GROWING INTO ETHICAL MATURITYSFS-504: 2 hours

Western Seminary – Portland Campus

Josh Mathews, Instructorjandsmathews@gmail.com

(503) 504-7478

Syllabus – Spring 2015

COURSE SCHEDULE

January 15, 29; February 12, 26; March 12; April 2, 16Thursdays 6:00pm–10:00pm COURSE DESCRIPTION

The ability to discern right from wrong—and to act appropriately in light of that assessment—is essential if church leaders are to maintain and model ethical integrity. Your moral sensitivity will be enhanced as you become acquainted with some of the fundamental issues involved in developing a biblically informed personal, professional and social ethic. 2 credits.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. You will become familiar with various ethical approaches, including teleological ethical systems, deontological ethical systems, existential ethical systems, natural law ethics, virtue ethics and divine command theory. From this critical study, you will formulate your own personal ethical system.

2. You will consider the various options to resolving situations in which moral norms (appear to) conflict (non-conflicting absolutism, ideal absolutism, and hierarchicalism/graded absolutism), and from this you will establish how you view and confront moral dilemmas.

3. You will investigate various ways that Scripture is used in ethical decision-making. In continuity or contrast with these, you will establish, at a basic level, a biblical theology of ethics for use in formulating social ethical judgments.

4. You will explore a number of critical issues (confidentiality, abuse of authority, dual relationships) that you will face professionally in your ministry and create a strategy for dealing obediently with them.

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5. Through meditation on specific biblical texts, you will understand the Lord’s antipathy toward those who abuse their positions as shepherds of His people.

6. You will develop a personal code of sexual ethics appropriate for your present or future ministry, whether that be pastoral, para-church, chaplaincy, counseling, or other type of ministry.

TEXTBOOKS

Students will read the following:

Kenneth L. Swetland. Facing Messy Stuff in the Church: Case Studies for Pastors and Congregations. (FMSC) Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2005. ISBN: 0825436966 ($14.99)

Voyle A. Glover. Protecting Your Church against Sexual Predators. (PYC) Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2005. ISBN: 082542691X ($12.99)

In addition to the Glover and Swetland books, students also have the option of reading assigned portions of either:

John Frame. The Doctrine of the Christian Life. (DCL) Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2008. ISBN: 0875527965 ($45.99) (selected portions)

OR

David C. Clark and Robert V. Rakestraw. Readings in Christian Ethics, (RCE)Vol 1. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994. ISBN: 0801025818 ($30.00) (selected portions)

AND Gary L. Thomas. The Glorious Pursuit. (GP) Colorado Springs, NavPress, 1998. ISBN:

1576830527 ($14.99)

All books are on reserve in the Western Seminary library.

You are encouraged to purchase these titles through the Amazon.com associate program; you may use the links provided above, or the search option found on the Western website under “Current Students/Portland”: http://www.westernseminary.edu/students/portland

ONLINE CLASSROOM

This class has an online classroom. Your first class assignment is to access this website during the first week of the semester and take a simple quiz confirming your participation in the course. You may also be asked to use the learning center to download handouts and submit assignments.

To access the site, go to http://www.westernseminary.edu/classrooms/. Click on ‘login’ (on the right above the calendar), use your student number for your username, and the password you

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received from the school. For a replacement password, click on ‘forgot your password’ or contact Jon Raibley: jraibley@westernseminary.edu. The on-line classroom will go live no later than the first Monday of the semester.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Online Orientation (15 min.)Before the end of the first Friday of the semester (January 9), you need to log onto the web classroom, download the syllabus for the course, and complete the report indicating that you have read and understand the course requirements. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the semester. So failure to complete the online orientation on time may result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.

2. Attendance (28 hours)You are responsible to attend regularly and to participate in class lectures and discussions. See below on Attendance under COURSE POLICIES.

3. Reading (30 hours)Reading assignments are listed on the course calendar below. Each reading assignment is to be completed prior to the class session listed. Students will indicate what portion/percentage of the assigned reading they completed by the due date for the reading.

4. Book Report (5 hours)Students will write a book report on Protecting your Church against Sexual Predators. (Note : Due March 17) Guidelines for this assignment will be provided.

5. Scripture Reflection Papers (5 hours)Our ethical understanding should be informed by Scripture. In this course, students are encouraged to grow in the discipline of meditating on Scripture. For each major section of the course students will read repeatedly and prayerfully some assigned Bible passages. At the end of each section, students will write, in one to two pages, personal reflections on these passages, particularly focusing on how your lives and ministries have been or should be affected (encouraged, challenged, etc.) by the truths they communicate. (Note : These papers are due on February 12; March 12; April 16.)

2/12 3/12 4/16Jer 5:26–31; 6:13–14 Prov 9:7–9 Matt 23:1–4Acts 20:28–31 2 Cor 11:13–15 1 Tim 5:24–25Titus 1:5–9 2 Tim 3:1–9 Jude 3–19

1 Pet 5:1–5 Heb 13:17

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6. Synthesis Paper(s) (15 hours)Students will choose to write either three minor synthesis papers, or one major synthesis paper. These will be used to evaluate the students’ engagement with and understanding of the material covered in the reading and class lectures and discussion. You will be expected to state and defend your position on various issues. More information on these assignments will be given later in the course. (Note: Due April 24)

7. Personal and Ministry Ethics Statement (5 hours)In this short paper you will identify and discuss your ethical commitments related to your role in ministry. (Note : Due April 16 )

8. Final Course Evaluation (15 min.)Before the end of the last Friday of the semester (April 24), you will receive an email with a link to the final course evaluation. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the class. So failure to complete the final course evaluation on time will result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.

