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Issues in Social Ethics MT 708 – Fall 2002 “All these considerations compel us to undertake an evaluation of war with an entirely new attitude.” — 2nd Vatican Council Gaudium et Spes 80 |
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Dr.
Gerald W. Schlabach Theology
Department |
Office
hours: Mon: 2:00-4:00
p.m. Weds: 5:45-6:45
p.m. (in Brady lobby) Fri: 11:00
a.m.-1:00 p.m. or by appointment. |
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Departmental course description
Analyzes selected moral
issues in depth, using a variety of sources including Sacred Scripture, papal
encyclicals and other documents. Topics will vary and may include poverty,
immigration, business ethics, farm economics and the environment. For M.Div. students, particular attention
will be given to questions that arise in the parish and other ministerial
settings.
Specific topic
Nearly forty years after Vatican II called for a
thorough reevaluation of war, Catholic thought and teaching concerning the
moral status of war and the theological status of peace continues in flux. Is the magisterium slowly abandoning the
just war approach in favor of some form of pacifism? What are the practical implications for pastoral ministry and
political activism when bishops affirm the legitimacy of both the just war and
pacifist traditions? And what will be
the legacy of John Paul II’s passion for peace? These will be the kinds of questions we pursue as we examine
whether and how the Roman Catholic Church is becoming a “peace church.”
Course readings
Required:
·
article handouts,
library reserve readings, and/or on-line readings.
·
Gros, Jeffrey, and John
D. Rempel. The Fragmentation of the Church and Its Unity in Peacemaking.
Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2001.
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Musto, Ronald G. The
Catholic Peace Tradition. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1986.
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Stassen, Glen, ed. Just
Peacemaking: Ten Practices for Abolishing War. Pilgrim Press, 1998.
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Yoder, John Howard. When
War is Unjust: Being Honest in Just-War Thinking. Rev. ed. With a foreword
by Charles P. Lutz, and an afterword by Drew Christiansen. Maryknoll, N.Y.:
Orbis Books, 1996.
Optional
for purchase:
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O’Brien, David J., and
Thomas A. Shannon, eds. Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage.
Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1992.
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Assignments |
Percentage |
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In-class reports |
15 % |
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Term paper |
40 % |
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Midterm Exam |
15 % |
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Final Exam |
20 % |
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Participation |
10 % |
In-class
reports: All students will need to prepare at least four in-class reports,
and when appropriate, initiate follow-up class discussion. (The number of
reports will depend on the number of students enrolled). These are the four kinds of reports:
- Discussion summary: At the beginning of each class a student
will present a one-page summary of major points of discussion during the
preceding session. This should not
be an exhaustive summary, but rather, more like the minutes of a
meeting. Unlike meeting minutes,
however, these reports should close with the student’s reactions or
further reflections. These reports
will serve to remind us of where we have been, indicate any need for
clarification. Reports must reach
my departmental mailbox or email inbox by noon on the day of class, so
that I can make photocopies for all class members. They should not be more than one-page,
single-spaced, with one-inch margins, in a readable font!
- Just Peacemaking
report: On
most days, a student will provide an oral report on one of the ten
practices for “just peacemaking” in our textbook of that title. Since all class members will have read
the same chapter, reports should do more than simply summarize the
chapter. Begin with a summary, but
quickly move on to identify some or all of the following: ways that parishes and church
structures can engage in the respective practice, issues to anticipate in
implementing the practice, theoretical or conceptual issues, whether the
practice seems realistic or idealistic and why, etc. Reports should be approximately 10 minutes
in length, plus follow-up discussion.
- Gros/Rempel chapter
summaries: For the session in which we read from The
Fragmentation of the Church and Its Unity in Peacemaking, each student
will summarize a chapter concerning a Christian tradition other than one’s
own, focusing on the question of how that tradition understands peace,
practices peacemaking, and locates peace in relation to its core
confession of faith. Reports will
be 5-10 minutes, depending on class size.
- Research reports: During
the last two class sessions, students will present reports summarizing the
research, findings, thesis and overall argument that they are in the
process of writing up in their term papers. Reports may follow an outline similar to what will appear in
the term paper, but should not involve reading from a draft of the
paper. Students may wish to use
discussion questions to solicit counsel from their colleagues concerning
issues and hypotheses they are still trying to resolve.
Term
paper: As the largest single
assignment in this course, the term paper allows students to tailor the course
to their interests, even while applying what they are learning through regular
readings and discussions. A list of
possible topics appears below, but students may also propose additional
ones.
Papers
should be approximately 12-16 pages in length, double-spaced, consistent
according to one academic manual of style (Chicago, APA, MLA, Turabian, etc.),
using in-text citations or footnotes and bibliography or “works cited.” Unified paragraphs that walk readers
through your argument step-by-step are your best friend. The judicious use of headings and
subheadings is encouraged. A clear and
early thesis statement is required. A
concluding paragraph that reiterates your now-established thesis is both a
courtesy for your readers and a common sense way for you to check that your
paper has done what your thesis promised it would do.
Did
I say that I value clear and forceful writing? Good writing is not only a valuable skill for you, and a
pleasure for readers, it is critical for an academic discipline such as
theology. Communal discernment and
accountability within the Christian community require careful thinking and
communication. And rarely will you
think something through carefully without writing.
Because
of my commitment to clear theological writing, I welcome opportunities to guide
and aid students in developing their writing skills. I strongly encourage you to choose a topic and consult with me
about getting started within the first month of the class. I will be glad to discuss your major
findings and emerging theses at any time.
I suggest that you aim to write a tentative outline for your paper at
least a month before it is due and to consult with me about it. And I promise to do a preliminary reading
for any student who brings me a rough draft at least two weeks before the final
due date.
Possible
topics: