Christian ethics
Level 5 - DT2007
We live in a world where ethical issues are rarely if ever far from our senses, brought about as they are as a result of violence and war, euthanasia, abortion, crime and punishment, as well as a host of environmental and medical dilemmas, business ethics, the nature of personhood, sexuality and so on.
Since the time of Aristotle (384-322 BCE) society has offered various ‘solutions’ to the ethical dilemmas we face and continues to do.
This course is intended to provide a ‘way in’ to examining the how and the why of moral decision-making and especially how such decision-making might be influenced by the standpoint of Christianity.
Topics covered
- How ought we to live?
- How do we assess difficult moral decisions
- Does being a Christian make a difference to the decisions we make?
The study of Christian ethics seeks to provide some answers to these general questions as well as looking at areas of particular difficulty. Such areas include:
- The nature and role of conscience in our moral decision-making
- The place of natural law
- Biblical ethics
- Environmental ethics
- Issues surrounding the beginning and end of life
- Moral issues in the face of war, violence and punishment
Assessment
A three-hour written examination.