DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 1, Chs. 1-2
“The Nature of Ethics”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
“Grounding Moral Norms”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print.
2. Describe the weaknesses of Jeremy Bentham’s pleasure calculus.
O’Donovan
1. What does O. mean by the natural ethic?
2. How does O. define voluntarism and nominalism?
3. What does O. mean when he says, “Revelation is the solution to man’s blindness, not to nature’s emptiness”?
McGrath
1. How do beliefs and ethical judgments interact, acc. to M.?
2. What is wrong with the old liberal “Christianity without doctrine” school of thought?
3. What is wrong with the down-to-earth approach to ethics that ignores the “airy-fairy theories”?
4. Surveying the article, what are M’s main arguments for upholding a specifically Christian ethic?
Packer
1. What is P’s distinction between moral and legal authority? How do these harmonize, and how do they become incongruous?
2. What is P’s distinction between authority and authoritarianism?
3. P. says we must put forward the full content of Christian belief. What does he mean by this?
4. What does P. mean by the full Christian principle of authority?
5. What kinds of biblical interpretation does P. reject?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 1, Chs. 3-4
“Moral Dilemmas”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Rakestraw
1. Give the basic elements of Non-Conflicting Absolutism.
2. What are R’s primary arguments for his view?
3. What objections does R. try to answer concerning his view?
4. What is your evaluation of R’s view?
Thielicke
1. What are T’s arguments from Scripture that commandments may be ambiguous in this fallen world?
2. What do you think of T’s implication that we may sometimes have to sin out of love?
3. Do you agree or disagree with T’s method of using extreme examples to form his view?
Geisler
1. What are G’s arguments from Scripture that there are higher and lower laws?
2. What are G’s examples from Scripture that divine commands can sometimes conflict?
3. Are any of these examples weaker than others? Which ones? Why?
4. Do you agree with G’s position concerning guilt in the case of conflicting commands?
“Moral Situations and Cultural Contexts”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Packer
1. Speculate as to what might motivate proponents of situation ethics.
2. Explain P’s distinction between neo-orthodox and principled situationism.
3. How are the moral laws given in Scripture (“thou shalt” and “thou shalt not”) supposed to function in the Fletcher/Robinson system?
4. What elements of situationism does P. praise?
5. What is P’s main practical problem with trying to live by situationism?
6. What ideas from Scripture does P. use to argue for a correct relationship between law and love?
Bloesch
1. What is the fundamental source of ethical choice in B’s system?
2. How should I go about making a difficult ethical choice, acc. to B.?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 1, Ch. 5
“The Use of the Bible in Ethical Judgments”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Longenecker
1. Explain the first “way” L. discusses.
2. Discuss L’s two primary objections to this approach.
3. Explain the second approach. What is useful about it?
4. What are L’s criticisms of it?
5. Explain the third way of using the NT for ethical guidance.
6. Discuss Emil Brunner’s approach, and include your own reaction to it.
7. Explain the fourth approach.
8. Do you agree with L’s primary criticism of it?
Fee and Stuart
1. Be able to discuss any of the 7 principles given.
2. What are the areas in which F. and S. see lack of uniformity in the NT? Do you agree or disagree? Be ready to explain your answer.
3. What are F and S’s reasons for saying that the prohibitions against women’s ministry in the NT are culturally relative? Do you agree or disagree? Be ready to explain your answer.
4. How do F. and S. resist the arguments that the prohibition against homosexuality in the NT is culturally relative? Do you agree or disagree? Be ready to explain your answer.
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 1, Chs. 6-7
“Love and Justice”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Smedes
1. What are the main elements of Smedes’ argument that equality alone is not a sufficient basis for establishing justice?
2. How does S. criticize the concept of “merit by accident of birth”?
3. What is S’s criticism of earned merit as a principle of justice?
4. From Scripture, can you justify or critique S’s claim that the disabled have a claim on the wealth of others?
Henry
1. What are Henry’s characteristics of love? Do you agree with him?
2. Discuss each of H’s six claims about justice.
“Virtue and
Character”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Hauerwas
1. How does being a person of virtue relate to doing our duty, or making correct choices, or being self-possessed?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 1
“Abortion”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Cottrell
1. What is the common interpretation of Ex. 21:22-25 that C. is criticizing?
2. How does he see this passage?
3. What are C’s main arguments that this passage is referring to a premature birth rather than a miscarriage?
4. What Hebrew word does C. claim is the proper term for a miscarriage?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 3
“Euthanasia”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Moreland
1. Why is Moreland addressing James Rachels’ view specifically?
2. Explain Rachels’ distinction between biological and biographical life.
3. Explain Rachels’ critique of the distinction between killing and letting die.
4. Explain M’s critiques of the distinction between biological and biographical life.
5. What is the masking or sledge hammer effect which M. sees in Rachels’ “Smith and Jones” example?
Meilaender
1. To what signs does M. point to show that there is a growing cultural consensus that withholding food and water from terminally unconscious patients is acceptable?
2. What are M’s arguments that supplying food and water in such cases is not medical care? What objections does he answer?
Rakestraw
1. What is the difference between coma, PVS, and brain death?
2. In what ways might a person in PVS seem more “alive” than a person in a coma?
3. What is the difference between brain death and neocortical death?
4. Why is neocortical death considered irreversible (don’t forget the footnotes!)?
5. Describe the traditional approaches to defining “person,” along with the scriptural basis for each.
6. How does R. define a person?
7. Why does R. think that a human in PVS is no longer a person?
8. How would R. respond to the claim that people who remove artificial food and water are playing God?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 4
“Sexuality, Marriage,
and Singleness”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Wenham
1. What evidence does W. use to argue that Paul had a balanced view of sexuality?
2. Why did Paul extol singleness?
3. What are W’s criticisms of the sexual “liberation” and its results?
Grenz
1. How does the doctrine of creation help us understand the place of sexuality in humanity?
2. How does the doctrine of resurrection help us understand the place of sexuality in humanity?
3. How do the biblical teachings on family and Christian community help us understand the place of sexuality in humanity?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 5
“Homosexuality”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Wright
1. How are Scriptures such as Lev. 18:22 and 20:13 handled by those who deny Christian rejection of homosexual practice?
2. What questions does W. raise against this reasoning?
3. What are the reasons usually given to negate the apparent condemnation of homosexual practice in Rom. 1:26-27?
4. What are the pros and cons for the argument from nature in Romans 1?
5. How do Dover, Scroggs, and Boswell reject the view that 1 Cor. 6:9 and 1 Tim. 1:10 condemn homosexual practice, and how does W. call their reasoning into question?
Sider
1. What is the link between the spread of AIDS and male homosexual promiscuity?
2. How does S. argue against the view that God created AIDS to punish homosexuals?
3. How does S. support the view that AIDS may indeed be a natural punishment for homosexuality and other sins?
4. How does S. deal with the claim that compassion for AIDS victims means Christians should stop condemning homosexual practice?
5. What are the main things the church should do in response to AIDS?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Chs. 6, 8
