RELG 205 Morality, Ethics, and Religion (VSR)
Professor Elon Goldstein fall 2015 RELG 205 Morality, Ethics, and Religion (VSR)
Bulletin Listing
RELG 205 Morality, Ethics, and Religion, 3 credit hours
Values and ethics as developed, contested, and transmitted through a variety of religious practices
No pre- or co- requisites required
Note: Carolina Core: VSR
Course Overview
What does it mean to live a Good Life? In other words, what does it mean to live ethically? How can we
choose from among competing prescriptions for how we ought to live? What are virtue and goodness? Can
virtue be cultivated, and, if so, how? In some cases, morality is understood as an absolute law, consisting of
eternally binding decrees issuing from a divine reality. In other cases, a moral code is framed as an orientation
that needs to be pondered, interpreted, and voluntarily chosen. What are the implications of these differing
perspectives? Exploring the foregoing questions along with similar issues, this course examines the relation
between religious traditions throughout the world and different systems of values, ethics, and social
responsibility. We study how we can compare religious ethics among traditions as different as Christianity,
Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. We also inquire into the benefits of engaging in such comparisons. We
will learn about specific kinds of religious practices (intellectual, ritual, emotional, meditative, and
communal) through which approaches to values and ethics are developed, contested, adapted, and transmitted.
We will also consider questions about the extent to which religion might or might not be necessary for moral
and ethical development.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
o Discuss the sources or origins of values and ethics as transmitted through various religious configurations;
o Demonstrate an understanding of the different ways that religious practice shapes human attitudes toward
values, ethics, and social responsibility;
o Explain how religious values impact personal decision-making, self-identity, and individual well-being;
o Analyze the influence of religious values upon community ethics and decision-making in contemporary
society.
Sample List of Required Textbooks
[Note that the following list of books is subject to revision prior to the start of the semester]
Aaron Stalnaker. Overcoming Our Evil: Human Nature and Spiritual Exercises in Xunzi and Augustine
(Georgetown University Press, 2006)
Alasdair MacIntyre. After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory, 3rd edition. (University of Notre Dame Press,
2007)
In addition to the above-listed textbooks, students will read chapters and articles (available as PDF files on
Blackboard) which may include selections from some of the following:
The New Oxford Annotated Bible
William Schweiker, editor. The Blackwell Companion to Religious Ethics
Gavin Flood. The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory, and Tradition
Richard Kieckhefer and George Bond, editors. Sainthood: Its Manifestation in World Religions
Talal Asad. 1993. "On Discipline and Humility in Medieval Christian Monasticism" from Genealogies of
Religion. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 125-170.
Jonathan Schofer. The Making of a Sage: A Study in Rabbinic Ethics
Gene Outka. Agape: An Ethical Analysis
Pierre Hadot Philosophy as a Way of Life
Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics
Suzanne Mrozik Virtuous Bodies: The Physical Dimensions of Morality in Buddhist Ethics
Damien Keown The Nature of Buddhist Ethics
Dhand, Arti. 2002. "The Dharma of Ethics, The Ethics of Dharma: Quizzing the Ideals of Hinduism."
Journal of Religious Ethics 30 (3): 347-372.
Paul Ricoeur. Figuring the sacred : religion, narrative, and imagination
Lee Yearley. 1993. "Conflicts among Ideals of Human Flourishing." In Gene Outka and John Reeder, Jr.,
eds., Prospects for a Common Morality.
Segal, Robert. 2001. "In Defense of the Comparative Method." Numen 48 (3): 339-373.
Lewis, Thomas. 2005 "Frames of Comparison." Journal of Religious Ethics 33 (2): 225-253.
Sample List of Assignments, Exams, and Expectations
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
• 20% — short written responses to specified readings.
The responses will be based on writing prompts. Responses must be uploaded by the student onto Blackboard
by the specified due date. A response should be roughly two-thirds of a page to one page in length,
double-spaced, and formatted with one inch margins and a twelve-point size of font. These short reflections
provide a valuable opportunity to think about the assigned readings prior to a class meeting. They will be
graded on a credit/no credit basis. Usually the Professor will not write comments back for these responses.
However, your responses indicate to
the Professor what you have and have not understood, how carefully and thoughtfully you have done the
reading, and more. Your responses often form the basis for our discussions and also help to prepare you for
the exams. Only responses submitted on-time will receive credit. Late responses will receive partial credit.
• 5% — class participation in discussions. Participation in class forms an important part of the course. A
number of class meetings will include discussions of different kinds. Meaningful contributions to class
discussions and other in-class activities enhance the learning experience of all students. Respectful listening
and speaking are both important skills. Students should feel free to discuss the quality of their class
participation with the instructor at any point during the semester.
• 15% — a written project of 3-6 pages in length on a topic of the student's choosing from among options
provided by the Professor. This project provides an opportunity for you to pursue an area of your own interest
utilizing readings, websites, and/or films beyond our class's required materials.
• 30% — 2 exams spread throughout the semester prior to the final exam, each of the two exams weighted
equally (each being 15% of the total course grade)
• 30% — comprehensive final exam. The exam is based on all course materials including lectures, readings,
and class discussions.
Grading Scale
100-90 A ; 89-87 B+ ; 86-80 B ; 79-77 C+ ; 76-70 C ; 69-67 D+ ; 66-60 D ; 59 and below F