Christian Ethics

This course provides vital resources for the moral life by drawing on Christian thought and practice in dialogue with other modes of ethical reflection. We begin by tracing how goals, duties, and virtues have been primary orientation points for philosophical and theological ethics. We will also reflect on how the life of Jesus Christ—his conception, birth, suffering, death, and burial—can provide creative responses to contested questions surrounding the beginnings and endings of human life. Such focus on the anthropological rites and passages that constitute “everyday ethics” will inform the practice of moral leadership and spiritual care in a variety of social organizations. We will therefore analyze variations on the Christian ethicist’s stance vis-à-vis other publics, exploring approaches characterized by synergy, integrity, realism, and liberation. Throughout, students will be encouraged to critically engage with the full range of Christian approaches from their respective faith traditions.

Available by Distance
Both synchronous & asynchronous.