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.