Mississippi Course of Study

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Mississippi Course of Study

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Fourth Year

ETHICS (COS 424)

April 8-9; April 22-23 , 2016

Instructor, Dr. Tom Atkins

Course Objectives:

This course introduces the biblical and theological bases for Christian behavior, emphasizing the pastoral skills needed for moral leadership in the congregation and community.

Students will be able to:

1. Articulate a biblical and theological basis for ethical thinking and moral behavior, and distinguish major approaches to ethical reasoning.

2. Comprehend the relationship between their personal stories, pastoral vocation, local contexts, and responsibility as moral leaders.

3. Develop a Christian framework for moral reason and action, and apply it to the use of power and the setting of boundaries in ministry.

4. Demonstrate familiarity with and make use of the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church as a resource for ethical reflection and action.

Texts:

An Introduction to Christian Ethics: Goals, Duties and Virtues, Robin W. Lovin (Abingdon Press, 2011)

The Pastor as Moral Guide, Rebekah L. Miles (Fortress Press: Minneapolis, 1999).

The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church (2012)

Pre-Course Assignments

(Due March 25, 5:00 p.m.)

I. Answer the following questions from An Introduction to Christian Ethics by Robin Lovin (one-half to three-quarters of a page each)

1. What is a “stance” and why is it important in terms of understanding and making ethical choices?

2. What are Charles Curran’s key points in summarizing Catholic moral theology and what are the implications of each?

3. Where did Augustine come down on the question of whether faith allowed a Christian to participate in the public life of city government?

4. What influence did Augustine have on Christian ethics?

5. What is moral reasoning?

6. Describe the three different ways of thinking about choices.

7. What set Augustine apart from Aristotle in terms of the goal of teleology and how is it acquired?

8. What is moral realism?

9. What are the limitations of teleology and how has it developed in the modern period?

10. What is the significance of Thomas Aquinas for Christian ethics?

11. For Thomas Aquinas, what is natural law and how do you determine what it requires in any given situation.

12. Contrast the Lutheran and Anabaptist understanding of political duty.

13. What is Calvin’s third use of Biblical law?

14. What is Kant’s Categorical Imperative? Give several examples. What is the problem with it?

15. How are Martin Luther King’s and Liberationists’ arguments for choosing right actions similar?

16. List and explain the cardinal virtues.

17. Contrast Aristotle and Aquinas on how virtue is acquired.

18. What are the theological virtues for Thomas Aquinas and how are they acquired?

19. What are the ethical problems with rules and goals in today’s world?

20. Describe Charles Curran’s approach to virtue ethics.

21. For Stanley Hauerwas, what are the virtues essential to Christian community and how are they acquired?

22. What virtues do liberationist ethicists believe are most important?

23. What does Reinhold Niebuhr’s realism contribute to the discussion of ethics and responsibility?

24. What is Robin Lovin’s suggestion as to how to make the best ethical decisions?

II. Read “The Pastor as Moral Guide” by Rebekah Miles. Explain the basic purpose of the book referring to specific pages and quotes that indicate what the author is trying to accomplish in this book. State whether you think the author’s purpose is worthwhile. Explain your answer. Why or why not? 3 – 4 pages.

III. Read the Social Principles in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church

(2012 edition). Make notes as you read about questions, concerns, and

affirmations you have regarding the official positions of our Denomination. You do not

need to send these notes to the course instructor.

All pre-course assignment written work should be in the instructor's hands by March 25. Please put your name and mailing address in the upper right-hand corner of each assignment. Students should come to the first class prepared to discuss all assigned readings. Please mail your written material, e-mail, or fax it to Dr. Tom Atkins, P.O. Box 358, Brookhaven, MS. Work Phone: 601-833-3519; Cell Phone: 601-441-4010. E-mail: ; Fax 601-833-3599. If you are e-mailing your material, please put COS on the subject line and send all of the documents as attachments in one single e-mail. In all cases it is the student’s responsibility to confirm that the instructor has in fact received the material.

Second Session Assignment

(Due in class on April 22)

Ethical Case Study:

1. Write up a case study of an ethical dilemma that has occurred in your local congregation, or that involves you as a pastor, and give a full analysis of the case. An ethical dilemma involves a moral choice about a specific course of action and is based upon principles of right and wrong. For example, a church member recently told me that he had won a sizeable amount of money while gambling, and he wanted to make a large donation to the church. Should the church accept the money? Why or why not?

