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Christian Ethics: Course Syllabus
Note: This Syllabus is under Construction
Online Course Syllabus
APOL 6330: Christian Ethics
Spring 2016
School of Christian Thought
Course Information
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an introduction to the major ethical systems with a special focus on
Christian approaches. Includes an examination of contemporary ethical issues from
a biblical worldview.
Note: This class is designed to be taken 100% online. However, students who are able
to meet as a class on Sunday mornings will be able to enhance their learning by
interacting with others in the course.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Name: Brian J. Verslues
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: By appointment
LEARNING RESOURCES
Required Texts:
Rae, S. B. (2009). Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics (Third Edition, p. 91). Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Note: Please do not write or mark in this textbook.
Supplementary Resources:
Lewis, C. S. (2001). Mere Christianity: Book I. New York: HarperOne.
Geisler, N. L., & Turek, F. (2004). I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist Wheaton,
IL: Crossway Books.
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Christian Ethics: Course Syllabus
Learning Outcomes
Overview or Purpose of the Course
The purpose of Equip Central is to teach the Bible in order to equip Christians to think
and live biblically as witnesses of Jesus Christ to our world. “All Scripture is breathed
out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV).
Relation to the Mission of Equip Central
To equip the Church for every good work1 so that believers may be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks2 and demolish arguments against the knowledge of God3
by developing in believers the skills necessary to formulate and articulate a theologically
and philosophically coherent understanding of complex [contemporary] ethical
theories, topics, and issues from a biblical worldview.
Course Objectives
1. Under development
2.
3.
4.
5.
1
2 Timothy 3:16-17
1 Peter 3:15
3
2 Corinthians 10:5
2
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Christian Ethics: Course Syllabus
Unit Objectives
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
2.0
2.1
2.2
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
4.0
4.1
4.2
5.0
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6.3
To understand the importance of being moral and studying ethics.[1]
To distinguish between ethics and morality.[2]
To understand the four considerations when making a moral judgment.[3]
To understand the relationships between morality and the law.[4]
To understand the various modes of moral reasoning used in Scripture.
To understand the Euthyphro Dilemma and the problems with Divine
Command Ethics.
To understand arguments surrounding the claim that ‘God is a Moral
Monster.’
To understand utilitarianism, including why it is appealing[2], and its
weaknesses.[3]
To understand ethical relativism, including the different forms it takes, why it
is appealing, and its weaknesses, including its self-defeating nature, the
argument for absolute truth, and how to employ the Road Runner Tactic.
To understand the nature of truth and why all truth is absolute truth.
To identify self-defeating arguments and successfully employ the Road
Runner Tactic.
To understand the Moral Law as a philosophical argument, the eight
arguments in support of it, and how to defeat the arguments used against it.
Sexual Ethics…
Sexual Ethics…
Sexual Ethics…
Ethics and Politics…
Ethics and Politics…
Ethics and Politics…
To understand key economic concepts that are a necessary perquisite to
equipping Christians to apply the Christian worldview to economic issues.
To understand the moral and theological principles for economic life.
To understand the moral and theological critique of global capitalism.
To better understand a variety of specific economic ethical issues, including
the fallacies and challenges surrounding them.
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Christian Ethics: Course Syllabus
Assessment of Learning
Instructor Feedback
The instructor will provide feedback to students for the purpose of helping them selfassess whether they are mastering the objectives for the course. This feedback can
only be given provided students fully participate in the class. This includes completing
any writing assignments, quizzes, or tests, as well as participation during class.
Note: It is important that you strive, or make a reasonable effort based on the amount
of time you have, to read and write in this class. Reading course material and watching
assigned videos should be the minimum. This does not necessarily mean you will read
every assignment, or watch every video, but that you will do your best.
Writing is the next level. Most people do not love to write, which is understandable
because it takes some effort and can be frustrating, especially with time constraints.
However, writing will help you grow in your thinking in a way that reading will not.
Writing forces people to articulate what they know. Essentially, it makes you go beyond
“thinking you know it” to “showing you know it.”
Even if you can’t write much, or if your writing could use some improvement, strive to
write something. Anything. Writing and thinking are similar to running or lifting weights.
The more your train your mind to think certain thoughts, the better you will be able to
think those thoughts! For example, the more you read about the problem of evil, think
about the problem of evil, and write about the problem of evil, the better equipped you
will be to “destroy arguments”4 and “make a defense”5 of the Christian faith, which will
improve your ability to reach others for Christ.
