Presented and led by groups of 3 students each.  See p. 2.

                             

                                          Take-home exam to be distributed at the end of class.

 

                  Take-home exam due no later than Wednesday, March 19, at 4:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Prof. Kolden’s office is GH 303; phone: ext. 217.  He ordinarily is on campus each day, Monday-Friday.

 

 

 

Technical Terms to know for Ethics I

 

Ethics                                       The discipline that thinks about morality

Morality                                   Refers to how people treat each other: good/bad, right/wrong, etc.

Amoral                                     Indifferent or insensitive to morality; having no moral sense

Immoral                                    Contrary to what morality requires; morally wrong or bad

Non-moral                               Having no connection with morality; outside its sphere

An Imperative                           A statement of what ought to be done; a command

A “categorical” imperative         An universal imperative with no exceptions or qualifications

Deontological   ethics                Deals with universal obligations and laws; asks, what is right?

Teleological ethics                     Morality defined by results or consequences (“end” = telos)

Situationism                              Seeks the best action or outcome for an individual situation

Contextual ethics                      Seeks what is most fitting or appropriate for a particular context

Utilitarianism                             A form of teleology; seeks “greatest good for the greatest number”

Character ethics                        Focuses on persons’ character rather than the goodness of actions

Moral philosophy                      Another name for the discipline of Ethics

Ethical naturalism                      Seeks to derive a moral “ought” from “what is” (= what is natural)

Hedonism                                 Holds that the ultimate goal of human life is pleasure

Eudaemonism                           View that the purpose of human life is happiness (well-being)

Prudence                                  Practical wisdom

Stoicism                                   Teaches assent to the inevitable order of things (resignation)

Naturalistic fallacy                     View that the way things are [naturally] is the way they ought to be

Virtue (or character) ethics        Morality focused on persons’ dispositions and habits (“virtues”)

Natural law                               View that moral laws are part of the world, known by reason

Antinomianism                          The rejection of law as being part of morality or Christian life

Excellence                                An aspect or value involved in virtue or character ethics

Obedience to law/duty              Moral action in the deontological model

Teleology gone wrong               The end justifies the means (whatever means are necessary)

Summum bonum                     The highest good

Cardinal virtues                         prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude

Theological virtues                    faith, hope, and love

Augustine                                 “Love God, and do what you will.”

Kant                                         “Persons ought to be treated as ends in themselves.”

Kant                                         Deontology

Thomas Aquinas/Aristotle         Virtue ethics

Thomas Aquinas/Aristotle         Teleology

J. S. Mill                                   Utilitarianism

H. Richard Niebuhr                  Contextual (or Responsibility) ethics