religion/philosophy

 

Reading/Videos

 

Read The Roman Catholic view on Abortion (on Blackboard)

 

Read The Christian (other traditions) View of Abortion (on Blackboard)

 

Skim  Humanae Vitae (on Blackboard)

 

Watch The Terri Schaivo Documentary

https://youtu.be/O-rQ3tIabvM

 

Watch What Really matters at the End of Life

https://youtu.be/apbSsILLh28

 

Write a response to the following. Please list the question and then answer beneath it when responding.

After our readings and videos, please write an opinion response on the following:

 

• What does the Bible state on life and on being a human being?
• What is the Church’s (any tradition) response to Abortion? How should humanity respond to both the Federal/State law and God’s law
• How do we reconcile the taking of a human life such as Terri Schaivo? Based on what you have learned about the value of human beings, what are your thoughts regarding this case?

 part 1

Assignment: Death Penalty

 

Find a contemporary current even of a case where an individual has been sentenced to the death penalty. In 250 words.  share the case, explain why you would or would not sentence this individual to the death penalty and why. Please also include some issues of justice, human dignity and what would Christianity say to guide your decisions?

part 2

Reading/Videos

 

Read Chapter 13 pp. 416-17

 

Watch Justice: Torture and Human Dignity by Michael Sandel

https://youtu.be/7FR-FuhN2HM

 

Watch Is the Death Penalty ever justified?

https://youtu.be/s7mZb6PS-Wc

 

Watch My father, mental illness and the death penalty by Clive Stafford Smith

https://youtu.be/gMNlRovT5x4

 

Discussion Post on Black Board

 

Assignment: Death Penalty

Discussion

·       From the videos – what are (3) things you will take away from them regarding the topic of capital punishment that you did not know or was new?

·       What are (2) things that surprised you about this subject from the videos and why?

 

 Any references should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines. 

Reading/Videos

 

Armenio, P. V. (2009). Our moral life in Christ: College edition. Woodbridge, IL: Midwest Theological Forum. It must be the College Edition.

 

Read Chapter 7 Sin and Conversion (pp. 201-233)

 

 

Listen Podcast Sin and Grace by Bishop Barron

https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/sin-and-grace/888/

 

Watch Original Sin by Bishop Barron

https://youtu.be/Fdmsnbz1-EE

 

Watch Sin Not by Andy Stanley

https://youtu.be/xMbRNGpX9Qs

 

Discussion Post

 

 

After watching both Bishop Barron’s video on Sin and Grace, listening to his podcast and watching Andy Stanley’s message on the Woman caught in Adultery, as well as the readings from your text, please respond to the following:

 

·       What is the meaning of sin? Are there different types?

·       What personal responsibilities do we have in committing sin?

·       What is forgiveness of sin?

·       How does sin play a part in moral issues?

·       Why are the concepts of Sin and Grace so significant in the Christian understanding of God?

·       How should you respond to others with grace when they sin against you?

 

 

·       Sin was a significant part of this lesson from the Gospel of John. What were the sins?

·       What was the significance of Jesus’ response to those who accused her?

·       How should humanity follow this example?

·       Is this lesson still relevant in today’s culture?

 

 

 

 

Week Four Reading/Videos

 

assignment 1

Read Ch. 5 Morality and the Law (pp. 145- 153)

 

Watch God and Morality by Bishop Barron

 

Watch The Reality of Moral Law by C.S. Lewis

 

Post questions and comments about the content of the reading in the Week Four General Q&A discussion forum on Blackboard.

Discussion: Morality and the Law

 

The following discussion is comprehensive and will cover your Armenio text, Bishop Barron’s and C.S. Lewis’ videos

 

Write a response to the following discussion questions in the Discussion forum:

1.   Do moral and civil laws make conflicting demands on human behavior and why?

(continued next page)

 

2.  How are conflicts between conscience and the law to be resolved? Please make sure you use credible resources to respond to this including the videos used here.

3.  Bishop Barron makes a very poignant comment, “God is the name we give to the fundamental moral good in their unconditional form.” In light of what you’ve read so far and heard through Barron’s video, what are your thoughts on this comment with regards to humans and morality?

4.   In Mere Christianity video, there is a striking difference between what humans OUGHT to do and what we DO NOT do. What does this mean with regards to the issue of human morality?

