Religion and Ethics

A 2007 course by Carol Johnston and Marti Steussy at Christian Theological Seminary the Bible and environmental issues.

A course by Sid Brown at the University of the South "is an investigation of Buddhist images, symbols, stories, doctrines, ethics, and practices as they relate to understanding the environment and humanity's role in relation to it."

A 2015 course by Geoffrey Claussen at Elon University analyzes "the historical teachings of the Jewish tradition on environmental issues, considering topics including the value of creation as well as traditional prohibitions on causing suffering to animals, wasting natural resources, and various forms of pollution." Special attention is accorded "contemporary Jewish attempts to respond to current environmental crises."

A 2000 course by Paul Hyams at Cornell University surveys 'the first Christian centuries up to the eve of the Reformation" with respect to theological and canonical Christian marriage. Other topics "such as homosexuality, rape/abduction, prostitution, bawd and literary attitudes towards sexuality" will also be considered.

A 2010 course by Wesley Wildman at Boston University surveys the "varieties of religious naturalism and how they have been, and can be, incorporated into philosophical and theological reflection."

A 2017 course by Ken Todd at California State University, Northridge, "addresses religion and religious ethics . . . various modern theories of ethics . . . ethical issues of contemporary concern."

A course by Paul Waldau at Tufts University examines "how religious traditions have affected various cultures' views and treatment of the earth's other living beings."

A 2014 course by Reid Locklin at University of Toronto raises "critical questions of social justice and international development from diverse religious and disciplinary perspectives."

A 2017 course by Guy Grimes at Gateway Seminary "designed to teach students the process of ethical and legal decision making in the practice of Christian counseling."

A 2012 course by Sean Hayden at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary uses Wendell Berry's "poems, fiction and essays . . . . [to] build up a perspective on the meaning of life with depth and coherence—a philosophy of life" around selected theological themes.

A 2009 course by Emilie Townes at Yale Divinity School is "an examination of the ways in which metaphors function at the intersections of various forms of oppression."

A 2007 course by Peter McCourt at Virginia Commonwealth University offers a "critical survey of ethical concepts and issues in the thought and practice of major religious traditions."

A 2014 course by Benjamin Wall at Houston Graduate School of Theology on various "ethical systems and theories in light of biblical and traditional Christian perspectives and moral norms, with reflection upon several contemporary social issues."

A 2010 course by Dawn Nothwehr at the Catholic Theological Union presents Catholic sources towards a "moral, sustainable and reverential ways of living."

A 2015 course by William H.C. Propp at UC San Diego on "ancient Israelite attitudes . . . [and] later developments in Judaism and Christianity" on selected topics of human sexuality.

A 2016 course by Marianne Farina CSC at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology investigates "core principles and teachings about human sexuality" from the Roman Catholic perspective. Topics such as "marriage, family life, celibacy, and biomedical issues related to human sexuality" are addressed.

A 2009 course by Kathryn Lofton at Yale University uses "case studies and theoretical ruminations" to "explore the relationship between ideas about sex and ideas about religion, as well as sexual practices and religious practices" in the United States.

A 2004 course by Debbie Creamer at Iliff School of Theology introduces "disability studies as an avenue through which to examine issues of access, inclusion, justice, and community" as well as "definitions and models of disability."

A 2012 course by Shawn Madison Krahmer at Saint Joseph's University analyzes the historical origins and theological significance of "a concern for social, economic and political justice" in Christianity with special attention to the Catholic tradition.

A 2002 course by Gerald Schlabach at the University of St. Thomas "examines Catholic reflection on social structures and patterns of moral behavior as they are expressed in economic, social and political contexts."

A 2014 course by Stuart Squires at Brescia University focuses "on the Catholic Church’s responses to particular social justice issues in our time as well as the guiding principles that inform the Church’s positions."

A 2007 course by Peter McCourt at Virginia Commonwealth University is an "exploration of the Catholic church's major theological, ethical, constitutional and strategic concerns, and an analysis of Catholic social teaching and its relation to current social issues such as abortion, peace and conflict, poverty, and human rights."

A 2013 course by Caryn Riswold at llinois College explores "the history and beliefs of several religious traditions" through "food rituals and dietary customs."

A 2015 course by Gerald Schlabach at the University of St. Thomas provides an "examination of the views of various religions and ideologies on issues of justice and peace, with special attention to the Catholic and of the Christian teachings on such issues as war and peace, violence, economic justice, the environment, criminal justice, and social justice."

