TEOL4002 ¨C Christian Ethics in a Changing World

Course content

This course considers Christian ethics in relation to select ethical issues, including suffering, poverty and economics, family and belonging, environmental ethics, war and pacifism, and medical ethics. To this end, the course will investigate the relationship between theology and ethics, inviting students to consider in what ways (or not) particular Christian commitments shape moral evaluation and ethical response.

The goal of this course is to give students a foundation in theological ethics from which to form a faithful response to particular applied ethical challenges, and to develop proficiency in moral reflection to identify and address issues beyond the scope of the course. It will introduce principles and perspectives for ethics from a theological viewpoint, as well as helping students to gain skills in evaluating rapidly changing issues. Special attention will be given to the resources of the Christian tradition, but this course will integrate other religious and cultural perspectives, as well as materials from art and literature.

The course may also be taken by students who cannot follow ordinary teaching on campus, see the section "Teaching" below.

Learning outcome

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Recognise, compare, and synthesise diverse perspectives related to Christian ethics to develop innovative viewpoints, and express these viewpoints in oral and written work.
• Understand the relationship between Christian theology and ethics, distinguish a theological approach to applied ethics from alternative approaches, and justify ethical obligations for care on theological grounds.
• Inspect their own relationship to ethical questions, analyse their own understanding of moral agency, and cultivate respect for others and the world.
• Develop the skills to evaluate diverse perspectives on ethics and examine church and public practices in order to engage with church leaders, political leaders, laypeople, and the public square on various ethical issues.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

• TFF1001 ¨C Kristendommens historie
• TFF1002 ¨C Levd religion i Norge
• TFF1003 ¨C Etikk og religion
• TEOL1100 ¨C Introduksjon til Bibelen: tekster, lesninger og teologier
• TEOL1200 ¨C Teologi, filosofi og bekjennelse
• TEOL2003 ¨C The Ancient Church
• TEOL2004 ¨C Martin Luther og 1500-tallets teologiske stridigheter
• TEOL3106 ¨C Religionsfilosofi

The prerequisite knowledge above apply to the six year study programme in theology. Students on this programme must also have completed the first three years of the study programme in theology.

Formal prerequisite knowledge for students on a master`s programme, where the course is included as a compulsory course or as an elective course, are met by the admission requirements for the master`s programme.

Teaching

?This course is taught in two Tracks. The main teaching activities will differ between the two tracks and the mandatory activities are designed to be equivalent but tailored to the different learning needs of each track.

• Track 1 is for on campus students. The main teaching activities in this course are seminar discussion, lecture, and case study presentation/discussion.

• Track 2 is for online students. Teaching will be online and asynchronous with one residential week at Oppdal. The main teaching activities are online lectures, seminar discussion in Oppdal, and case study presentation in Oppdal.

Students must register for one of the tracks at registration in Studentweb and cannot change after the normal course change period.

Mandatory activities:

TRACK 1:

1. Reading Responses

Students are expected to submit reading responses in Canvas prior to the beginning of each class. Students must complete a response for two of the required texts. There are two components to the reading summaries:

1) Summary of the main argument in 1-2 sentences maximum; and

?2) 2 questions OR 1 question and 1 reflection about or arising from the reading

Students are entitled to one excused absence from this requirement.

2. Practicum Reflection

Students are required to write a short reflection on one (or more) moral issues identified in their practicum. These reflections should not be a case study evaluation. Instead, students are encouraged to identify ethical issues, reflect on how or why these issues were perceived as ethical, discuss possible responses, and reflect on their own response. These reflections will be submitted in lieu of the reading response for the class following the practicum break.

?3. Case Study Response and Class Presentation

Students are required to present a response to a case study on a particular issue in applied ethics. These responses should include a clear and concise summary of the central ethical issue(s), an evaluation of possible actions that could be taken in the case, and the student¡¯s recommendation for resolution. The presentation will be 15 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of class discussion. A list of case studies will be provided. Students may choose a case study not on the list, but it must be approved by the instructor.

4. Written Presentation Evaluation

Each student will be assigned to respond to one of the case study presentations. This response should be in the form of a short, written assessment of the case study presentation, with critical reflection and suggestions for how the student can improve the text. Students can disagree in their evaluations, but are expected to model respectful engagement.

TRACK 2:

1. Students are expected to submit reading responses in Canvas every Wednesday of the teaching semester. Students must complete a response for two of the required texts. There are two components to the reading summaries:

1) Summary of the main argument in 1-2 sentences maximum; and

?2) 2 questions OR 1 question and 1 reflection about or arising from the reading

Students are entitled to one excused absence from this requirement.

2. Case Study Response and Class Presentation

Students are required to present a response to a case study on a particular issue in applied ethics. These responses should include a clear and concise summary of the central ethical issue(s), an evaluation of possible actions that could be taken in the case, and the student¡¯s recommendation for resolution. The presentation will be 15 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of class discussion. A list of case studies will be provided. Students may choose a case study not on the list, but it must be approved by the instructor. Presentations will occur at the in-person meeting of the course in Oppdal.

3. Written Presentation Evaluation

Each student will be assigned to respond to one of the case study presentations. This response should be in the form of a short, written assessment of the case study presentation, with critical reflection and suggestions for how the student can improve the text. Students can disagree in their evaluations, but are expected to model respectful engagement.

4. Sound Recording

Students must pair up (or group of 3 if uneven #) and record a "podcast" (approx. 20 minutes) related to a particular issue in theological ethics related to the course content. Students should compare, contrast, and critically evaluate two articles/chapters pertaining to ethics from the course reading list, with the option of choosing their own readings instead (subject to instructor approval). Students may creatively use the style of their choice (for example: interview, discussion, short musical, and so on).

Examination

Term paper, 3000-4000 words.

Students are required to submit as a term paper a written case study response (3000-4000 words). This should be on the same topic as the case study presentation, cf. mandatory activities, and should integrate the feedback received from peers and the instructor on the oral presentation. Students should use this longer, written format to more thoroughly lay out their methodology, detail relevant historical or contemporary positions on the identified central issues, and defend their chosen solution or recommendation for the case in relation to relevant theological ethical positions.

Language of examination

You may write your term paper in Norwegian or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.