Throughout our lives, we will all be faced with hard ethical decisions. When is it legitimate for a country to engage in war? Is it ever right to help someone commit suicide? Should we clone human beings? What options are available to couples that cannot have children in the traditional way? The answers we give to such questions will generally depend on our philosophical or religious principles and assumptions.
Christians draw on a tradition of ethical reflection that goes back several thousand years. This tradition began with God’s giving of the Law in the time of Moses. It was enriched and modified by the teaching of Jesus. Over the last two thousand years, it has been developed and expanded by philosophers and theologians. For millions of people today, this tradition provides the foundation for their thinking on a wide range of difficult issues, including everything from capital punishment to cloning, abortion to in-vitro fertilization.
In this class we will first gain some understanding of the various types of ethical systems in use today, including ethical egoism, utilitarianism, deontological ethics, emotivism, relativism, and virtue theory. Next, we will examine the sources of Christian ethical reflection, including the Ten Commandments, the teaching of Jesus and the writers of the New Testament, and church history. Finally, using the Ten Commandments as our basis, we will tackle some of the toughest ethical dilemmas facing modern societies, dilemmas that have arisen in such arenas as biotechnology, reproductive technologies, warfare, sex, and economics. Along the way, we will identify strategies for making good decisions.

Throughout our lives, we will all be faced with hard ethical decisions. When is it legitimate for a country to engage in war? Is it ever right to help someone commit suicide? Should we clone human beings? What options are available to couples that cannot have children in the traditional way? The answers we give to such questions will generally depend on our philosophical or religious principles and assumptions.
Christians draw on a tradition of ethical reflection that goes back several thousand years. This tradition began with God’s giving of the Law in the time of Moses. It was enriched and modified by the teaching of Jesus. Over the last two thousand years, it has been developed and expanded by philosophers and theologians. For millions of people today, this tradition provides the foundation for their thinking on a wide range of difficult issues, including everything from capital punishment to cloning, abortion to in-vitro fertilization.
In this class we will first gain some understanding of the various types of ethical systems in use today, including ethical egoism, utility, deontological ethics, emotivism, relative, and virtue theory. Next, we will examine the sources of Christian ethical reflection, including the Ten Commandments, the teaching of Jesus and the writers of the New Testament, and church history. Finally, using the Ten Commandments as our basis, we will tackle some of the toughest ethical dilemmas facing modern society, dilemmas that have arisen in such arenas as biotechnology, reproductive technologies, warfare, sex, and economics. Along the way, we will identify strategies for making good decisions.

To be supplied by the instructor. Students should own a Bible or have access to one on their phones.

To be supplied by the instructor. Students should own a Bible or have access to one on their phones.