 

Please Note: Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 250-400 words for the entire discussion. Any references should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines. Write a response (at least 100 words each) to a minimum of two different students. 

 

Assignment: Supplementary Reading on Morality and the Law

 

Assignment 2

                         

Read pp. 154-161in your Armenio text

 

Write a 300-word essay, double-spaced that answers the following questions:

·       What is the relationship between reason and a natural law?

·       Define “moral relativism.” What is its fundamental error?

·       According to St. Thomas Aquinas, when must a law not be obeyed and why?

 

 

Assignment 1

 Morality and the Scriptures

The Scriptures are full of individuals that needed to make moral decisions. Select 1 Old Testament story and 1 New Testament story* (You may not use the Prodigal Son passage for this assignment) and, in light of all you now have learned about the conscience, human freedom and moral decision-making, describe the story and how it connects to (1) You, (2) how is it a message for all of humanity, and (3) what is the most significant take away from the story?

 Make sure you supply answers to all three areas. Feel free to place 1,2 &3 as a heading and then answer.

This assignment should be 3 full pages, double spaced, 12” font.                           

*If you do not have a Bible handy, feel free to go online to any of the Bible’s online sources (use NIV or NASB-easier to understand) to obtain your Old and New Testament lessons.

 

Assigment2

 Reading/Videos

 

Read The Parable of the Prodigal Son posted on Black Board

 

Watch Freedom and its Consequences by Father Mike

https://youtu.be/KvK8glIVYfg

 

Reflection Journal on Blackboard

Reflection Journal #2

All reflective journal responses should consist 3-4 healthy paragraphs or more with well-thought out responses to each question for full credit. Remember, this part of your coursework is only between you and the professor.

.

Write a response to the following questions:

·       Are errors in judgment permanent and should they be held against an individual? Please be honest. Think about the two brothers in the Prodigal Son.

(continued next page)

 

·       In matters of the conscience, how do we come to understand and form compassion around individual moral dilemmas regarding very difficult topics such as abortion, contraception, capital punishment, or euthanasia?

·       How do you as an individual with a conscience and human freedom understand these topics in connection to your own personal faith journey?

 

Note: Any references should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines. Please respond with decent paragraphs for each bullet point. 

 

Submit this assignment via Blackboard Journals.

 

Week Two Reading/Videos

Assignment 1

Read Ch. 3 Freedom and the Moral Act (pp. 77-92) 

Chapter 4The Moral Conscience (pp. 105-123). 

 

Watch Conscience and Morality by Bishop Barron

https://youtu.be/HYvbgOTGm7g

 

Watch Does Free Will Exist? by Bishop Barron

https://youtu.be/_Hli1fo1p2s

 

Watch God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility by Tim Keller

https://youtu.be/uq88TUahFcg

 

Watch What makes Us Uniquely Human? by Erwin McManus

https://youtu.be/-BdgVfhciSw

 

Discussion: What Makes us Human?

 

Write a response to the following discussion questions in the Discussion forum on Blackboard:

 

Erwin McManus challenged in his video, What Makes us Uniquely Human, to understand that we are naturally creative. We are the only species that is capable of creating our own future. We, in fact, have the power to materialize the invisible, to create that which we can only imagine. We also have the capacity to imagine ourselves different than we are, better than we are. So…

1.    What does this mean to you?

2.     What does Human Freedom mean to you based on the comments of Bishop Barron, Tim Keller and Erwin McManus’ videos?

3.    According to Armenio, Human Freedom is not absolute, rather, it is limited…so what does that mean in terms of your understanding of God and humanity?

4.      How does the moral law connect to freedom?

 

Please Note: Initial answers to the discussion question must be substantive and in the range of 250-400 words for the entire discussion. Any references should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines. Write a response (at least 100 words each) to a minimum of two different students. 

 

Assigment 2

In response to the reading, Does Conscience Point towards the Existence of God? by Matt Nelson, please answer the following:

• 1. In your own words, explain whether Dr. Nelson proves his question?
• 2. How does the conscience have a significant place in Catholic/Christian teaching?
• 3. What is the connection between conscience and our own autonomy (freedom)?                                                                                                          

Note: Answers to the above should be in the range of 300-400 words for the entire assignment. More is always welcome! Please be sure to double-space your answers. Any references should be properly cited following APA formatting guidelines.