BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
Do the
right
thing
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A theological study of the moral life; including a discussion of differing philosophical systems, such as
divine command ethics, utilitarianism, egoism, relativism, and virtue ethics. The course is an introduction
to some of the problems of ethics, including topics such as the nature of morality, criteria for evaluating
choices and actions, ancient and modern theories of the moral life, everyday choices, and dilemmas that
face the Church today.
LEARNING GOALS









Gaining a working knowledge of Biblical moral principles
Identifying objective moral standards which have guided the human race throughout history
Categorizing and seeking solutions to the problems of ethics in a consistent manner
Relating ethics to one’s personal life goals
Applying Biblical ethics in making decisions both small and great
Adopting a position on important ethical issues
Learning to ask philosophical questions
Seeking answers using the methods of philosophy and critical thinking skills
Expressing ethical positions and decisions in discussions and in writing
METHODS OF LEARNING
 Student Investigation of
Philosophy Readings
 Videos
 A Detective Story




Class discussions
Class participation
Roleplaying
Written assignments
TEXTS
Your Bible
Ethics Coursepack (online at
http://christianlifecollege.edu/#/academics/ethics )
Moral Choices (3rd edition only) by Scott Rae
Ethical Dilemmas in Church Leadership by Michael R. Milco
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-2591840 ext. 109 -- 1
BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
A SAMPLING OF QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS WE’LL BE
DEALING WITH
 “Who Are YOU To Judge?”
 “You gotta look out for
 “Why Can’t I Be Bad and Stay
Number One”
Bad and Feel Good About It?”
 “You’ve Always Been SUCH
 “Why do good people do bad
A Good Boy”
things to good people?”
 “It’s Only Natural”
 “You HYPOCRITE!”
 “I Want My Rights!”
 “Everybody has a different idea of
 “They just couldn’t get along …”
what is good or bad, right or
 “Off With His Head!”
wrong.”
 “You Can’t Legislate Morality”
 “When in Rome, Do as the
 “It’s My Body, and I’ll Do What I
Romans Do”
Want With It”
 “If it feels good, do it”
 “We have the technology …
 “God said it, I believe it, that
what’s to stop us from using it?”
settles it!”
 “I’ve Failed! Now What Am I
Supposed To Do?”
 “The End Justifies the Means”
 “I Think. Therefore, I Am …
Moral?”
GRADING
A=90-100%
B=80-89%
C=70-79%
D=60-69%
F=0-59%
HOW TO EARN YOUR GRADE
Points % of
Grade
200 33%
150 25%
100 17%
75 12.5%
Tool
Module Assignments
Attendance and Class Participation
Journal
Midterm exam: An exam on the major topics covered in the first half of the
course will be given
75 12.5% Final exam: An exam on the major topics covered in the second half of the
course will be given
600 100%
Be
good
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-2591840 ext. 109 -- 2
BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
3
THE JOURNAL
A reading journal is one of many means to transfer learning from your brain through your hand
to a piece of paper. This helps to make the knowledge objective, an object outside of you that
you now not only possess but can share.
Journalizing also makes you interact, while you are reading, with the material in front of you.
You can use your journal as a sounding board, to record your questions and articulate difficulties
you may be having, as they arise.
There is nothing formal about this journal; its very nature is spontaneous and free. There are
no points taken off for spelling or grammar. With regards to composition, all that is required in
this assignment is that what you are saying makes sense. In this particular exercise of
expression, you might find it helpful to "kill the editor" in you, so that your thoughts flow out as
unencumbered as possible.
The content of your journal entries might include the following:
statements of agreement or disagreement with the reading material
questions
interactions between the information in the reading assignment and other things you have
learned (especially biblical teachings)
applications of the new knowledge to real-life problems
utterances of bewilderment
Behave
pleas for help
cries of "Ah-hah!" as lightbulbs go on in your head
prayers
songs
poems
diagrams (however, unassociated doodling doesn't count)
complaints
It's got to come from you, though. No more than one sentence of direct quotation from each
reading assignment should appear.
What kinds of things make for a successful journal entry?
Evidence that you are reacting mentally, emotionally and spiritually with the reading
assignment
Sincerity
Reference to the main points of particular reading assignments
Efforts to weave the new knowledge into your worldview
Life applications of the learning to your ministry
A final note about notes
Please don’t hand in your class notes and intend them to serve as a journal as well. I can tell the
difference.
The length of the journal is 3000 words. If it’s shorter than that, it won’t receive a grade.
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-2591840 ext. 109 -- 3
BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
4
READING PHILOSOPHY
Everyone does philosophy, all the
very carefully about it. The student of
s/he will want to:
time, but most people do not think
philosophy does. This means that
Find a quiet place to read and reflect on what has been read. Without reflection, you are
not going to get much out of reading philosophy.
Read out loud, when the passage is difficult. Hearing yourself read the
carefully-crafted sentences of a good philosopher may very well be
the way you will break out of the fog and into the daylight.
Make reading a priority: if you become distracted by thoughts of other things
you need to do, write them down to deal with after you are through reading.
Then, tell yourself that this is your time to read. Stay focused on reading.
Read through an entire section in one sitting, even if you don’t understand
most of it. After your first reading, you’ll have a clearer idea of the
structure of the argument or explanation. Then reread and jot down main
points and questions. Highlighting key passages is my personal favorite
technique. Ask for help.
Don’t confuse a tired mind or body with reading difficulties. Reading is a physical activity
that requires you to sit upright and motionless for an extended period of time.
Take care of your physical needs for exercise, rest, nutrition and water, and
your body won’t rebel when you tell it to sit still.
