Fritz a wonderful lesson – and esp. reading has a flow I found encompassing. If only …….. yes we can…
Weekly lessons in theology and public life • Since 2011
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Lesson 17: John’s Christian Ethics
Read MORE: Lesson 17: John’s Christian EthicsYou could make a case that humanity’s greatest problem is fear. We do not follow Jesus, because we are afraid to let go of what we mistakenly think gives us security. Our authorities, even the best, work to keep us…
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Lesson 16: Paul’s Christian Ethics
Read MORE: Lesson 16: Paul’s Christian EthicsBob, Rita, and Derek all observed we do not base our lives entirely on what Jesus said in the Gospels, because we are sinners and live in a sinful world. From the very beginning, Christians understood this. They struggled with…
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Lesson 15: The Simplest Christian Ethic
Read MORE: Lesson 15: The Simplest Christian EthicThe simplest Christian ethic is based on what Jesus said and did. It begins by believing Jesus said exactly what he meant. It discerns that he lived by what he said. And it assumes if we are to follow him,…
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Lesson 14: Jim Wallis’ Ten Personal Decisions
Read MORE: Lesson 14: Jim Wallis’ Ten Personal DecisionsThe rest of the course will focus on Christian ethics. In a sense, it will try to answer the question Derek advanced last week, “How do Christians participate in a society that not only does not accept its values, but…
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Lesson 13: A Politics of the Common Good
(Sandel, Chapter 10)Read MORE: Lesson 13: A Politics of the Common GoodSandel ends his book championing a new politics of the common good, and suggests four possible themes that would support it. Citizenship, sacrifice, and service. He writes “If a just society requires a strong sense of community, it must find…
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Lesson 12: Community Loyalty (Sandel, Chapter 9)
Read MORE: Lesson 12: Community Loyalty (Sandel, Chapter 9)If I asked you who you are, chances are you would describe yourself with a list of the groups to which you belong: your family, neighborhood, ethnic group, town, and nation, as well other social affiliations. Sandel claims these communities…
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Lesson 11: Aristotle’s Justice (Sandel, Chapter 8)
Read MORE: Lesson 11: Aristotle’s Justice (Sandel, Chapter 8)Aristotle believed humans are political creatures by nature. He thinks this is apparent when we see how our speech enables us to relate to one another quite differently than beasts or gods. Politics not only gathers us into communities for…
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Lesson 10: Is Affirmative Action Fair?
(Sandel, Chapter 7)Read MORE: Lesson 10: Is Affirmative Action Fair?Rawls acknowledges after we establish a fair situation, it immediately is lost as factors such as birth, education, talent, skill, and situation come into play. The question becomes whether we simply accept this or seek some compensation for the weak.…
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Lesson 9: John Rawls– Equality for All (Sandel, Chapter 6)
Read MORE: Lesson 9: John Rawls– Equality for All (Sandel, Chapter 6)We’re looking at how we find the moral principles to determine what is right, just, and good. Kant believed we could this with human reason alone. Theoretically, every rational individual will come up with duties natural to all people. John…
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Lesson 8: Kant: Absolute Law (Sandel, Chapter 5)
Read MORE: Lesson 8: Kant: Absolute Law (Sandel, Chapter 5)If the first question in ethics is whether there is justice or right written into all things out there, the second is how do we know what that is. So far Sandel has tried to show utilitarianism, libertarianism, and the…
Recent Comments
So forgiveness pre-requires understanding the mistakes of the past? here hear re this opposing this me-first, America-first, white-first, male-first approach>…
An extremely timely topic. Thanks, Fritz!