University of Indianapolis. School for Adult Learning. Religion 310-AU1: Christian Ethics. (3 credit hours) TERM 3, SESSION 3, 2015

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1 University of Indianapolis School for Adult Learning Religion 310-AU1: Christian Ethics (3 credit hours) TERM 3, SESSION 3, 2015 Class Meetings: Thursday, 6:00-9:45pm July 13 th - August 15th Instructor: Rev. Chris Renick, M-Div. Adjunct Professor School for Adult Learning renickc@uindy.edu W: (765) C: (765) Please feel free to contact me by phone any time before 9:00 p.m. We live in a pluralistic society where subjective individualism results in people defining morality on their own terms without consistency. So the question must be asked, do objective moral truths exist and where can they be found? This course will study the objective moral truth of the Christian ethic, with its own distinctive set of concerns and ethical decision making in relation to scripture, tradition and doctrine, to examine how Christian ethics differs from other systems. To aid in this endeavor we will examine the ethical influences that shaped Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and helped to shape his own ethics. We will use this process as an example to allow us to understand our own influences, how they have shaped us and where we now stand ethically. Required Texts: Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction, J. Philips Wogaman. ISBN: Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options 2nd Edition, Norman L. Geisler. ISBN: Gospel of Luke, Holy Bible, (translation is your choice). 1

2 Recommended Text: Martin Luther King Jr. for Armchair Theologians, Rufus Burrow Jr. ISBN: God and Human Dignity: The Personalism, Theology and Ethics of Martin Luther King Jr., Rufus Burrow Jr. ISBN: 10: Course Objectives: This course will provide an introduction to various ethical options in relation to Christian ethics and how these forms and teachings impact the broader society. Students will be encouraged to develop analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as reflect on their own process of moral reflection. Throughout this course, we will think and test our ideas about Christian social ethics through examining the array of questions surrounding the various issues in American society. As part of this process we will examine the foundational influences on ethics in society as well as personally. To aid in this discussion we will examine the foundational influences of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and how these influences helped to shape his own ethics and actions. Methodology: Class discussion, Class lecture, Personal reflection, Film (Palestine Is Still the Issue, John Pilger) Expectations: Because this course meets only five times, attendance is crucial as your presence is necessary for good discussion. The instructor reserves the right to drop students for missing class. If one session has been missed, and the student misses the last night, the student will receive an F. If a student is more than 10 minutes late to class, a minimum of two points will be deducted for the night. The instructor also reserves the right to adjust course content as necessary. All work is to be turned in on time unless you make other arrangements with the instructor. Even then, late submissions may not receive full credit. 2

3 Writing: All assignments are to be completed in standard, Times New Roman, double-spaced, 12 point font. Page requirements do not include cover sheet or bibliography page. All quotations, paraphrases, and/or the use of facts and ideas taken from the writings or speech of others must be correctly cited. Points will be deducted for grammatical errors or papers turned in late. Do NOT use Wikipedia as an academic resource. The University Writing Lab is also available to assist you with writing assignments. They are located in Krannert Library, 2nd floor, west end. To check their hours, please call Academic Integrity: Plagiarism and cheating are contrary to the ideal of academic integrity and are not tolerated. Students guilty of plagiarism or cheating are subject to disciplinary action that may include failure in the course involved or expulsion from the University. For more details, please refer to the Student Handbook available online at my.uindy.edu under Campus Life. My.uindy.edu The University of Indianapolis has implemented a new web portal. Every student must have an account to login. If you do not have an , go to my.uindy.edu, on the left hand side of the screen there is a link that will assist you in setting up your account. Once you have your account, return to the my.uindy.edu portal. At the login screen, enter your name and password. It is imperative that the student monitor their university account as changes, etc., will be sent to students as they are needed. Dropping and Withdrawing: The School of Adult Learning no longer automatically drops a student for not attending his/her first class. Students are expected to follow up on their own. Should a student wish to receive a full refund, he/she must initiate a drop by the Friday of the first week of the course. For this session that is Friday July 17th. The deadline to withdraw from a class (a W appears on the students transcript and they are not eligible for any refund) is now the third week of the course. For this session that date is Friday July 31st. In order to drop or withdraw from a class, the student must either meet with an advisor or send an , via their UINDY.edu account to their advisor. Dropping/withdrawing from a class may affect a student s eligibility for financial aid. Electronic Devices: Cell phones must be off or turned to vibrate in class. Laptops or tablets are allowed, but only for word processing. Technology, while vital to our ongoing reliance in a techno-savvy world, can 3