Carve out hour-long blocks of time to do your reading. Turn off the phone,
tv, radio and stereo, and let your mind and soul sip the cool nectar of
philosophy, and feast on the brain-food set before you.
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-2591840 ext. 109 -- 4
BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
5
COURSE CALENDAR
(tentative)
Week
begin
ning
Module
Assigned Reading: Textbook
1/22
1: Introduction
Rae
 Chapter 1 – Introduction: Why Study
Ethics?
1/29
1: Introduction
Rae
 Chapter 2 – Christian Ethics
2/5
2: Making
Decisions
Rae
 Chapter 3 – Ethical Systems and Ways of
Reasoning
2/12
2: Making
Decisions
2/19
2: Making
Decisions
Rae
 Chapter 4 – Making Ethical Decisions
Milco
 Chapter 1 – Establishing Ethical
Foundations and Perspectives
2/26
3: Love and
Marriage
Rae
 Chapter 10 – Sexual Ethics
Milco
 Chapter 2 – Abuse Inside the Church
Assigned Reading: Online Coursepack &
Presentations (available at
http://christianlifecollege.edu/#/academic
s/ethics
Coursepack Articles
 Ethics is the Issue
 Morality Today
 Rae Chapter 1 Study Guide
Coursepack Articles
 Justice and Love
 Rae Chapter 2 Study Guide
 The Basis of Obligation
Powerpoint Presentations
 Christian Ethics_Rae
Coursepack Articles
 Objective Moral Standards
 Ethical Systems for Biblical Ethics
 The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
 Scenario: Bill
Powerpoint Presentations
 Ethical Systems_Rae
Coursepack Articles
 The Way Up to Heaven
 Scenario: Abandon Ship!
Powerpoint Presentations
 Ethical Systems_Rae
Coursepack Articles
 The R.E.S.O.L.V.E.D Strategy
 Scenario: Rebel Without a Cause
Work Due or Assessment
Scheduled
Coursepack Articles
 Sex: Unrestricted Right or Divine Gift?
Powerpoint Presentations
 Sexual Ethics_Rae
 Your attendance and class
participation
Points
Possible
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Module 1 Assessment
30
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Module 2 Assessment
 Your attendance and class
participation
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-259-1840 ext. 109 -- 5
50
BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
6
Week
begin
ning
Module
Assigned Reading: Textbook
Assigned Reading: Online Coursepack &
Presentations (available at
http://christianlifecollege.edu/#/academic
s/ethics
Work Due or Assessment
Scheduled
Coursepack Articles
 Marriage and Divorce
Powerpoint Presentations
 Sexual Ethics_Rae
 Module 3 Assessment
Points
Possible
 Chapter 4 – Ordained Infidelities
3/5
3: Love and
Marriage
Milco
 Chapter 9 – When the Closet is Opened
 Appendix Three: Patterns Predicting
Pastoral Infidelity
30
75
 Midterm Exam
 Your attendance and class
participation
3/12
3/19
4: The Edgesof-Life Issues
Spring Break
Rae
 Chapter 5 – Abortion and Embryonic
Stem Cell Research
3/26
4: The Edgesof-Life Issues
Rae
 Chapter 6 – Reproductive Technologies
Milco
 Chapter 8 – Crisis Pregnancies
4/2
4: The Edgesof-Life Issues
Rae
 Chapter 8 – Physician-Assisted Suicide
and Euthanasia
4/9
5: Secrets and
Money
Milco
 Chapter 3 – AIDS Among the Flock
 Chapter 5 – Conversations Behind Closed
Doors
 Chapter 6 – Answering Cries for Help
 Appendix One: Child Abuse Prevention
Policies
 Appendix Two: Infectious Disease/HIV
Coursepack Articles
 Abortion & Personhood
 Rae Chapter 5 Study Guide_Abortion
and Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Powerpoint Presentations
 Abortion_Rae
Coursepack Articles
 Rae Chapter 6 Study
Guide_Reproductive Technologies
Powerpoint Presentations
 Reproductive Technologies_Rae
Coursepack Articles
 Rae Chapter 8 Study Guide_PAS &
Euthanasia
Euthanasia
Powerpoint Presentations
 PAS & Euthanasia_Rae
Coursepack Articles
 Biblical Privacy
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Journal
 Module 4 Assessment
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Your attendance and class
participation
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-259-1840 ext. 109 -- 6
100
30
BIBLICAL ETHICS – PH202 – SYLLABUS
7
Week
begin
ning
Module
Assigned Reading: Textbook
Assigned Reading: Online Coursepack &
Presentations (available at
http://christianlifecollege.edu/#/academic
s/ethics
Work Due or Assessment
Scheduled
Coursepack Articles
 Module 5 Assessment
 Your attendance and class
participation
Points
Possible
Policies
4/16
5: Secrets and
Money
Rae
 Chapter 12 – Ethics and Economics
Milco
 Chapter 7 – Fumbling with Figures
4/23
6: War and
Peace
Rae
 Chapter 9 – Capital Punishment
4/30
6: War and
Peace
Rae
 Chapter 11 – The Morality of War
Milco
 Chapter 10: Concluding Thoughts
5/7
 Seven Standards of Responsible
Stewardship_ECFA
 Sample Codes of Ethics for Ministers
Powerpoint Presentation
 Business Ethics_Rae
Powerpoint Presentation
 Capital Punishment
Powerpoint Presentation
 The Bible and War
30
 Your attendance and class
participation
 Module 6 Assessment
 Your attendance and class
participation
30
 Final Exam
 attendance and class
participation points tallied
75
Professor Christopher Ullman – Christian Life College – Email: cullman@christianlifecollege.edu Phone: 847-259-1840 ext. 109 -- 7
150