03DM802/01: APPLIED THEOLOGY
Reformed Theological Seminary
Charlotte, North Carolina
July 20-24, 2015
Mark E. Ross, Ph.D
Visiting Professor
Professor of Systematic Theology
Erskine Theological Seminary
Columbia, South Carolina
I. Catalog Description
A theological approach to moral problems and social issues in contemporary society
(social ethics) and/or to personal spiritual growth and renewal (personal ethics).
II. Course Overview
This course is an advanced seminar in ethics. Part of the course (about 20%) will
focus on issues in the philosophical and theological foundations of ethics. The
majority of the course will be spent in applying the Ten Commandments to specific
issues of our times. The principal aim of the course is to equip students to apply
Biblical truth to pressing, ethical concerns of individual and social life, and to give
advanced pastoral leadership to churches, denominations, and communities on ethical
issues. The course assumes that persons attaining a doctoral degree in ministry
should be able to provide advanced leadership in both church and community.
Hence, the requirements for this course will include presentations addressed to both
church and community. Successful completion of this course should enable the
student to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Love the law of God more deeply.
Become doers of the word and not hearers only.
Understand the confusion of morality that exists among people today.
Think more clearly about ethical issues.
Help others to see the necessary objectivity of moral values against the
background of society’s irrational relativism and subjectivism in moral thinking.
6. Relate Biblical principles to some pressing ethical issues of our day.
7. Communicate clearly the application of Biblical truth to these ethical issues.
III. Required Reading
The following books and article (c. 1600 pp. total) are required reading for the course.
You need not bring the books to class, but should have a Bible and a copy of the
Westminster Larger Catechism with you. A signed statement indicating that you
have completed all the assigned readings must be submitted by the final due date in
order to receive credit for this portion of the course. You should also reference these
books in the written assignments. An additional 400 pages of reading should also be
completed in connection with your research paper. If you have read and are
thoroughly familiar with any of the books below, you may substitute other works for
the equivalent amount of reading with permission from your professor.
A. Books
1. Budziszewski, J. What We Can’t Not Know. Revised edition. Ignatius Press, 2011.
2. Gagnon, Robert A. J. and Dan O. Via, Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views.
Fortress Press, 2009.
3. Gergis, Sherif and Ryan T. Anderson and Robert P. George. What is Marriage?
Man and Woman: A Defense. Encounter Books, 2012.
4. Lewis, C. S. The Abolition of Man. Any edition.
5. Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. Any edition. Read Books I-III only.
6. McDowell, Sean and John Stonestreet. Same-Sex Marriage: A Thoughtful
Approach to God’s Design for Marriage. Baker Books, 2014.
7. Murray, John. Principles of Conduct. Eerdmans, 1991.
8. Rooker, Mark. The Ten Commandments: Ethics for the Twenty-first Century.
B&H Academic, 2010.
9. Westminster Larger Catechism. Any edition. Needed for class room access.
B. Articles
1. Arthur Allen Leff, “Unspeakable Ethics, Unnatural Law.” Duke Law Journal,
Volume 1979, pp. 1229-1249. Available online:
http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3810&context=fs
s_papers
2. McBrayer, Justin P. “Why Our Children Don’t Think There Are Moral Facts,”
The New York Times, March 2, 2015.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/02/why-our-children-dont-thinkthere-are-moral-facts/?_r=1
C. Additional research
1. For the research paper, you should complete an additional 400 pages of reading
on the topics of one or both of your papers.
IV. Assignments and Evaluation
1. Completion of all reading – 10% of final grade.
You must submit a signed statement that you have completed all the assigned
reading. A form is provided below. If you complete only a portion, please
indicate what you have read and the total pages completed. You will receive
partial credit for the work you have completed. Please complete the reading of
Budziszewski, Leff, Lewis, and McBrayer prior to class. The remainder of the
reading may be completed by October 31, 2015.
2. Two short papers (3 pages). Be prepared to read from these papers in class if
requested – 5% for each.
a. A short paper on the objectivity of moral laws. On the basis of your
reading in Budziszewski, Leff, Lewis, and McBrayer prepare a three page
paper (not more!) on the objectivity of moral laws. This paper may be
incorporated into the longer paper dealing with the validity of the ten
commandments for today. The grading of this paper will be solely on the
basis of completion. It is due the first day of class.
b. A presentation on a specific ethical issue. Prepare a three page paper (not
more!) dealing with a specific ethical issue as it might arise in a pastoral
setting (e.g., a church member comes to you struggling with a decision over
divorce, in vitro fertilization utilizing an egg or sperm donor, homosexuality,
guilt from killing in war, or something else). Show how this issue should be
understood, evaluated, and addressed in the light of one or more of the ten
commandments. This paper may be incorporated into your longer paper
dealing with a specific ethical issue. The grading of this paper will be solely
on the basis of completion. It is due the first day of class.
