D. Stephen Long. Christian Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $11.

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1 Rev. Michael Niebauer Tel: Spring Term 2019 Department: Systematic Theology Course Title: Introduction to Christian Ethics Course Number: ST 750 Credit Hours: 3 Course Description An introduction to Christian moral reflection and action. The course will also survey different traditions in ethics and their roots in Scripture. Finally, we will explore from a Christian perspective some contemporary ethical issues to develop confidence in addressing ethical issues. Textbooks The following textbooks are required for the course. Carl E. Braaten and Christopher R. Seitz, eds. I Am the Lord Your God: Reflections on the Ten Commandments. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN- 13: List Price. $ Richard B. Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, ISBN-13: List Price: $ D. Stephen Long. Christian Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $11.95 Herbert McCabe, The Good Life: Ethics and the Pursuit of Happiness. London: Continuum ISBN-13: Walter Miller Jr., A Canticle for Leibowitz, EOS, 2006 ISBN-13: Sondra Wheeler, The Minister as Moral Theologian: Ethical Dimensions of Pastoral Leadership. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, ISBN-13: J. Philip Wogaman and Douglas M. Strong, eds. Readings in Christian Ethics: A Historical Sourcebook. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ These books are available from Sarah McCurdy at the Trinity School for Ministry bookstore. 1* 1 All required textbooks are available through the TSM bookstore (unless otherwise indicated). Recommended texts have a limited stock, but are always available on demand (give 5-6 business days for special orders). Order in-store, online at or call at

2 In addition, selected supplementary readings will be made available in Google Classroom. Other Helpful Texts (not required): David Atkinson, et al. New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Victor Lee Austin. Christian Ethics: A Guide for the Perplexed. NY: Bloomsbury T & T Clark, ISBN: List Price: $21.95 Michael Banner. Christian Ethics and Contemporary Moral Problems. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Michael Banner. Christian Ethics: A Brief History (Blackwell Brief Histories of Religion). Malden, MA: Blackwell, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Robin Gill. The Cambridge Companion to Christian Ethics. NY: Cambridge University Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Joel B. Green, Jacqueline E. Lapsley, Rebekah Miles, Allen Verhey, eds.. Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Joel B. Green, ed. New Testament and Ethics, The: A Book-by-Book Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Joel B. Green, Jacqueline E. Lapsley, eds. Old Testament and Ethics, The: A Book-by- Book Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Stanley Hauerwas and Samuel Wells, The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Stephen Holmgren. Ethics After Easter. Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, ISBN-13: List Price: $ C. Stephen Layman. The Shape of the Good: Christian Reflections on the Foundations of Ethics. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ D. Stephen Long. The Goodness of God: Theology, The Church, and Social Order. Wipf & Stock Publishers, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Alasdair MacIntyre, Three Rival Versions of Moral Enquiry: Encyclopedia, Genealogy, and Tradition. South Bend, IN: Notre Dame Press, 1994 ISBN-13: William C. Mattison III. Introducing Moral Theology: True Happiness and the Virtues. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ James McClendon, Jr. Ethics: Systematic Theology, Volume 1, Revised Edition. Waco: Baylor University Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Gilbert Meilaender. Bioethics: A Primer for Christians. 3rd edition. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, ISBN-13:

3 Patrick D. Miller. The Ten Commandments: Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Oliver O Donovan. Entering into Rest: Ethics as Theology, vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing C., 2017, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Oliver O Donovan. Finding and Seeking: Ethics as Theology, vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN-13: List Price: $ Oliver O Donovan. Resurrection and Moral Order: An Outline For Evangelical Ethics. 2 nd Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN-13: List Price: $ Oliver O Donovan. Self, World, and Time: Ethics as Theology, vol. 1. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN-13: List Price: $ Samuel Wells and Ben Quash. Introducing Christian Ethics. Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Samuel Wells, ed. Christian Ethics: An Introductory Reader. Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Daniel A. Westberg. Renewing Moral Theology: Christian Ethics as Action, Character and Grace. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, ISBN-13: List Price: ISBN-13: J. Philip Wogaman. Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction. 2nd. ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Christopher J. H. Wright. Old Testament Ethics For the People of God. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, ISBN-13: List Price: $ Course Objectives By the end of the course, you should be able to reflect intelligently on ethical issues in the light of Scripture and church tradition. You should have familiarity with how Scripture can be used to address ethical issues. You should be familiar with the ethical approaches of and issues addressed by significant thinkers in church history. You should be able to analyze contemporary ethical arguments, and respond competently to questions about ethical issues in the light of the Bible and the Church s tradition of ethical teaching. You should have greater clarity about your own Christian ethical convictions. Course Assignments Please read the assigned sections of the textbooks in advance of the class, so that you can play a part in class discussions. 3

4 In addition to the assigned readings, the class will break out into seminar sections, and students will be responsible for three short seminar papers/presentations (4-6 pages, double spaced) on the reading for the class session. The student leading the discussion will be expected to produce a summary of the reading with an analysis and critical evaluation of the argument and questions for further discussion. Your papers should summarize the ideas of the reading for the session, comment on what the author says, show where you agree or disagree. For top grades, you should develop your own argument. Raise two or three questions for discussion at the end. Please submit copies of your presentation to Google Classroom at least one day in advance. NOTE WELL: Electronic submission of papers is required for ATS (Association of Theological Schools) accreditation requirements for outcomes assessments. Each student will prepare a final research paper. This could be a paper on a major ethical question, for example, a question that might appear on the General Ordination Exam or your own diocesan Ordination Exam. One might write a paper on a topic not covered in the course, like divorce and remarriage in the church, or a more detailed paper on a covered topic. Other possibilities for papers might be on the thought of individual moral theologians/christian ethicists, and their ideas. For example, one might write on teleology and happiness in Thomas Aquinas s ethic; the relation between virtue, practices, and tradition in Alasdair MacIntyre s ethic; Richard Hooker s distinction between civil, ritual, and moral law, and its contemporary relevance; Christian abolitionist arguments against slavery; Stanley Hauerwas s case for pacifism, or Karl Barth s understanding of sexuality. The paper should incorporate several sources, both primary and secondary. (So if you are writing about Richard Hooker or Stanley Hauerwas, read Richard Hooker or Stanley Hauerwas, not just what other people say about them.) Your arguments should be primarily theological, not historical. That is, a paper on Augustine s or Luther s theology of the relation between Christianity and the state would be acceptable. A biography of Augustine or Luther would not be acceptable. A discussion of Augustine or Luther that leaned heavily on secondary sources, and did not actually indicate that you have read Augustine s or Luther s writings for yourself would not be acceptable. The papers should be no less than ten and no more than twenty pages in length. The final paper will be due May 11, the last day permitted by the registrar. Seniors are required to submit final work by April 30. There will be at least two (possibly three) quizzes posted throughout the term, which will be announced in advance. Students will be allowed two weeks to complete each quiz. The total quizzes will be graded as equivalent to one seminar presentation. Course Evaluation The seminar presentations (and quizzes) will constitute 60% of the grade. The final paper will constitute 30% of the grade. 4

5 Class Participation will constitute 10% of the grade. Grades The Academic Bulletin assigns the following values to grades: A B C D F Excellent Good Average Failure Failure In the liberal arts, there is always a subjective element in grading insofar as grades reflect qualitative work rather than quantitative measures. For theological work, a number of factors enter into grading: competence in understanding and summarizing material; insightful comments; thoughtful argumentation in addition to summarizing and commenting. Generally, the more of these factors that are present, the higher the grade, but other factors will also be taken into account, for example, organizational coherence, narrative flow of argument, lucidity. (Longer is not necessarily better.) Course Schedule Week 1: January 24 An Introduction to Christian Ethics: Key Problems, Schools and Theories Advance D. Stephen Long, Christian Ethics: A Very Short Introduction, 1-22, Oliver O Donovan Resurrection and Moral Order, pg Optional: Philip Turner, The Ten Commandments in the Church in a Postmodern World ; David Bentley Hart, God or Nothingness, I Am the Lord Your God, 3-17, (Optional) Week 2: January 31 Old Testament D. Stephen Long, Christian Ethics, Jewish ethics, Brevard S. Childs, The Theological Significance of the Decalogue, The Role of the Ritual and Purity Laws, Old Testament Theology in a Canonical Context (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985), Markus Bockmuehl, Keeping It Holy : Old Testament Commandment and New Testament Faith, I Am the Lord Your God,