A 2002 course by Joe Incandela at Saint Mary's College "examines Catholic positions on some of the most controversial social, ethical, and religious issues of our day: abortion, birth control, the relation between official Catholic teachings and individual conscience, reproductive technologies, cloning, stem-cell research, physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia, the allocation of scarce health resources, the ordination of women priests, capital punishment, nuclear weapons, terrorism, waging war vs. embracing peace, poverty and the United States economy, and the effect of being a member of the Church on being a citizen of the state."

A 2017 course by Jason Fout at Bexley Hall Seabury Western Seminary Federation "provides an overview of Anglican theology and ethics, in both historical and topical perspective."

A Fall 2015 course by Adam J. Copeland at Luther Seminary surveys biblical texts "related to giving and stewardship of resources" and treats "practical application to contemporary congregational life and preaching."

A course by Charles Bellinger at Texas Christian University examines abortion "from various angles: medical, psychological, philosophical, legal, and religious."

A 2012 course by Molly Jensen at Southwestern University approaches American religion through novels and "considering distinctive religious expressions of geographically- and culturally-diverse communities."

A 2000 course by Katie Cannon at Temple University introduces "students to some of the central aspects of African Traditional Religion(s) presented in selected, influential studies by African scholars of religion. Utilizing interdisciplinary and multi-methodological approaches, . . . [examines] the profile of religious plurality in Africa and pursue reading in the literature of the field."

A 2002 course by Joel Tishken at Southwestern University "surveys the history of Christianity in Africa from the advent of various North African churches in the ancient era, to the growth of Afro-Christian Churches in the contemporary era."

A course by Teresia Hinga at DePaul University analyzes "the impact of colonialism in Africa and the response of the colonized to the phenomenon . . . [especially] the role of religion both in the process of colonizing Africa as well as in the processes of resistance."

A course by Mary Jo Iozzo at Barry University examines "the variety of ethical systems in use today in healthcare settings, the theological and philosophical nature of a variety of issues confronting healthcare practices, and the specific concerns of the contemporary issues of abortion, euthanasia, disability, reproductive technologies, HIV/AIDS, poverty and access to healthcare among others."

A 2013 course by Ernest Wallwork at Syracuse University "intended to develop your understanding of and appreciation for the complexities of ethical problems related to the health professions and the contribution of philosophical reflection to moral decision-making in this important area."

A course by Mary Jo Iozzo at Barry University examines "developments in bioethics since World War II."

A 2005 course by Donna Yarri and Spencer Stober at Alvernia College "address[es] both the science . . . as well as some of the ethical and theological concerns" of modern genetic science.

A 2012 course by Marvin Ellison at Bangor Theological Seminary "explores selected ethical, theological, legal, and ministerial issues within the U.S. healthcare system . . . the focus is on the care of persons, the demands of justice, and the role of religious leaders as advocates for responsible health care."

A 2013 course by Scott Williamson at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary asks: "(1) How should we value nature; (2) How should we interact with nature; (3) How should we interact with other humans who both depend on natural objects and modify their environment; and (4) What personal choices should we make to practice environmentalism and to live with ecological integrity?"

A 2014 course by Sam Thomas at California Lutheran University treats "complex issues such as patterns of consumption and production, population growth, environmental racism, conflict and war, the rights of animals, plants and land as well as the rights and responsibilities of persons, businesses and nations" within context of larger conceptual questions.

A 2013 course by Bron Taylor at the University of Florida on "competing secular and religious views regarding human impacts on and moral responsibilities toward nature."

A 2013 course by Whitney Sanford at the University of Florida "explores the relationship between religion, nature, and utopias."

A 2010 course by Keith Douglass Warner at Santa Clara University "investigates . . . How have the religions of the world reinterpreted their tradition (or how could they) so as to play a leadership role in conservation of biodiversity?"

A 2002 course by Jame Schaeffer at Marquette University examines "Christian bases for responding to ecological concerns." It also examines the "orthopraxis suggested in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Baha'i, Islam, and Judaism."

A 2010 course by Pankaj Jain at the University of North Texas studies "how members of different religious communities in South Asia have conceptualized nature and the relationship between humans, the divine, and the natural world."

A 2003 course by Paul Waldau at Tufts University addresses "the relationship between (1) values one finds commonly asserted in environmental or ecology-based discussions, and (2) values commonly found in religious traditions."

A 2003 course by Laura Hobgood-Oster at Southwestern University examines "the position of nature (ecology, the environment, the 'earth') in various religious belief systems."

A 2005 course by Ahmed Afzaal at Connecticut College examines "some of the ways in which religion, spirituality, ethics, culture, and science . . . . Address the crisis of environmental deterioration."

