3655 Ethics Birmingham Theological Seminary

2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham, AL 35243-2923 Summer 2012

Professor: Vic Minish, Ph.D. vicminish@bellsouth.net Mobile: 256-454-5449 Course Description: A study of the basis for and the responsibilities of the personal ethical conduct of the Christian, including the goal, motive, and norm of Christian life. Attention will be give to current ethical issues such as authority, life, sexuality, property, and truthfulness. Course Objectives:

1. The student will be better informed regarding the history of ethics and the church’s role in the ethical realm.

2. The student will be better informed regarding the issues that surround the ethical task. 3. The student will be better equipped to answer contemporary ethical questions in a

manner that is consistent with historic Christian confession and practice. Course Requirements and Grading:

1. Attend class, read the required texts, participate in discussion. 2. Literature review. A scholarly review of each one of the required texts, 1000 words

each. 33% of grade. 3. Final exam covering the scope of the course. Given at the last class meeting. 33% of

grade. 4. “A Biblical Perspective on Ethics.” Paper should propose a general philosophy of

Christian ethics, engaging the material covered in the course (10 pages, not to exceed 12 pages) 33% Due one week before the last class meeting.

Format and Style of Papers: All research papers must be formatted in accordance with Turabian Chicago standards including the title page, citations and bibliography. Any paper not conforming to these standards will automatically be dropped one letter grade. #12 Times New Roman font and double spacing is required on all papers. All margins (side, top, & bottom) no larger than 1 inch. All course materials must be submitted by the last day of class. Thereafter, course materials may be submitted for up to six (6) weeks after the end of the semester directly to the office of the Registrar with the permission of the professor. If a student submits course materials after the end of the semester but within the six (6) weeks grace period, the student’s grade will be lowered by one letter grade. The course materials will not be accepted after the six (6) week grace period and a failing grade will be posted to the student’s transcript.

Required Texts: (some available in a variety of editions)

• Oliver O'Donovan, Resurrection and Moral Order: An Outline for Evangelical Ethics, Eerdmans, 1986.

• Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer in Christian Ethics, Notre Dame, 1983.

• Alisdair MacIntyre, A Short History of Ethics, Routledge 1990. Recommended Texts:

• John M. Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life: A Theology of Lordship, Presbyterian and Reformed, 2008.

Additional Reading: Exodus 19-20 (the giving of the Law); Leviticus 19 (the exposition of the Law); Ecclesiastes; Matthew 5-7 (Sermon on the Mount); Romans 12-14 (the Christian life); 1 Corinthians 13 (exposition of love); Mt 22:36-39; Rom 2:14-15; James. Course Outline:

I. Introduction to the history and method of ethics II. Brief survey of ethical approaches and methods III. An apologetic orientation for Christians in post-Christendom world IV. Basic principles of Christian ethics V. Character and theological ethics VI. Perspectives: deotonlogical, situational, teleological VII. Virtue and narrative ethics VIII. Issues in ethics

Select Bibliography:

Aquinas, T. Summa Theologica.

Banner, Michael C. Christian Ethics and Contemporary Moral Problems. Cambridge ;; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Barth, K. and D. Braun, Ethics. T. & T. Clark, 1981. Bonhoeffer, D. Ethics. SCM, 1955. Bonhoeffer, D. Discipleship. Fortress Press, 2001.

Brown, David,1948 July 1-. Choices : Ethics and the Christian. Oxford: B. Blackwell, 1983.

For the “official” Roman Catholic perspective. See Part Three, Section One and Two of: Catechism of the Catholic Church (1999). Geoffrey Chapman. Colwell, J. E. Living the Christian Story: the distinctiveness of Christian ethics. T & T Clark, 2001.

Dominian, Jack, and Hugh Montefiore. God, Sex, & Love: An Exercise in Ecumenical Ethics. London; Philadelphia: SCM Press; Trinity Press International, 1989.

Gill, Robin. Christian Ethics in Secular Worlds. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1991.

Grenz, Stanley J. The Moral Quest: Foundations of Christian Ethics, InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Grisez, G. G. and R. B. Shaw, Fulfillment in Christ: a summary of Christian moral principles. University of Notre Dame Press, 1991. Hauerwas, Stanley. The Peaceable Kingdom: a primer in Christian ethics. SCM, 1984.

Hefling, Charles C. Our Selves, our Souls, and Bodies : Sexuality and the Household of God. Cambridge, Mass: Cowley Publications, 1996.

Holmgren, Stephen. Ethics After Easter. Cambridge, Mass: Cowley Publications, 2000.

Keeling, Michael. The Mandate of Heaven: The Divine Command and the Natural Order. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1995.

Ramsey, P. Basic Christian Ethics. SCM, 1953.

Sedgwick, P. H. The Market Economy and Christian Ethics. Cambridge, 1999.

Sedgwick, Timothy F. The Christian Moral Life: Practices of Piety. Eerdmans, 1999.

Sedgwick, Timothy F. Sacramental Ethics: Paschal Identity and the Christian Life. Fortress Press, 1987.

Sedgwick, Timothy F., and Philip Turner. The Crisis in Moral Teaching in the Episcopal Church. Morehouse, 1992.

Turner, Philip. Sex, Money & Power: An Essay in Christian Social Ethics. Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 1985.

Twesigye, Emmanuel K. Religion & Ethics for a New Age: Evolutionist Approach. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2001.

Verhey, A. Remembering Jesus: Christian community, Scripture, and the moral life. Eerdmans, 2002.

Williams, Rowan. Writing in the Dust: After September 11, Eerdmans, 2002.

Winter, Gibson. Liberating Creation: Foundations of Religious Social Ethics. New York: Crossroad, 1981.

Dictionaries and Encylopedias Atkinson D. and D. Field, New dictionary of Christian ethics & pastoral theology. IVP, 1995. Childress, J. F. and J. Macquarrie, A New Dictionary of Christian Ethics. SCM, 1990. Clarke, P. A. B. and A. Linzey, Dictionary of Ethics, Theology and Society. Routledge, 1996.