“Divorce and
Remarriage”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Ryrie
1. Outline all of R’s teaching on the concept of one flesh.
2. Summarize R’s treatment of the OT passages on divorce and remarriage.
3. What are R’s arguments that the porneia clause has an uncommon meaning?
4. What are R’s three arguments against the typical evangelical Protestant view?
5. How does R. deal with the view that Paul allowed remarriage when an unbelieving spouse deserted a Christian?
Keener
1. What is K’s interpretation of the exception clause in Matthew?
2. What are the other cases of divorce and remarriage that K. thinks are allowed? Be able to give his reasons for each.
3. Summarize K’s critique of those like Ryrie who have a more conservative approach to divorce and remarriage.
“Gender Issues”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Van Leeuwen
1. What are the five sets of assumptions that are non-negotiable bases for theories of maturity?
2. How does vL. describe liberal feminism?
3. What are the pros and cons of the androgynous view of humanity that usually arises from liberal feminism?
4. What is Marxist feminism?
5. What are the characteristics of radical feminism?
6. What are the pros and cons of radical feminism?
7. How does vL. describe post-radical or “differentiating” feminism?
8. What are the elements of vL’s interpretation of Gen. 3:16?
Bloesch
1. How does the covenantal view of the family differ from that of both patriarchalism and feminism, acc. to B.?
2. How does B. reframe subordination to make it more palatable to us?
3. Explain B’s distinction between (Christian) faith and ideology.
Oden
1. What is O’s argument that women were leaders in first-century churches?
2. Explain the concept of doctrinal development that O. borrows from J. H. Newman.
3. What lesson does O. draw from Gen. 1:27?
4. What argument for female ordination does O. draw from 1 Corinthians 11?
5. What argument does O. draw from Gal. 3:27-28?
6. How does O. deal with the argument that Jesus was male?
7. How does O. deal with the argument that God is male?
8. How does O. deal with the argument that the apostles were all male?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 9
“Wealth and
Economics”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Nash
1. What is Nash’s definition of capitalism, and how does his definition help him defuse some criticisms of capitalism?
2. What is the “exploitation critique” of capitalism, and how does N. respond?
3. How does N. counter the critique that capitalism encourages greed and selfishness?
4. How does N. show a more positive view of money in Scripture than that presented by Jacques Ellul?
5. How does N. argue that capitalism helps the poor?
6. How does capitalism foster social cooperation?
7. How does capitalism give dignity to humans that other systems take away?
8. Why does N. believe that capitalism promotes political freedom?
9. How does capitalism promote personal responsibility?
Wogaman
1. How is it that the market can operate to set social priorities on its own?
2. What are W’s examples that show that letting the market set social priorities has not worked?
3. What is missing from the neo-conservative defense of freedom and individualism, acc. to W.?
4. Why is Locke’s view of property and individual initiative outmoded?
5. What are the main social inefficiencies of allowing the market to go its own way?
6. Why does W. reject the idea of letting social or political elites set the social priorities?
Sider
1. What happened at Northeast/Edison High School, and what question does S. ask related to these events?
2. Why is S. sure that participation in structural evil is just as sinful as more individual evil?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 11
“Civil Disobedience”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary
in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Ryrie
1. Explain the four philosophical justifications for civil
disobedience, and explain R’s critique of each.
2. Summarize R’s case against civil disobedience from the NT’s
teaching (didactic).
3. Summarize R’s additional points against civil
disobedience from history.
4. Summarize R’s analysis of biblical examples of apparent
civil disobedience.
Geisler
1. Be able to list G’s examples of
divinely approved civil disobedience.
2. What kind of civil disobedience is approved by God, and
what kind disapproved?
3. Why does G. reject the argument from Prov. 24:11 that we
may, and sometimes must, disobey laws to prevent the death of the innocent?
Piper
1. Why did Judge Campbell conclude that trespassing to
prevent a child from choking to death was legal?
2. Why did Campbell disagree that trespassing to prevent an
abortion was similarly legal?
3. What precisely
is P’s line of reasoning that he did nothing unchristian when he trespassed to
prevent an abortion?
4. What biblical examples does P. offer to show that
trespassing to prevent an abortion is not contrary to God’s will?
Case Studies
1. How would you respond to each of the situations?
DISCUSSION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS
Vol. 2, Ch. 13
“Peace and War”
1. Learn the terminology in bold print, and in the glossary
in the “For Further Reflection” section.
Sider and Taylor
1. Besides the Sermon on the Mount, what biblical passages
to S. and T. cite to claim that Jesus was opposed to all warfare?
2. Summarize S. and T. on the significance of Jesus’ sayings
in the Sermon on the Mount in relation to first-century Judaism?
3. Explain S and T’s advocacy of non-lethal resistance,
despite the Sermon on the Mount.
4. How do S. and T. respond to the point that God allowed
just warfare in the OT?
Hoekema
1. How does H. answer the point that pacifism means
surrender to evil?
2. How does H. answer the objection that pacifists care more
for their own conscience than they do the suffering and lives of others?
3. How does H. answer the objection that pacifism is simply
wrong about human goodness?
4. How does H. answer the objection that Christians are bound
to personal pacifism but not to governmental pacifism?
5. How does H. respond to the claim that some wrongs are
just so persistent and evil that we cannot wait around for non-violent
resolution?