6 Christopher Seitz, The Ten Commandments: Positive and Natural Law, I Am the Lord Your God, Presentations: Childs; Bockmuehl and/or Seitz Week 3: February 7 Paul (and Pauline Tradition) Reading: Hays, Moral Vision of the New Testament, 1-59; Presentations: Paul; Pauline Tradition Week 4: February 14 The Gospels Reading: Long, Christian Ethics, Hays, Moral Vision of the New Testament, Presentations: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John Week 5: February 21 Revelation Using the New Testament to think about ethics Reading: Hays, , Presentations: Revelation; Using the NT to think about ethics NOTE: You should finish part I of A Canticle of Leibowitz sometime during this week. Week 6: February 28 Catholic Resources: Augustine and Aquinas (Teleological/Virtue Ethics) A Canticle for Leibowitz, chapters Long, Christian Ethics, The history of Christian Ethics, Wogaman, Readings in Christian Ethics, 51-66, Additional reserve readings on Aquinas. Bonnie Kent, Augustine s Ethics, , The Cambridge Companion to Augustine (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001), Jean Porter, Right Reason and the Love of God The Parameters of Aquinas Moral Theology, The Theology of Thomas Aquinas, Rik Van Nieuwenhove and Joseph Wawrykow, eds. (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press,

7 Presentations: Augustine; Aquinas NOTE: The focus of presentations should be on the actual selections from Augustine and Aquinas. The purpose of secondary readings is to help you understand the primary texts. Week 7: March 7 Reformation Resources: Luther, Calvin, Hooker (Law, Gospel, and Interpreting Scripture) A Canticle for Leibowitz, chapters Long, Christian Ethics, Wogaman, , (Readings from Calvin and Luther). Richard Hooker on Law and the Sufficiency of Scripture (Selections from Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity) (Google Classroom). Paul Althaus, Law and Gospel, The Theology of Martin Luther (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1966) Gilbert Meilaender, Hearts Set to Obey, I Am the Lord Your God, Francois Wendel, Calvin: Origins and Development of His Religious Thought (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1997), Presentations: Luther, Calvin, Hooker NOTE: The focus of presentations should be on the actual selections from Luther and Calvin and Hooker. The purpose of secondary readings is to help you understand the primary texts. March Reading Week (NO CLASS) Week 8: March 21 Ethics in Modernity and Post-Modernity, Natural and Revealed Ethics Herbert McCabe, The Good Life, 1-57 Kavin Rowe, One True Life, Alasdair MacIntyre, Three Rival Versions of Moral Inquiry, 58-68, Oliver O Donovan, The Gospel and Christian Ethics, Resurrection and Moral Order: An Outline of Evangelical Ethics, 2 nd. Edition (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994), Presentations: McCabe, O Donovan Week 9: March 28 7

8 Violence and War A Canticle for Leibowitz, chapters Long, Hays, (Pacifism) Oliver O Donovan, In Pursuit of a Christian View of War, Bramcote, Grove Books, (Just War) Paul Ramsey, War and the Christian Conscience, Bernd Wannenwetsch. You Shall Not Kill What Does It Take? Why We Need the Other Commandments If We Are to Abstain from Killing, I Am the Lord Your God, Wogaman, , (optional) Presentations: Hays; O Donovan, Wannenwetsch Week 10: April 4 Euthanasia, End of Life Issues, Suicide A Canticle for Leibowitz, chapters Meilaender, Bioethics, chapters 6-8. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics, Presentations: Euthanasia, DNRs, Suicide Week 11: April 11 Disability Yong, The Bible, Disability, and the Church. Pages TBD Reynolds, Vulnerable Communion, Presentations: Disability April (Holy Week, No Classes) Week 12: April 25 Sex, Family, and Marriage 8

9 Long, Hays, Robert Jenson, Male and Female He Created Them, I Am the Lord Your God, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics, Presentations: Contraception, Divorce, Homosexuality Week 13: May 2 Ethics of Ministry and Mission Wheeler, The Minister as Moral Theologian, Niebauer, Virtue Ethics and Church Planting Presentations: Church Growth, Counseling, Teaching on Difficult Issues 9