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Summer 2014 - Florida Extension Course of Study COS 414 - PERSONAL AND SOCIAL ETHICS Fourth Year: Course of Study Florida Southern College May 23-24 & June 27-28, 2014

I. General Information A. Instructor: Rev. Frank Johnson, Ph.D. Department of Religion and Philosophy Florida Southern College B. Office: Edge Hall # 316 C. Phone: Office: 863-680-4182 Home: 863-619-9993 D. Email: [email protected] E. Textbooks: 1. Robin W. Lovin, Christian Ethics: An Essential Guide, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. ISBN # 13:978-0-687-05462-6 2. Patricia Beattie Jung and Shannon Jung, Moral Issues and Christian Responses, 7th ed. Belmont, Ca: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2003. ISBN # 0-15-505805-9 3. The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2008, Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House. II. Statement of Purpose: The purpose of COS 414 is to introduce students to the biblical basis and theological framework for Christian Ethics and to identify and apply the standards and values of Christian Ethics to major ethical issues. III. Course Objectives: A. To explore and analyze biblical foundations for Christian Ethics. B. To place Christian Ethics within the spectrum of classical ethical traditions. C. To help students identify “Christian” models of decision-making. D. To analyze contemporary ethical issues from a Christian perspective. E. To reflect on theological concepts which relate to Christian Ethics. IV. Course Outline: A. Introduction “What are Christian Ethics?” B. The Biblical Basis for Christian Ethics 1. Old Testament Perspectives a. The Laws b. The Covenants c. The Message of the Prophets d. The Sages and their Teachings 1

2. New Testament Perspectives a. The Jesus Traditions b. Paul and the Early Church c. Apocalypticism d. Many Boats – One River C. Faith and Works 1. The nature and force of Sin 2. The Kingdom of God 3. The Rule of Love 4. The Power of Grace 5. The Community of Faith D. Christian Ethics and the History of Ethics 1. Philosophical Ethics a. Virtue b. Utilitarianism c. Deontology 2. An Ethic of Love 3. Divine Command 4. Natural Law 5. Situation Ethics 6. Christian Realism 7. The Social Creed of the United Methodist Church E. Contemporary Ethical Issues and the United Methodist Church (articles in Jung) 1. Sexual Ethics Marvin M. Ellison, “Common Decency” 2. Biomedical Ethics A. Verhey, “Cloning and the Human Family” 3. Issues of Prejudice Heim, Johnson, Matzko, Stackhouse “Homosexuality, marriage … et al” 4. Economic Issues “Capitalism and Christian Values” 5. Other ethical issues as time permits. V. Pre-Class Assignments The purpose of the following assignments is to prepare students for the class sessions and to become familiar with ethical concepts and terminology. These questions do not ask for your opinions about these issues – you will have an opportunity for that during class. What I am asking you to do is to paraphrase Levin’s explanations of these concepts and terms. You are certainly welcome to use additional sources if you wish. 2

A. Questions relating to Lovin, Christian Ethics 1. What are the differences between ethics and morals? 2. Define the following terms: a. Teleological ethics b. utilitarianism c. situation ethics d. deontology e. virtue ethics 3. What is the relationship between Divine Command Ethics and Natural Law Ethics? 4. What is the relationship between “Rules and Goals?” 5. Identify and distinguish between “Moral Virtues” and “Theological Virtues?” 6. Discuss the nature and role of the Church in terms of: a. ecumenical b. confessional c. missional 7. What is meant by “Christian Realism?” VI. Evaluation A. Pre-class assignments B. Mid-Term assignments C. Class participation D. Final Examination

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COVER SHEET – HOJA DE CUBIERTA

This cover sheet must be attached to the precourse assignments for each course! ¡Esta hoja de cubierta debe ser fijada a cada tarea del curso! (Staple this sheet and all parts of the assignment together.)

Florida Extension Course of Study School

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Course Number: __________ Name of Course: Session: ______ Instructor: I have read the plagiarism definition below and verify by signing my name below, that this assignment represents my own work, except where credit is given. I have also made copies of this assignment and I will bring them with me to class in the event that any of my work is misplaced. He leido la definición del plagio y certifico con mi firma que esta tarea representa mi propio trabajo, salvo en los casos en que he reconocido el trabajo ajeno. He hecho copias de mis tareas y las traeré conmigo en caso de que algunas se hayan perdido en tránsito. _________________________________________________________ Student's Signature/Firma de estudiante ____________________________________ Date/Fecha

Plagiarism Defined “You plagiarize when, intentionally or not, you use someone’s words or ideas but fail to credit that person. You plagiarize even when you do credit the author but use his exact words without so indicating with quotation marks or block indentation. You also plagiarize when you use words so close to those in your source, that if your work were placed next to the source, it would be obvious that you could not have written what you did without the source at your elbow. When accused of plagiarism, some writers claim I must have somehow memorized the passage. When I wrote it, I certainly thought it was my own. That excuse convinces very few.”

Definición del plagio

“Se comete plagio, intencionalmente o no, cuando se usan palabras o ideas ajenas sin mencionar el nombre del autor. Aun cuando se mencione el nombre del autor, se comete plagio si se usan palabras exactas sin señalarlas por medio de una cita entre comillas, o la indentición del párrafo citado. También se comite plagio cuando usan palabras tan parecidas al texto original que, al comparar el trabajo escrito es el mismo, resultaría obvio que no podría haber escrito su propio texto sin la ayuda original de la primera fuente. Al ser acusado de plagio, algunas personas afirman lo siguiente: ‘Debí haberme memorizado el pasaje, al redactor el texto, ciertamente pensaba que era de mi propia autoría.’ Esta escusa resulta muy poco convincente.” From page 167 of The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, published in 1995 by The University of Chicago Press in Chicago.

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