4 become a hindrance or annoyance in the classroom. These guidelines are required for common courtesy. Services for Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please inform me immediately so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. Students with a disability must register with the Services for Students with Disabilities office (SSD) in Schwitzer Center 201 ( / for disability verification and for determination of reasonable academic accommodations. You are responsible for initiating arrangements for accommodations for tests and other assignments in collaboration with the SSD and the faculty. Point Values: Students will earn points on the following: Topical Papers (4@ 25 points each) Historical Paper Final Paper ACE discussion group (4 discussions) Participation (5 nights) 100 points 25 points 40 points 10 points 25 points (5 points each night) Total points possible: 200 Grading: A A B B B- 4

5 C C C D D D- 89 or below F Participation: Worth 25 points. Class participation is strongly encouraged and essential to the success of this course. Questions and the exchange of ideas aid in the adult learning process, providing the foundation for constructive, critical analysis of preconceived cultural norms. Therefore, the points assigned to participation are heavily weighted. Just showing up will not guarantee you all the possible points available to you during each class session. The instructor reserves the right to drop students for missing class. Students can be dropped if two class sessions are missed by the fourth week. If one session has been missed, and the student misses the last night, the student will receive an F. If a student is more than 10 minutes late to class, without prior notice to the instructor, or leaves early, a minimum of two points will be deducted for the night. ACE Discussion Group Since we are only meeting one day per week, there will be a discussion group on ACE for students to exchange ideas and discuss materials related to the topics in the course. To receive the 10 points you will be required to contribute to at least 4 discussions during the course. Topical Papers (2 full pages) Worth 25 points. Each week a topic will be given to write on for the following week. Each paper should examine the topic, the ethical ideas surrounding it and where the student stands personally on this topic. However, it is very important that the student explains WHY they hold this position, and what the ethical influences are in shaping their thinking. (NOTE: The first class has a topical paper due! This paper is a reflection on your general ethical position, how it is informed, what your foundational pieces are, influences, and how your own ethics are processed and decided.) *foundational pieces refers to those morals and principals that are at your very core. They may include things such as: truth, grace, honesty, dignity, the value of a person, etc. Historical Paper (3-4 pages) 5

6 Worth 25 points. In this paper you will select a PART from the book Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction by J. Phillip Wogaman (see CONTENTS page, Parts 1-8) and write a paper discussing the PART you have selected by answering the following questions: What historical events are described? How did they affect the ethics of their time? How do they affect the ethics of our modern time? What is at stake? Final Paper (4-5 pages) Worth 50 points. For this paper you will once again reflect upon your own personal ethics, taking into consideration what you have written and learned over the course of this class. You will identify which ethical option(s) influence you, what are your own foundational influences for your ethic and why you have chosen them, and how these work together in influencing your overall ethical decisions. Class Schedule: July 16: Prior to class read: ***Gospel of Luke, Holy Bible (identify foundational pieces of Jesus own ethics) Geisler (pages ) Syllabus Review Introductions Discussion of assigned readings Topical Paper #1 DUE July 23: Prior to class read Geisler (pages ) Discussion of assigned readings FILM Topical Paper #2 DUE 6

7 July 30: Prior to class read Geisler (pages ) Class discussion over readings FILM Topical Paper #3 DUE August 6: Lecture- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Class discussion Topical Paper #4 DUE August 13: Class discussion over readings Historical Paper DUE Final Paper DUE 7