ST 1104 Christian Ethics

I. Course Description
This course is designed to reflect on the biblical and theological basis for Christian ethical decisions
for personal conduct and integrity and their relation to the sanctification process. Special attention is
given to biblical perspectives and emphases on contemporary ethical issues.

II. Course Objective

A. Explain various ethical paradigms and assess them in light of biblical teachings.
B. Analyze and interpret life situations according to consistent and coherent biblical hermeneutics.
C. Evaluate current ethical issues and apply biblical standards of practice for the individual/church
living in a secular world.

III. Textbooks
A. Required Books
Stott, John R. and John Wyatt, Issues Facing Christians Today, 4th ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2006. [ISBN 978-0310252696]
Wright, Christopher J. H. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. Downers Grove, Il: IVP
Academic, 2004. [ISBN 978-0830839612]

B. Recommended Books
Beale, Gregory. Morality of God in the Old Testament. Christian Answers to Hard Questions.
Phillipsburg: P&R, 2013.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Ethics. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2005.
Carson, D. A. Christ and Culture Revisited. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008.
Davis, John Jefferson. Evangelical Ethics, 3rd ed. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2004.
Edgar, William. Created and Creating: A Biblical Theology of Culture. Downers Grove: IVP
Academic, 2016.
Gill, Robin. Cambridge Companion to Christian Ethics. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge
University Press, 2001.
Grenz, Stanley. The Moral Quest: Foundations of Christian Ethics. Downers Grove: IVP, 1997.
Hauerwas, Stanley. and Samuel Wells. The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics. Malden,
MA: Blackwell Pub., 2006.
Hays, Richard. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation: A
Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. N.Y.: Harper San Francisco, 1996.
Helm, Paul, ed., Divine Commands and Morality. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1981.
Hill, Alexander. Just Business: Christian Ethics for the Marketplace. Downers Grove: IVP, 2008.
Hovey, Craig, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Political Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2015
Kant, Immanuel, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, 3rd Ed. Translated by James W.
Ellington, 1993.
Kuhse, Helga and Peter Singer. Bioethics: An Anthology, 2nd ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2006.
Kuyper, Abraham. Wisdom and Wonder: Common Grace in Science and Art. Translated by
Nelson D. Kloosterman. Christian’s Library Press: 2011.
–––––. Common Grace. Lexham Press, 2016.
LaFollette, Hugh, ed., The Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2000.
Levin, Yuval. The Fractured Republic: Renewing America's Social Contract in the Age of
Individualism. Reprint ed. NY: Basic Books, 2017.
Maston, T. B. Biblical Ethics. Reprint. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1979.
McIntyre, Alasdair. A Short History of Ethics: A History of Moral Philosophy from the Homeric
Age to the Twentieth Century, 2d. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press,
1966.
______. After Virtue. 2d. ed. Notre Dame, In: University of Notre Dame Press, 1984.
Meilaender, Gilbert and William Werpehowski, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Theological
Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005
 Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. 2nd ed. Edited by George Sher. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub.,
2001.
Miller, Vincent J. Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture.
NY: Continuum, 2005.
Niebuhr, H. Richard. Christ and Culture. NY.: Harper & Row, 1951.
Pojman, Louis P. Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning,
2006.
Poythress, Vern S. The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses. Phillipsburg: P&R, 1995.
Roberts, Christopher Chenault. Creation and Covenant: The Significance of Sexual Difference in
the Moral Theology of Marriage. N.Y.: T & T Clark, 2008.
Rosenthal, Joel H. and Christian Barry. Ethics & International Affairs: A Reader. Washington,
D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2009.
Schweiker, William ed., The Blackwell Companion to Religious Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell,
2005.
Stivers, Robert L. et al. Christian Ethics: A Case Study Approach. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books,
2000.
Sutton, Agneta, Christian Bioethics: A Guide for the Perplexed: Guides for the Perplexed. N.Y.:
T & T Clark, 2008.
Trull, Joe E., and James E. Carter. Ministerial Ethics: Moral Formation for Church Leaders,
Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004.
VanDrunen, David. Bioethics and the Christian Life: A Guide to Making Difficult Decisions.
Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009.
Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. BN Publishing, 2008.
Wogaman, J. Philip. Moral Dilemmas: An Introduction to Christian Ethics. Louisville, KY:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 2009.
Yoder, John Howard. The Politics of Jesus. 2d. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1997.

IV. Course Requirements & Grading

1) Weekly Quiz (20%): Take the quiz on the assigned reading by the specified due date and engage in
informed class participation. No make-up Quizzes.
* If you are late more than 3X, absent without excuse, or unprepared, you will lose points.

2) Presentation & Panel (20%): Be part of a small group of 3 to study a selected contemporary ethical
issue for a presentation and panel discussion in class. Presentations should last 30-40 minutes and
include:
a. presentation of the topic/question/ethical dilemma
b. biblically, theologically informed constructive proposal for approaching the topic
c. Q&A discussion

A full written report of the presentation should be submitted. (approx. 1500 words)

Include 3 parts: part (1) may be shared between group members, but part (2) and (3) should be
individually written out (here, even a slight plagiarism will result in receiving an F grade).
(1) A Case Study of Moral Dilemma: Create a moral dilemma situation on a given topic.
(2) Biblical Premise: a reasoned-out theological position is expected; substantiate with exegetical
evidence explaining why your view is more persuasive than the other views on the same text
(merely citing Scripture will lose points).
(3) Practical Application: Provide the following three items:
a. What have been the historical and contemporary causes to the problem for this country/
location?
b. What were some solutions of this problem? How effective or ineffective are these solutions? If
ineffective, why are they not working?
c. Why and how will your proposed teaching be creatively and specifically implemented?
 3) Midterm (20%) & Final Examination (20%): Take the mid-term and a non-accumulative final
examination. Late papers are reduced by 2% of course grade /day.
4) Book Review and Quiz: (20%) Wright’s book Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. (pp.
23-136)

 Attendance Policy
(1) Unexcused absences for more than 1/4 of the class will result in an automatic F.
(2) One case of tardiness or early departure from the class counts as 1/3 of an absence.
(3) Absences for the following reasons may be regarded as excused absence by handing in the Report of

V. Weekly Schedule & Assignments

Week Topic & Reading Assignment

1 Introduction
2 Is Christian Involvement Necessary?
3 Is Christian Thinking Distinctive?
Is Christian Witness Influential?
4 War and Peace / Caring for Creation
5 Living with Global Poverty / Human Rights
6 The World of Work/ Business Relationships Celebrating Ethnic Diversity/ Immigration
7 MIDTERM EXAM Simplicity, Generosity and Contentment
8 Women, Men and God
9 Marriage, Cohabitation, Divorce
10 Abortion, Euthanasia Book Review and Quiz (Wright, 23-136)
11 The New Biotechnology
12 Same-Sex Relationships
13 Call for Christian Leadership
14 NO CLASS
15 FINAL EXAM & PAPER DUE