Procedures and Grading

Reading Journal – (Due Weekly; submitted to instructor in Weeks 6 and 12) Students should keep a running journal with one entry for each chapter or article assigned. Each entry should state the main idea of the chapter/article as clearly and concisely as possible. Then the student should engage critically with the assigned text, mentioning something new they learned, something they plan to apply to their ministry, something that challenged them, something they were confused by, something they would like to discuss in class, etc.

Ethical Theory Essay – (Due Week 5) Summarize each of the three main
approaches to ethics from Introducing Christian Ethics (Universal, Subversive, and Ecclesial), emphasizing the distinctiveness of each approach (i.e., how it differs from the other two approaches). After each summary, briefly evaluate that approach, stating clearly and concisely what you personally believe to be its strengths and weaknesses. Together the summary and critical evaluation for each approach should be about 300 words. Then explain which approach seems best to you at this point, giving a theological argument in favor of that approach (appealing to scripture, tradition, reason, and experience as appropriate). This
section of your essay should be no more than 600 words. All together your essay should be about 1500 words (about 5-6 pages double-spaced).

Applied Ethics Presentation – (Due Weeks 10-11) Each student will lead the class in one of the controversial ethical topics discussed in Introducing Christian Ethics Chapters 9-12. As discussion leader, the student should introduce the topic and frame the issues in no more than 5 minutes and then be prepared to facilitate an open discussion, making sure their classmates are fair to the opposing side and consider all the relevant theological questions. The length of the discussion will depend on the number of students enrolled. Topics may include Economics, Work, Media, Friendship, Family and Marriage, Sexuality, Reproductive Technology, Abortion, Euthanasia and Suicide, Animals, GMOs,
and Ecology.

Antiracism Sermon – (Due Week 12) Responding to the Black Christian
experience as described by the Black authors assigned throughout the course (e.g., Cone, West, Katongole, Fisher-Stewart, etc.), propose a set of specific actions your parish community might take to be a public witness to Christian resistance to America’s culture of white superiority. For example, you might design a liturgy, an adult education class, a protest, and/or another antiracist activity. Briefly describe your proposal (in no more than 2 pages). Then write a sermon expounding the theological vision behind your proposal and inspiring your parishioners to participate (about 1500-2000 words or 5-7 pages).

Required Texts

Students should purchase two textbooks. (The instructor will provide electronic copies
of additional readings.)

• Samuel Wells, Ben Quash, and Rebekah Eklund, Introducing Christian Ethics, 2nd Ed. (Wiley Blackwell, 2017)
• James H. Cone, The Cross and the Lynching Tree (Orbis Books, 2011)

Assignment Schedule