Theological Ethics

The ethical question, "who is the good person?", is founded on the premise that being a Christian makes one a certain type of person with certain values. This course offers a historical study of various philosophical and theological descriptions of the nature of the good person.

The injunction to "love our neighbor" is constitative of all Christian ethics. This however must always be embodied and understood within a historical context. Using the method of agapic solidarity and drawing from a variety of disciplines, this course explores what living the love of neighbor means in a multicultural world.

Analysis of several contemporary Catholic ethicists, including Curran, O'Connell, Regan, and McCormick, who have influenced the development of Catholic ethics. A critical examination of natural law, human freedom, conscience, authority, and the moral and rational capacity.

Contemporary American Christian thought on the nature of morality and society. An attempt to reveal the dynamics of faith that calls us to do justice. Special consideration given to the development of pacifism in American churches.

This course is an introduction to the theological ethics of character as encountered in the Christian tradition.  We will systematically consider the topic through a series of guided discussions about values, decisions, conscience, habits, virtues, and vices, the role of Christian narrative, and finally, an integrated theory and theology of Christian personal character.  Readings will include selections from writings by Richard Gula, Paul J. Waddell, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, James Keenan, Stanley Hauerwas, James Gustafson, and the Gospel of Luke.

The issues of justice from a Catholic perspective as they affect society locally, nationally, and internationally.

Inquiry into the theological, philosophical, psychological, and social aspects of Christian marriage with specific emphasis on commitment and the bond of love. The moral problems of abortion, divorce, and homosexuality, special to the modern context, will be discussed.

This course explores the field of environmental ethics and its growing impact on the Christian theological-ethical tradition. The course will consider our current environmental situation, survey the history of environmental ethics, examine the positions of major contemporary eco-ethicists, and develop the theological foundations for a Christian environmental ethic.

This course explores contemporary Christian theology and its response to environmental and ecological issues. It investigates the scope of our environmental crisis and the emerging insights by Christian theologians concerned about our global environment. Emphasis will be given to ecological issues in the Pacific Northwest, the theology of human existence, the nature of God and the future prospects for sustainability.

Drawing from the Christian/Catholic tradition and from other ethical perspectives, the course addresses the moral dilemmas of abortion, artificial reproductive technologies, genetics, technology, organ transplant, physician assisted suicide and other issues of death and dying, with the end goal of forming students as intelligent and critical interlocuters of bio-ethical issues.

The prophetic traditions, both religious and secular have always stood in opposition to the power elite of their times. The focus of this class will be on how the prophetic tradition has related to Empires of the past and what are the possible implications for current prophetic movements and tradition.

Sexual ethics begins with a study of the historic evolution of sexual teachings to provide a context to current theo-ethical discussions and debates, on sexual issues like premarital sex, homosexuality, contraception, abortion, and masturbation. The course takes a critical gender perspective.

Explores contemporary Christian and Jewish theological reflections on the Nazi genocide campaign to eliminate the Jews of Europe. Special emphasis on the documents of the churches until now, on the Austrian and German efforts to cope with this part of recent history, and on the relation of early anti-Judaism in Christian cultures to racism and anti-Semitism.