GRADING

Course Grade Structure

Required Assignments Points Estimated Time to CompleteReading 20 30 hoursBook Report 10 5 hoursScripture Reflection Papers 15 5 hoursSynthesis Paper(s) 40 15 hoursPersonal/Ministry Ethics Statement

15 5 hours

Totals 100 60 hrs.

Grading Scale

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D-99–100%

95–98%

93–94%

91–92%

88–90%

86–87%

84–85%

81–83%

79–80%

77–78%

74–76%

70–73%

COURSE SCHEDULE (for abbreviations see TEXTBOOKS above)

Date Reading Due Assignment(s) Due1/9 Online Orientation due Jan 9

1/15

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1/29 DCL Chapters 1–6

OR

RCE Essays entitled:“The Nature of Ethics” (17–22)“Moral Relativism” (23–31)“The Kingdom of God” (32–40)“The Nature of Christian Morality” (41–49)“In Search of ‘Good Positive Reasons’ for an Ethics of Divine Commands” (50–61)

GP Chapters 1–32/12 DCL Chapters 7–8, 12–14

OR

RCE Essays entitled:“Moral Dilemmas” (113–117)“Ethical Choices: Case of Non-conflicting Absolutism” (118–124)“The Borderline Situations of Extreme Conflict” (125–130)“Graded Absolutism” (131–137)

GP Chapters 4–10

Scripture Reflection Paper #1

2/26 PYC (7–96) Book Report on Protecting your Church from Sexual Predators

3/12 DCL Chapters 18–19

OR

RCE Essays entitled:“The Use of the Bible in Ethical Judgments” (179-182)“The Word of God and Christian Ethics” (183-184)“Four Ways of Using the New Testament” (185-191)“How Can Christians Derive Principles From the Specific Commands of the Law?” (192-201)“Distinguishing Culturally Relative From Normative Teachings” (202-206)

GP Chapters 11–18

Scripture Reflection Paper #2

4/2 FMSC Pages 15–2064/16 Scripture Reflection Paper #3

Personal/Ministry Ethics StatementFinal Course Evaluation due April 25

4/24 Synthesis Paper(s) due

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COURSE POLICIES

All written assignments are due at midnight on the due date and may be submitted in class, via email, or through the online classroom. The format for all papers should be 12 point, double-spaced font with 1 inch margins. Be sure to indicate clearly on your papers the following information: Your name, mail box number, date, assignment, class title/number.

Attendance and Late Assignments: Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Students who miss class are responsible for missed work. Absences and tardiness may impact a student’s grade. Students who anticipate an absence should discuss it in advance with the instructor. Students who miss more than 20% of the seat time for the class will not pass the course, without a request for and the completion of additional assignments. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will result in a reduction of the student’s letter grade for that assignment.

Copyright Violation and Plagiarism: Research in secondary sources for the written project is permitted and welcomed. However, any appropriation of either ideas or wording taken from other sources, whether print or electronic, must be properly footnoted. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism which can result in substantial grade reduction or failure. Any unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials, including downloaded files of various kinds, can result in criminal charges and fines. For a fuller explanation of these issues or WS's copyright policy, see the “Copyright Information” and “Cheating" sections of the Student Handbook: http://www.westernseminary.edu/academic/handbook-copyright

Incompletes/Extensions: The final deadline for submitting all course work is the last day of the semester as noted in the Academic Calendar and in the class schedule. In the case of serious illness, family emergency, or similar extenuating circumstances, the student may request an extension. A 1–3 week extension is typical in all except the most extreme cases, and some penalty for late work may apply. Under no circumstances will the student be given more than 5 weeks to complete all required coursework except by petition and approval of the Administrative Committee. (Extensions longer than 5 weeks are rare and should only be requested under extreme circumstances.)

If students face a personal emergency that requires requesting an extension going beyond the end of the semester, it may affect their ability to receive financial aid in the next semester, and they may face the possibility that their next semester’s course registrations will be cancelled. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.

Audit/Enrichment Students: Enrichment students are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate in assignments and class discussions. Professors are not obligated to grade participation for these students, but may opt to do so depending on class size.

Statement on WiFi Services: Our community at Western Seminary is defined by our membership in the body of Christ. As we share common resources, we wish to do so with respect and consideration for others. Our IT department has created a strong and secure wireless internet

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network at each of our campus locations to enhance the student learning environment. Some of the considerations in developing our wifi networks have included providing excellent security (better than you’ll find at the local coffee shop) and doing so within a budget that does not significantly impact tuition costs. Keeping costs low means that we don’t have an endless supply of bandwidth. We ask that you use the wifi network for academic purposes and avoid downloading large files or streaming video. Please be mindful that your internet use (both in class and on campus) can distract others or prevent them from accessing resources they need for their studies. We appreciate your participation in promoting thoughtful, considerate internet use on campus.

The Availability of Disability Services at Western Seminary: Western Seminary is committed to responding to the needs of students with disabilities as outlined in both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Western students are assisted individually as their needs dictate. It is the responsibility of students with disabilities to identify themselves and the nature of the disability. Any student who has a disability should contact the seminary’s Disability (Section 504) Coordinator, Ashley Mitchell, at 503-517-1819/1-877-517-1800, ext. 1819. Her office is at the Portland campus. Students at the northern California campuses may contact Director of Student Services – San Jose or Director of Student Services – Sacramento, or they may contact Ms Mitchell directly. Appropriate forms will be provided and must be submitted to the Disability Coordinator’s office.