A 2010 course by Todd LeVasseur at the College of Charleston "serves as an introduction to the study of religion/nature/culture interactions."

A 2013 course by Anna Peterson at the University of Florida "examines the ethical dimensions of humans' interactions with the environment."

A 2011 course by Simon Appolloni at the University of Toronto employs "a variety of media and learning approaches, this course will look at various traditional religions . . . In conjunction with specific environmental issues or dimensions."

A 1999 course by Jame Schaefer at Marquette University asks whether "the Christian tradition provide a rationale that will persuade human beings from destroying other species, their habitats and the greater biosphere of our planet?"

A 2001 course by Stacy Patty at Lubbock Christian University "examines various theoretical and practical issues related to the pervasive talk about ethics in contemporary society."

A 2014 course by Richard Taylor at Marquette University aims "at critical understanding" and personal reflection on a number of ethical theories.

A 1998 course by Edward Tomasciewicz at DePaul University course "explores and examines the dynamics of interpersonal relationships in regard to the issues of Body, Shame,Guilt, Gender, Masculinity,Femininity, Intimacy, Love, Sex, Death, Disillusionment, Transformation etc."

A 2003 class by Julie Kilmer at Elmhurst College offers "a critical study of biblical perspectives, theological positions, ethical reasoning, church traditions, faith commitments, and empirical data that address questions of sexuality and the family."

A 2003 course by Susan Henking at Hobart and William Smith Colleges "considers a variety of religious traditions with a focus on same-sex eroticism."

A 2011 course by Christine Gudorf at Florida International University on "the variety of challenges that contemporary sexual practice and research pose for traditional religions."

A 2012 course by Charles Allen and Helene Russell at Christian Theological Seminary explores "theological issues involved in the practice of fully welcoming into the church's life and mission gay, lesbian and other Christians whose commitments and relationships differ from traditionally prevailing models."

A 2005 course by Thomas Neuville at Millersville University brings together "self-reflection, keen awareness of the world around them and positive social action."

A 2011 course by Scott Williamson at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary investigates "philosophical and theological theories of justice, namely, to examine the resources of Christianity for brokering social justice in a broken society."

A 2002 course by Joseph Adler at Kenyon College.

A 2010 course by Michael Andres at Northwestern College offers "a biblically based, theologically and historically informed study of both personal and social moral issues from a Christian perspective."

A 2009 course by Michael Andres at Northwestern College is "an examination of Christian witness as verbal proclamation (evangelism), reasoned defense (apologetics), and as social action (justice)."

A 2015 course by Malinda Elizabeth Berry at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary explores "various perspectives on the meaning of justice, economic 'development' in the global village, economic systems and theories, economics and ecology, business ethics, economics in the church, and economic faithfulness for individual Christians."

A course by Alfred Freddoso at the University of Notre Dame is designed " to see in some depth the relation among the main elements of St. Thomas's general moral theory as laid out in the First Part of the Second Part of the Summa Theologiae, viz., the treatises on beatitude, action, passion, habit, virtue, sin, law, and grace, and (b) to explore in more detail certain specific aspects of these treatises." The distinctions between Aquinas' moral theory and deontologism and consequentialism are also discussed.

A 2014 course by Hendrik Pieterse at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary introduces "students to the principal historical, theological, and philosophical sources of Christian moral theology. . . . [and explores] the church’s ethical witness in relation to questions such as wealth and poverty, consumerism, church and politics, and moral and religious diversity."

A 2014 course by Charles Cosgrove at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary offers "an advanced course . . . on the interconnected topics of ethics and moral formation in Paul. The course examines a wide range of material in Paul’s letters in the light of both Greco- Roman sources and critical scholarship."

A course by Stephen Shoemaker at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary introduces "students to the various notions of gender, the body, and sexuality found in the earliest Christian traditions. The course’s main emphasis will be on the cultural construction of these three interrelated categories in early Christian literature."

A 2015 course by Corey Harris at Alvernia University is a "study and analysis of concepts in fundamental moral theology, particular forms of addiction, and the social ethics implications of those addictions."

A 2019 course by Jacob J. Erickson at Trinity College Dublin explores "contemporary theological and ethical perspectives on eating and drinking: from food systems to vegetarianism to scarcity and more. How might contemporary ethics shape and be shaped by what we eat or drink, how we eat or drink?"

A 2020 course by Jeffrey D. Meyers at Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University) is "a critical introduction to normative Christian social ethics (its methodology, theology, and moral principles) on selected contemporary moral issues such as war, racism, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation."