EMT 5912 Method in Theology and Ethics

Transcription

1 Fall 2016 EMT 5912 Method in Theology and Ethics Dr. Marilyn Legge Classroom 205 Room 210, Thurs. 2 4 p.m. m.legge@utoronto.ca Goals This course provides a critical study of resources and challenges for advanced work in theology and ethics. Through an examination of various methods how to proceed and relate various sources, norms or basepoints for Christian theology and moral life it investigates how select feminist, constructive, liberative and postcolonial/decolonizing frameworks shape Christian practices and moral agencies in specific contexts. Emphasis on self-reflexive, dialogical and collaborative skills in research and scholarship. Outcomes The relevant outcomes of the Toronto School of Theology advanced degree programs primarily are: Knowledge of the area of concentration, specifically: 1.1 basic familiarity with their area of concentration, as outlined in the departmental description of the field and as understood in scholarly discussion at the forefront of study in the area; 1.2 competence in a significant proportion (as determined by the department) of the subjects within their area of concentration. Ability with scholarly tools and skills, especially proficiency with the following skills: 2.3 proficiency in the use of a library and the construction of a bibliography 2.4 competence or proficiency in the use of pertinent electronic and web-based resources 2.5 proficiency in the following skills: clear and effective communication in both oral and written forms; the construction of a logical argument; the making of informed judgments on complex issues; and the use of GCTS standard conventions of style for scholarly writing. Accessibility services and learning accommodations = Students with diverse learning styles are welcome in this course. If you have a disability or health consideration that may require accommodations to facilitate your learning, please contact the instructor and/or the University of Toronto Office of Accessibility Services as soon as possible. Because it takes time to implement accommodations, the sooner you meet with a counsellor at Accessibility Services, the sooner the counsellor can assist you in achieving your learning goals in this course. Please contact the Accessibility Services by at accessibility.services@utoronto.ca, or by visiting either: Robarts Library 130 St. George St., First Floor Toronto, ON M5S 3H1 Voice: (416) ; FAX: (416) ; TTY: (416) Huron Street 9th Floor, Room 939 Toronto, ON M5S 1A2 Voice: (416) ; Fax: (416) TTY: (416)

2 TEXTS on Emmanuel College Reserve Shelf EMT 5912 Catherine Keller et al, Postcolonial Theologies: Divinity and Empire Angie Pears, Doing Contextual Theology Don Schweitzer and Derek Simon, eds. Intersecting Voices: Critical Theologies in a Land of Diversity. Recommended {*titles = options for Book Review} Marcella Althaus-Reid, et al, Another World is Possible (SCM, 2007) Stephen B. Bevans, Models of Contextual Theology. (Orbis Books, 1992) Lisa Sowle Cahill, Global Justice, Christology and Christian Ethics (Cambridge, 2013) Monica Coleman, Yes, Ain t I a Woman Too? Third Wave Womanist Religious Thought (Fortress, 2013) Elisabeth S. Fiorenza, Transforming Vision: Explorations in Feminist The*logy (Fortress, 2011) *Mary McClintock Fulkerson, Places of Redemption: Theology for a Worldly Church (Oxford, 2010) * Ivone Gebara, Longing for Running Water: Ecofeminism and Liberation (Fortress 1999) Beverly Harrison, Making the Connections (1985) and Justice in the Making (2004) *Dwight Hopkins, Being Human: Race, Culture and Religion (Fortress, 2005) *Dwight Hopkins, Shoes the Fit Our Feet: Sources for a Constructive Black Theology (Orbis, 1993) Gordon Kaufman, An Essay on Theological Method. (Scholars Press, 1995) *Namsoon Kang, Cosmopolitan Theology: Reconstituting Planetary Hospitality, Neighbor-Love, and Solidarity in an Uneven World (Chalice Press, 2013) *Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Resisting Structural Evil: Love as Ecological-Economic Vocation (Fortress2013) Michele Saracino, Being about Borders: A Christian Anthropology of Difference Robert J. Schreiter, Constructing Local Theologies (Orbis Books, 1985) Daniel T. Spencer, Gay and Gaia: Ethics, Ecology and The Erotic (Pilgrim Press, 1996) *Theresa O Donovan, Rage and Resistance (Wilfred Laurier University Press, 2007) *Larry Rasmussen, Earth-Honoring Faith: Religious Ethics in a New Key (Oxford, 2014) *Sharon D. Welch, A Feminist Ethic of Risk (Fortress, rev. ed. 2000) *Traci West, Disruptive Christian Ethics:When Racism and Women s Lives Matter (WJK 2006) Lynn Weber, Understanding Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality (Oxford, 2010) Collegial Expectations In this seminar the professor is a resource, co-learner and coordinator of the course. Students should be self-motivated and need to understand that preparation for and participation in class are crucial to the health and learning of the course. Class preparation. A basic calculus is that for every hour in class students are expected to do at least 3 hours of reading/thinking/mulling and/or writing. It is considered average to read about 30 pages an hour. It depends on such factors as the content (dense or accessible), your comfort with the material and how fast you read. Class Rhythm. Housekeeping; clarifying the agenda; presentation (professor &/or student); discussion. Refer to Necessary Considerations in Theo-Ethical Method [see p. 4 below]. Legge reserves the right to claim the final 15 minutes for wrap up and looking ahead to next class. 2