Required Reading, Writing, and Watching
Each week, the instructor will assign specific reading and writing assignments. There
will typically be video to watch as well. Students should strive to complete as many of
these assignments as possible in order to attain mastery of each unit objective.
Written Assignments
Students taking the course 100% online:
 Each week you should strive to make two discussion posts related to the
readings/video for the week.
Students taking the course in the classroom:
 Each week you should strive to make one discussion post related to the
readings/video for the week.
4
5
2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV
1 Peter 3:15. ESV
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Christian Ethics: Course Syllabus
Discussion Posts
You may post and original post, or respond to a classmate’s original post.
Discussion Posts Guidelines
1. Each post should incorporate something from the reading(s) or video for the week. A
great post would include two or more quotations from multiple sources (books,
articles, videos).
2. For each post, the minimum word count is 150, and the maximum is 500.
3. Be sure to "interact" with the quote you include.6
4. Write in the 3rd person (Don't use "I" or "me").7
5. Be sure to cite (include author and/or book title, and page number. If it’s a video or
an online article simply include the link, or hyperlink the name of the video or
article).8
Discussion Post Examples #1
Though rife with contradictions and not easily understood, Hinduism is viewed by
many to be the most inclusive religion in the world, which can largely be attributed to its
tendency to absorb other religions and religious beliefs.9
Over the centuries, Hinduism has been shaped by a number of internal and
external forces including Aryans, Muslims, Christians, and a variety of Indian thinkers.
This has served to make the Hindu religion very complex and difficult to pin down. In
many respects, this lack of agreed upon orthodoxy has made Hinduism confusing,
especially to outsiders. For example, “many Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges
River removes all sin,”10 yet this belief would not be considered a core belief by many
Hindus.
One thing that does appear to be universally accepted in Hinduism is the belief
that “the Vedas are the basic source of the Hindu understanding of the universe,” 11 in
spite of the fact that they are known only by a few scholars. Yet, while the Vedas, or
sacred books of Hinduism “…seem to teach that the proper way to worship is by
sacrifice to the various Aryan gods, the Upanishads emphasize meditation as a means
of worship.”12
In summary, it could be rightly said that “…Hinduism is still in the making. No
single version of it has completely dictated Hindu doctrines and values.”13
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7
8
Note: Citation can be done informally. The purpose is to let your classmates know where you got the information
so they can go check it out if they are interested.
9
Hopfe, Religions of the World, 107
10
Religions of the World—Hinduism (Video 3 of 5)
11
Hopfe, 78
12
Ibid., 83
13
Religions of the World—Hinduism (5 of 5)
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Christian Ethics: Course Syllabus
Discussion Post Examples #2
Dr. Naik states that the word “Trinity” isn’t used in the Bible.14 This is echoed by
Mormons as well as Jehovah’s Witnesses.15 His argument assumes that truth can only
be known when it is stated explicitly.16
Jesus may have never uttered the exact words, “I am God” but we can strongly
deduce this truth from a number of passages, (including John 1:1-18; Matthew 1:20-23;
and Hebrews 1:5-14)17 just like we can deduce what position a person plays if they
stand on a mound, come out of a bullpen, and throw to a catcher, even if we never
explicitly state that “they are a pitcher.”
If we take Naik’s line of reasoning to its logical conclusion, we would have to
throw out many of the truths found in the Quran or Bible. As Slick states, “there are
many Biblical concepts that people believe in that don't have a specific word describing
them…For example, the word, "bible," is not found in the Bible, but we use it anyway to
describe the Bible. Likewise, "omniscience" which means "all-knowing," "omnipotence"
which means "all-powerful," and "omnipresence" which means "present everywhere,"
are words not found in the Bible either, but we use them to describe the attributes of
God. We don't have to see a specific word in the Bible in order for the concept it
describes to be true.”18
_______________________________________________
14
The Deen Show, Jesus Christ is not God nor did God ever become a man
Watchtower Online Library, Trinity
16
Note: Even his belief that truth must be stated explicitly relies on a truth that is not itself explicit (law of rational
inference), namely that he is telling the truth. Naik doesn’t tell us in his interview that he is telling the truth, so
how can we know he is? He assumes we can rationally infer that he would only argue for something he believed to
be true. So in a sense, even his own assumptions undermine his position.
17
For a more extensive list, see Got Questions.org, What are the strongest biblical arguments for the divinity of
Christ
18
CARM, The word, Trinity, is not found in the Bible
15
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