Introduction to Religious Ethics ET, WT
This course is an introduction to the insight that western religious traditions lend to the evaluation of contemporary moral problems. To begin we will explore the methods and authorities by which Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam approach ethics, by focusing on the issue of abortion. The second part of the course deals with specific moral issues including war, capital punishment, and sex. Attention will be paid to what selected authorities and thinkers in these traditions say about these issues, but through the use of case studies the course also will provide students with the opportunity to develop their own approach to ethics. 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc.

Spring 2013

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Voices of Nonviolence
We begin this course with an overview of the teachings of various world religions relating to the theme of nonviolence. We then proceed to examine the religious inspiration, activism, and writings of Tolstoy, Gandhi, Ghaffar Khan, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chavez, and Thich Nhat Hanh. We will test the adequacy of nonviolence as a response to conflict by exploring themes such as the humanity of the opponent, the challenge of despair and cynicism in the face of great obstacles, the place of spiritual practices in individual and community life, and the value (or problem) of redemptive suffering. This course counts as elective credit towards the Religion major. (Students who have taken INTD 1071 will not be eligible to register).

Winter 2011, Winter 2012

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