Christian Ethics Concentration

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Major Concentration in Christian Ethics

 PhD students in Christian Ethics should plan to take three or more of the following seminars during Phase One of their program.

ET832 Method for Concreteness in Christian Ethics Dr.  G.  Stassen
ET841 The Christian Ethics of Reinhold and H.  Richard Niebuhr Dr.  G.  Stassen
ET848  Love, Justice and Community in a Postmodern Time Dr.  G.  Stassen
ET824 Jesus and the Moral Life Dr.  G.  Stassen
TH806 Theological Uses of Postmodern Philosophy Dr.  N.  Murphy
OT865 Old Testament Theology (with emphasis on OT Ethics) Dr.  J.  Goldingay.
NT876 New Testament Ethics (not offered on a regular basis)
TH8xx Theology seminar concentrating on a theologian who writes extensively on theological ethics like Barth, Bonhoeffer, Calvin, or Moltmann  

ThM students in Christian Ethics may take any one of the following Ethics seminars as the required methods seminar: ET832, ET841, or ET848.

Comprehensive Examinations

In addition to a minor topic, PhD students in Christian Ethics will write on three of the following topics for their major examinations.  (Substitutions are possible if agreed to by the primary mentor and the CATS Office and which demonstrate competence in Christian Ethics.)

  • Biblical and theological ethics.

  • Method, validation, comparative Christian ethics, and philosophical ethics.

  •  Justice and social theory.

 A student who intends to take all four comprehensive exams in Christian ethics and not take a minor outside of Christian ethics should consult with her or his mentor early early in the first year of studies to agree on a plan of study.

 Language Requirements

 PhD

Two research languages are required, one of which is to be designated “primary” and the other “secondary” in consultation with the primary mentor.  If the language requirements are fulfilled via coursework they are to consist of no less than four quarter hours each.  Students may choose from among the following languages: German, Spanish, French, *other. 

*Substitution of a different research language relevant to the likely dissertation topic may be requested of the primary mentor and the CATS Committee. 

ThM

One research language is required and should be chosen with the approval of the primary mentor.  This will normally be chosen from among German, Spanish, or French (four quarter units).  Substitution of another language requires written approval by the primary mentor and the CATS Committee.

Christian Ethics Majors Minoring in New Testament or Old Testament

 When the minor field of a Christian Ethics major is New Testament, the student should take two of the following seminars (normally both in Phase One):

  •  NT Research Methods

  •  History of NT Scholarship

  •  Elective Seminars in NT

  •  Directed Readings in NT

When the minor field is Old Testament, the student should take two seminars/Directed Readings from among the following (normally both in Phase One):

  • Critical Approaches to the OT (required)

  • Elective Seminars in OT

  • Directed Readings in OT

Christian Ethics Minor

 For a student minoring in Christian ethics, the theme for a comprehensive exam in Christian Ethics will depend on the seminar(s) that the student  has taken in Christian Ethics and will assume that the student and professor of Christian ethics will agree together on the limits for the scope of the exam.