3 Course Requirements Class Participation (5%) As an AD seminar, come to class having done the readings and thought about them. Study Tip: A good practice is to put one short question with page reference(s) to specific text(s). Keep track of what interests you, how you would answer the question. Also note any topical and/or textual connection(s) with other readings of the class. Keep track of aha s and really?!! responses -- to note and consider what concerns you and why you are interested. In terms of creating a collegial ethos in class, attentive and active listening (i.e., sharing air time), and constructive critical engagement of texts and one another are signs of respect and hospitality, both key practices of religious moral life. Another practice is raising critical and constructive questions rooted in texts which are the common resource pool. Written Work 1) Two class presentations (15 % x 2 = 30%) Choose one BEFORE reading week and ONE after. As per syllabus page 4, apply the five necessary methodological considerations to the texts. Conclude with one or two questions to prompt class discussion. [1500 words; with name, topic, date, numbered pages] Guidelines for Class Presentations: 15 minutes with a handout for the class A. These should not be summaries. Students should assume that everyone has done the reading. As you prepare, apply the Necessary Considerations in Theo-Ethical Method in this syllabus to underline the method. Pose 2-3 questions in relation to your text for class discussion. B. Prepare and bring a handout for the class on the day of your seminar: on one page, outline your presentation and give your questions for discussion. The instructor will co-moderate the discussion. 2) Book Review (25%). Due 3 November 2016 (8-10 pages, details to be discussed in class) 3) Major Paper (40%) 20 pages. On a topic germane to this course and your current academic work. Evaluation of Written Work [See Grading Scale in TST Advanced Degree Handbook] Overall clarity of your thinking, expression and organization. Content: research and critical engagement with texts, including demonstration of your comprehension of the author s points, your ability to present them fairly and to evaluate them. Your ability to state and justify your own position in dialogue with others; e.g., engage one point with which you agree and one with which you differ. Explain your reasons for your position. 3

4 EMT 5912 Necessary Considerations of Theo-Ethical Method A. Method (HOW to proceed; how is a theological/moral issue addressed, developed and justified/supported?) 1. Who is the author? What is their context and audience (stated or implied)? How does or might their experience shape their method and reading strategies? 2. What is the issue or problem being addressed? What is the thesis/main point? What is at stake and for whom? 3. How (method) does the author proceed to address the issue? Note the sources of authority (experience, scripture, tradition, reason) used and what norms are applied (whether explicit or implicit) to interpret the situation and to justify/guide action? 4. Cite the key arguments used to justify their position. What counts as religious, moral, and scientific knowledge? What critical or social theory is used in their theo-ethical analysis? How does it affect the handling of moral agency? a. What virtues (character traits) are named or presumed? (e.g., for Augustine the four cardinal virtues are temperance, fortitude, justice, prudence; others include, e.g., love, wisdom, sincerity, courage. Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the moral agent rather than the act of decision made.) b. What values (moral goods) are identified? What facts are declared and how are they tested (evidence cited)? c. What obligations or responsibilities (ground rules for life together) are named or assumed? d. What vision of the world is imagined or created? For whom? 5. What particular theological bases, outcomes and/or moral actions are proposed? B. Assessing a moral position by taking a stand How do you respond? Be clear about where you stand and why in terms of the author s content and method and what it illuminates and/or challenges. E.g., Are power/knowledge networks considered and/or illuminated? Is there room for heterogeneous voices and perspectives? Do you note any voices missing? Are there attempts to disrupt normalizing forces, so as to prevent closure on business as usual? Also, make some tangible connections with another text read so far in this course to keep dialogue moving. 4

5 Class Schedule and Assignments 1. Sept 15 Getting Started: Organization and Introduction Focus: introduce ourselves, interests, expectations, framework of this course Taking our Pulse: where are you at with theology? Theological ethics? Orthodox, liberal, radical? Contextual approaches to theology and ethics? Liberative? Postcolonial/ decolonizing? Setting the stage: Mary Jo Leddy, Foreword to Intersecting Voices = read out loud review syllabus, ask questions Introductory comments and response Theology and Ethics as Situated/Contextual 2. Sept 22 Varieties of Doing Theology + Ethics: What s at Stake? Introduce ourselves again; raise questions Syllabus and sign up for presentations working axioms in this class for theological and ethical method Study Focus: Sources and norms in doing theology and ethics Angie Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, Intro + Ch. 1, 1-50 Schweitzer and Simon, Introduction and Historical Trends Introduction, (IV, 8 18) Douglas John Hall, Christianity and Canadian contexts: Then and Now (IV, 18-32) Kwok Pui Lan, Feminist theology as intercultural discourse (RP) Beverly Harrison, Doing Ethics in Justice in the Making, (RP) Daniel Maguire, Ethics: How to do it in Death By Choice, (RP) Margaret Farley, The Role of Experience in Moral Discernment, From Christ to the World (RP) James Gustafson, Ways of Using Scripture, From Christ to the World, (RP) 3. Sept 29 Elements of Method in Theological Ethics Read all essays with the methodological questions on page 4 above at hand: Angie Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, Chs , Bounds et al, Welfare Reform: A War against the Poor, 1-22 (RP) Introduction to Part 1 Historical Trends, IV, Introduction Beverly Harrison, Theological Reflection Liberation, (RP) Roger Hutchinson, Towards a Pedagogy for Allies of the Oppressed, (RP) Michael Bourgeois, Why Social Theory Matters for Theology (IV, 33 48) G. Baum, Critical Theologies in Canada: From Solidarity to Resistance (IV, 49-66) Sharp, Modernization and Exile, Liberation and Resistance IV Oct 6 Contextual Methods, Theological Themes -- Intersecting Voices in a Land of Diversity Angie Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, Ch. 4, Introduction to Part II Theological Themes, IV, Introduction Critical Feminist Theologies in Quebec /Dumais, IV 5,

6 Feminist theology in Canada/Vanin, IV 6 (83-119) * Creation /Dalton, IV 7 ( )* Ecclesiology, Shepherd, IV 8 ( ) * Scripture/Jobling, IV 9 ( ) * Christology/Wells, IV 10 ( ) * 5. Oct 13 Theo-ethical Methods in Contextual Issues, Intersecting Voices in Land of Diversity Angie Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, Ch. 5, Introduction to Part III, First Nations sovereignty + liberation, postcolonial nations building/ Cardinal, IV 11, & First Nations churches, reconciliation and Seventh Generation/Winkler, IV 12, * GBTLQ solidarities/schmeiser IV 13, * Ecological Crises/ Eaton, IV 14, * Food sustainability/wiebe IV 15a + Lind IV 15b, * Community/Legge IV 16, *Legge 6. Oct 20 Evaluative Perspectives: Methods of Intersecting Voices in a Land of Diversity Introduction to Part 4, Critical Social Theories and Critical Theologies, Morrow IV 18, Theological Method and Critical Theologies, Young, IV 19, Simon and Schweitzer, Epilogue, IV, Recommended: Iris Marion Young, Five Faces of Oppression abbreviated OCT. 27 = READING WEEK NO CLASS Oct 28, 7 9 p.m. Prof. Cynthia Emmanuel!!! 7. Nov 3 Method in Theology and Ethics: Dialogue with your author DUE: Critical Book Review -- use evaluation rubrics handed out in class FYI: Bring a precis one-page handout of your book with key methodological insights you discovered You will each have 5-10 mins to present! 8. Nov 10 Theological Methods in Postcolonial Contexts Angie Pears, Postcolonial Theologies Ch. 5, Keller et al, Postcolonial Theologies: Divinity and Empire, Introduction, PT, 1 21 Sugurtharajah, Christian Theologies and Colonialisms, PT, Taylor, Spirit and Liberation, PT,

7 9. Nov 17 Splitting the Subject: Methods in Critical/Postcolonial Theologies 2 of Keller et al, Postcolonial Theologies: Divinity and Empire: Gonzalez, ch. 3 (theological anthropology) * Betcher, ch. 4 (disablement) * Kang, ch 5 (orientalism) * Nausner, ch. 6 (borderlands) * 10. Nov 24 Postcolonial God: Methods in Postcolonial Theologies 2 of Keller et al, Postcolonial Theologies: Divinity and Empire: Moore, ch. 7 (Mark and empire) * Joh, ch. 8 (jeong as transgressive power) * Grau, ch. 9 (divine commerce) * Rivera, ch. 10. (poco reading of Sophia) * Rieger, ch. 11 (liberating God-talk) * 11. Dec 1 Divine Cosmo-Politics Keller, ch. 12 (theology at interstices of empire) Discuss final paper topics bring in a page outline with bibliography 12. Dec 8 LAST CLASS Angie Pears, Doing Contextual Theology, Ch. 6 ( ) Review and Evaluation of Course Final Essay DUE Friday December 16, m.legge@utoronto.ca and hard copy to Emmanuel College Main Office by 4 pm. For return by mail, please attach a stamped, self-addressed envelope to your paper. 7