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MIN502 Professional and Institutional Ethics in Ministry (8)

Abstract

Religious Practitioners work in many institutional contexts that require them to behave and think in response to such questions as: What shall we do? What kind of persons shall we be? or How shall we be moral persons in very difficult times? This subject integrates the student's prior knowledge and experience of such decision making with advanced knowledge, skills and critical reflection required in the complex interaction of Christian ethics, the western tradition of ethics, and the goals and policies of the institution in which they work. It includes rigorous examination of theological and ethical concepts, and professional issues apposite to an advanced study in ethics.

+ Subject Availability Modes and Location

Session 2
Distance*Canberra Campus
*This subject offering contains a residential school. Please view following information for further details.
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: MIN502
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject information

Duration Grading System School:
One sessionHD/FLSchool of Theology

Enrolment restrictions

Master of Ministry

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
- be able to demonstrate a critical knowledge of the nature and scope of ethics
- be able to discern and clearly articulate ethical concerns in an institutional and professional setting
- be able to articulate clearly the distinctive elements of traditions of ethical discourse, especially Christian ethics and the Western tradition, and how the different ethical traditions have challenged and influenced each other
- be able to critically analyse ethical issues and sensitively apply thinking to practice, and to reflect on how practice interacts with thinking
- be able to demonstrate a higher order of skill in ethical decision making
- be able to demonstrate an appreciation of the complex nature of ethical behaviour, and
- be able to demonstrate an appreciation of the role of a tradition and community in shaping ethical decision making.

Syllabus

The subject will cover the following topics:
1. The nature of ethics: . What is ethics? . Realism . relativism . subjectivism . naturalism 2. Christian ethics: . Scripture and Christian ethics . Christian community and ethics . Natural law . Virtue ethics 3. The Western ethical tradition: . the history of the tradition . significant theories: Kant, utilitarianism, rights-based, virtue and character 4. Issues and applications: Medical ethics . Health . Medical Bioethics . Euthanasia . Abortion . Ageing 5. Issues and applications: Social ethics . Law, Crime and punishment . War and peace and terrorism, violence and non-violence, the arms trade . Social justice and state welfare . Work and business . Power, powerlessness and accountability 6. Issues and applications: Interpersonal and sexual ethics . Marriage, family and sexuality across ethnic and religious divides

Residential School

This subject contains a compulsory 2 day residential school. The residential school will enable the student to develop critical skills in understanding, analyzing and framing responses to complex social and individual ethical issues within a group of people with diverse experience in the matters under consideration. The residential will include whole-group discussions, interest-group exercises (e.g. military, hospital, school), critical case studies and face-to-face lectures.

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The information contained in the 2015 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 01 October 2015. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.