# Ethics and Christian apologetics in College



## monoergon

Hello brothers,
I'll be taking Ethics in college. Students from various courses will be taking it. I always feel I have a responsibility to defend my faith in class if it so happens that a certain debate might need my input. 

So, I would like to receive advice and references to articles that refute common objections against Christian ethics.

Thanks


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## aadebayo

I have read an excellent book titled evangelical ethics by John Davis. The book covers many issues relevant to such. Please see here for details http://www.amazon.com/Evangelical-E...1425541307&sr=8-1&keywords=Evangelical+Ethics


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## raydixon9

At carm.org there is an excellent section on answering common questions.


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## RamistThomist

It is highly specialized and technical, but I recommend Moreland and Craig's _Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview_. Also read Moreland's _Kingdom Triangle_ and listen to as many Moreland audio you can find. 

Davis is fine. I used him in my ethics course in seminary. I also recommend Feinberg's text on ethics. (Yes, he is Dispensational and he has a few weak conclusions, but he meticulously works through a lot of hard issues).

While we all have problems with Geisler's arminianism, his stuff on Philosophy of Religion is pretty good and covers all the basics.


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## RamistThomist

Also kind of anticipate what topics will be addressed. I imagine sodomy-rights will be addressed, given that such is the weapon the Power State is using to silence (and eventually, FEMA camp Christians with). Anything related to pluralism or relativism will be addressed. I would also expect some watered-down form of postmodernism (maybe; American academics aren't as enamored with it today as they were a decade ago).


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## Toasty

brjesusfreak said:


> Hello brothers,
> I'll be taking Ethics in college. Students from various courses will be taking it. I always feel I have a responsibility to defend my faith in class if it so happens that a certain debate might need my input.
> 
> So, I would like to receive advice and references to articles that refute common objections against Christian ethics.
> 
> Thanks



Since you are going to take an ethics course, it is very likely that you will read some essays defending the pro-choice position on abortion. Judith Jarvis Thomson's essay in defense of abortion is a famous work which was been widely read. You might read other pro-choice authors such as Boonin and Mary Anne Warren. 

To help you to refute to the pro-choice position, I would recommend reading the following books:
The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture: Scott Klusendorf: 9781433503207: Amazon.com: Books

http://www.amazon.com/Ethics-Aborti...UTF8&qid=1425576392&sr=8-14&keywords=abortion

Here are some good books about ethics from a Christian perspective:
http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Choices...UTF8&qid=1425576448&sr=8-1&keywords=scott+rae

Ethics for a Brave New World, Second Edition (Updated and Expanded) - Kindle edition by John S. Feinberg, Paul D. Feinberg. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Koukl's book refuting relativism is excellent:
http://www.amazon.com/Relativism-Fe...d=1425576779&sr=8-1&keywords=koukl+relativism


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## Toasty

Will the class deal with metaethics, ethical theory, and certain ethical issues?


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## Peairtach

New Dictionary of Christian Ethics & Pastoral Theology: David J. Atkinson, David F. Field, Arthur F. Holmes, Oliver O'Donovan: 9780830814084: Amazon.com: Books

http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Commandme...8&qid=1425593038&sr=1-1&keywords=jochem+douma

Responsible Conduct: Principles of Christian Ethics: Jochem Douma: 9780875525723: Amazon.com: Books

Principles of Conduct: Aspects of Biblical Ethics: John Murray: 9780802811448: Amazon.com: Books

John Frame and Vern Poythress have various papers on ethical topics on their website, and John Frame has a course in ethics somewhere online.


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## jwithnell

It would be helpful to know the kind of class you are anticipating. 

A standard approach would have you reading works by folks like Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mills, etc. You would be expected to be able to articulate how a particular philosopher would answer a particular question. While we should always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, answering every question with: "well the Bible says," won't get you very far. Now I understand, most philosophy classes will have more far-ranging discussions, but you'll need to be able to answer from within the framework established by ideas as they were developed by philosophers over time. 

If that's the case, Francis Schaeffer's books would give you some helpful, Christian background at a layman's level while Cornelius Van Til's works would give you the academic background. (He apparently had a syllabus for a seminary class on the history of philosophy that I've thought would be quite helpful, but have never seen available.)


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## monoergon

Toasty said:


> Will the class deal with metaethics, ethical theory, and certain ethical issues?



As of now, I'm not sure about the topics because it will begin next week. Since several courses take this ethics class, it shouldn't be so advanced as the ethics subject within the Philosophy course.


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## monoergon

Thank you all for the sources. They are great. I'll anticipate the debates on abortion and relativism, for now.


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## Ask Mr. Religion

At TNARS we a course dedicated to Christian Ethics. The course materials, freely available, can be reviewed at either of the links here for the two newly created degree programs shown below:

D.Min – Counseling | The North American Reformed Seminary

D.Min – Apologetics | The North American Reformed Seminary

*While I have your attention*, if you possess a seminary degree we are looking for Faculty Mentors. See here and just send an email stating your interest to [email protected].


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## RamistThomist

Without endorsing his Clarkianism, I highly recommend Dr Nash's course on ethics.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/christian-ethics/id403287155?mt=10


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## aadebayo

These are the topics covered in my earlier post on this thread.

Preface
*1.	Dimensions of Decision Making*

Cases and Issues
Biblical Authority
Empirical and Deliberative Elements
Cases of Conflicting Obligation
Christian Ethics and Law in a Pluralistic Society

*2.	Contraception*

From Ancient Times to Present
Modern Methods of Contraception
Moral Dimensions of Contraception
Related Issues

*3.	Reproductive Technologies*

Arificial Insemination
Surrogate Mothers: Wombs for Rent
Sewx Selection
In Vitro Fertilization

*4.	Divorce and Remarriage*

Historical Trends
The Biblical Data
Summary and Conclusions

*5.	Homosexuality*

Historical and Anthropological Perspectives
Medical Aspects
The Witness of Scripture
Theological and Pastoral Issues
Homosexuality and the Law

*6.	Abortion*

Historical and Legal Background
Medical Aspects
The Psychological Dimension
Biblical, Theological, and Ethical Considerations

*7.	Infanticide and Euthanasia*

Infanticide
Death, Dying, and Euthanasia

*8.	Capital Punishment*

History and the Law
The Teachings of Scripture
Philosophical and Pragmatic Considerations

*9.	Civil Disobedience and Revolution*

Civil Disobedience
Revolution and the Christian Conscience

*10.	War and Peace*

War in Human History
The Morality of War: The Pre-Atomic Era
War and Peace in a Nuclear Age

*11.	Environmental Ethics: History, Issues, and Theology*

Historical Perspectives on the Environmental Movement
Current Environmental Concerns
Biblical Foundations of Environmental Ethics

*12.	The Genetic Revolution*

Historical Background
The Issues and the Terminology
Theological and Ethical Framework
Reflections on the Issues


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## Ask Mr. Religion

You might also consider:

Amazon.com: Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics (9780310291091): Scott Rae: Books


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## RamistThomist

I second the recommendation of Rae. I am reading the book he co-authored with Moreland and it is powerful. I also recommend--as Bahnsen recommended--MacIntyre's _A Short History of Ethics_. I disagree with his communitarianism and he misreads the Reformers badly, but it is a fine work aside from that.


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## jwright82

Van Til put to book what I take to be a class sylibus on Christian ethics. When i get home tonight I will find the exact name. But i will warn you that it is a big picture view of ethics and doesn't deal with specific issues but if you take the general principles and apply them to specific issues it might be helpful.


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## RamistThomist

jwright82 said:


> Van Til put to book what I take to be a class sylibus on Christian ethics. When i get home tonight I will find the exact name. But i will warn you that it is a big picture view of ethics and doesn't deal with specific issues but if you take the general principles and apply them to specific issues it might be helpful.



Christian Theistic Ethics. It's actually quite perceptive in many places because he talks about the summum bonum.


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## jwright82

ReformedReidian said:


> jwright82 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Van Til put to book what I take to be a class sylibus on Christian ethics. When i get home tonight I will find the exact name. But i will warn you that it is a big picture view of ethics and doesn't deal with specific issues but if you take the general principles and apply them to specific issues it might be helpful.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Christian Theistic Ethics. It's actually quite perceptive in many places because he talks about the summum bonum.
Click to expand...


Thank you. Thats it.


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