3. A position paper of about ten pages (2500 words) – 30% of final grade.
You have been invited to address your local Rotary Club on the subject, “The Ten
Commandments: Are They Still Valid for Society Today?” This is your
opportunity to say something significant and thought-provoking to a mixed
audience (Christian and non-Christian) of leaders in your community. Using what
you have gained from the course and the readings, give an answer to the assigned
question. You need not discuss all ten commandments in the paper. You may, in
fact, choose just one if you please, and address a specific moral issue as it might
confront a community (for example, gay marriage); but the paper should provide
some argument for the objectivity of the moral law, and for the ten
commandments viewed as an example of the moral law. If you do choose to
address one issue, it must be a different issue than the one addressed in your
research paper. Additional research may be utilized but it is not required for this
paper.
4. A research paper of about fifteen pages (3500-4000 words) – 50% of final
grade.
The paper is to deal with an ethical issue of your choosing. It should be done in
case study fashion, giving a brief (250 words maximum) presentation of the case
as it might arise in a pastoral setting, then arguing for a Biblical response,
interacting with the readings and discussions in this course, and the additional
research you have done. Give appropriate documentation for this interaction. Be
sure to identify one or more of the ten commandments which govern the situation,
show the application you are making, and justify that application as the one
demanded by the commandment(s). At least 5 additional sources beyond the
assigned readings should be consulted in your research, utilized and footnoted in
the paper, and included in the bibliography. Be sure to use scholarly sources.
Normally they would be available in print, though you may access the sources
online. Wikipedia is not an acceptable source (though it can be a useful guide to
scholarly sources).
5. Form and deadline for long papers. All papers must be submitted in both hard
and digital copy. They should be double-spaced, in 12 point font, using footnotes
(not endnotes), in a standard academic form. Your report on completion of the
reading assignments should be attached to your research paper, following the
bibliography for the paper. The two long papers must be submitted to Tari
Williamson in the D.Min. office at RTS by October 31, 2015. Digital copies of
the papers should be emailed both to Tari Williamson and to me at
MarkERoss@aol.com.
03DM802/01: APPLIED THEOLOGY
Reformed Theological Seminary
July 20-24, 2015
Completion of Reading Assignment
Name: (please print or type) ________________________________________________
Date submitted: __________________________________________________________
Circle as appropriate:
I have completed all reading assignments:
Yes
No
If No, please indicate how much reading you have completed:
Assigned reading
Budziszewski, What We Can’t Not Know
Gagnon and Via, Homosexuality and the Bible
Gergis, Anderson, and George, What is Marriage?
Leff, “Unspeakable Ethics, Unnatural Law”
Lewis, The Abolition of Man
Lewis, Mere Christianity (Books I-III)
McBrayer, “Why Our Children Don’t Think. . .”
McDowell and Stonestreet, Same-Sex Marriage
Murray, Principles of Conduct
Rooker , The Ten Commandments
pages completed
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Additional research (abbreviate author, title – at least five are required*)
*1. _________________________________________
*2. _________________________________________
*3. _________________________________________
*4. _________________________________________
*5. _________________________________________
6. _________________________________________
7. _________________________________________
8. _________________________________________
9. _________________________________________
10. _________________________________________
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Signed: __________________________________________________
DMin* Student Learning Outcomes
In order to measure the success of the DMin curriculum, RTS has defined the
following as the intended outcomes of the student learning process. Each course
contributes to these overall outcomes. This rubric shows the contribution of this
course to the DMin outcomes.
Biblical/
Theological
Foundations:
Significant knowledge of biblical and theological
foundations for pastoral ministry. (This includes
interaction with Biblical texts, as well as
awareness of Reformed Theology.)
Historical/
Contemporary
Practices:
Significant knowledge of historical and
contemporary practices of pastoral ministry.
Integration:
Ability to reflect upon and integrate theology and
practice, as well as implementation in a
contemporary pastoral setting.
Sanctification:
Demonstrates a love for the Triune God that
aids in the student’s sanctification.
Rubric
Mini-Justification
Strong
Moderate
Minimal
None
Strong
Moderate
Strong
Moderate
1. Ten commandments and
related texts are carefully
studied.
2. Larger Catechism closely
examined.
1. Emphasis will be on
contemporary applications,
though there will be some
discussion of how the church
has applied the
commandments across its
history.
1. Major emphasis of the course
is providing a
Biblical/theological response
to the issues that are
commonly faced in pastoral
ministry
1. Each topic examined will
include some discussion of
the personal applications to
be made of the
commandments.