2. Follow the guidelines at the end of this syllabus for “Writing the Ethical Case Study.” Please protect confidentiality by changing the names and other identifying characteristics of persons in the case. Makes copies for each class member.

3. Be prepared to present your case to the class in a narrative form.

COS Student Policies

I. Written Assignment Format and Deadlines: Submit all papers typed, double-

spaced with standard 1 inch margins and 12 point type. Put your name at the top, right-hand corner of the paper. Papers must be received by the instructor on or before the due date as assigned. Late papers and assignments will result in a drop of ½ letter grade for each day that the paper is late.

II. Attendance Policy: Class time is a crucial component of MSCOS. Students are

required to participate in 20 hours of class time in order to successfully complete the course. A student may miss up to 4 hours of class time due to illness or emergency and will receive credit for the course, if that absence is excused by the instructor. Late arrivals to class and absences for any reason will affect the final grade for the course. Absences of over 4 hours during a course will automatically result in the student needing to retake the course. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of any absence and to arrange for the completion of any make-up.

III. Grading

Pre-course assignments -- 30%

Attendance and participation -- 25%

Ethical Case Study Paper -- 30%

Ethical Case Study Class Presentation -- 15%

Writing the Ethical Case Study[1]

(Use this format for your assignment due at the beginning of class on April 22. You do not need to send this to the instructor in advance, but you do need to have it ready to present in class on the first day)

As the case presenter, it is your task to bring a focused, written account of an incident in your ministry about which you seek the counsel of your peers. Guidelines and an outline for writing the case follow:

Guidelines:

1) The case is about you and your ministry. It involves an actual ethical dilemma in which you were involved as a minister with some responsibility for the outcome. It is not a hypothetical situation, or a situation in which you were simply an observer. Remember, the goal is for your peers to be able to consult with you. Write in the first person, reporting things as you saw them. It is helpful to describe emotional tone, body language, and setting, for these also are part of your lived experience.

2) The case is confidential. The group should have a covenant of confidentiality. You can point to this covenant by withholding identifications that are not needed. Use initials or fictitious names (e.g., Ms. A, "Mr. Brown," Church X). If you reveal the names, or the context makes identities clear, but you wish the information to be confidential within the group, write at the top: "CONFIDENTIAL: for seminar use only." Collecting the copies of the case at the end of the session to be disposed of discreetly is another way to remind the group of the importance of confidentiality.

3) The case is a limited slice of ministry. It is not a general "issue" or "problem," such as how to deal with difficult parishioners or how to counsel couples about marriage difficulties. It is an incident in your ministry that has ethical and pastoral importance. The reflection will be on this specific incident. Provide only the background that you believe is necessary to understand the incident. Try to tell the story, and your response to it, in a clear, orderly progression, because this will assist your peers in reflecting on it with you.

How To Write the Case: The case has five parts, which are to be distinguished clearly. They need not be equal in length, but each of the parts must be included.

1. Background: Give enough information to set the event in a context: what you had in mind, what you hoped or feared would happen, when and how you became aware of or involved in the event, what pressures and persons precipitated and shaped the event. (One page in length)

2. Description: Tell what happened and what you did. Report the event, including as much detail as possible in the limited space. Name the ethical dilemma (s) of the case and explain how this is a moral concern. (One page in length)

3. Analysis: Identify issues and relationships, with special attention to changes and resistance to change. Try to answer the question: What's going on here? (one page in length)

4 Ethical reflection: Using material learned in the course textbooks, Name the norms – biblical, theological, personal, social- that you think apply to this case. How did you decide a course of action? What principles did you base your decision upon? Why? (four pages in length)

5. Evaluation: This is your estimate of your own effectiveness in the event. Did you do what you set out to do? Did you function effectively? If so, why so? If not, why not? What factors or forces emerged that you did not anticipate? What questions might the group discuss that would be most helpful to you? (three pages in length)

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[1] Model adapted from Shared Wisdom, Mahan, Troxell, Allen (Nashville: Abingdon, 1993).