Stuart Squires, Ph.D.



THE CATHOLIC MORAL TRADITION “Behold! I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me, according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) Stuart Squires, Ph.D.Stuart.Squires@brescia.eduOff. Hours: M. and W.: 11-12 and 1-2:30; T. and Th.: 11-12 and 1-2; F.: 11-12 (Appointments highly recommended)Office: Admin. #137MWF: 9:00-9:50Science Building#325Purpose and Learning Objectives:How can I be happy? What is the Good life? How do I live a life that is flourishing? These questions, implicitly or explicitly, motivate all of the actions of our lives—why we go to college, why we pick a major, why we choose a career. Our secular culture offers several answers to these questions: go to a good school, get a good job, make lots of money, and buy a big house. As theologian William Mattison says, however, the Catholic moral tradition offers a different answer to these questions: “living morally is itself a response to the natural human longing for happiness and fulfillment.” This class will explore the Catholic tradition’s understanding of how to be happy by living a moral life. FORMAT OF THE CLASS:The class will begin with a review of the previous lesson: the best way to learn something is by repetition.Classes will consist of lectures, close reading of primary texts, discussions, and (occasionally) videos. TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS:Mattison, William. Introducing Moral Theology: True Happiness and the Virtues. Grand Rapids, BrazosPress, 2008. (Hereafter: Mattison): ISBN: 1587432234.Stivers, Laura, Christine Gudorf and James Martin-Schramm. Christian Ethics: A Case Method Approach (Fourth Edition). Maryknoll, Orbis Books, 2012. (Hereafter: Stivers): ISBN: 1570759669Other primary source material will also be used. All of this material will be found on the LibGuide. The password is: theologyREQUIREMENTS:Attendance: Students are expected to attend all classes. A student missing twenty percent or more of the scheduled class meetings for a course will be denied credit for that course unless there are extenuating circumstances. A student is counted present only when the student signs the attendance sheet at the beginning of the class. Reflections: Students will have reflection assignments. Students will write 2-3 pages reflecting on (NOT SUMMARIZING) the assigned reading.Midterm and final exams: Make sure your travel plans at the end of the semester do not conflict with the exam time and date. Students who need to take an exam at a time other than when the exam is scheduled will be charged $5.00 (midterm) or 10.00 (final) by the teacher (see Faculty Handbook 3.4.6). Paper: Students will write a 6-8 page paper. There are several options from which to choose. Students will submit their papers two ways. First, they will submit a hardcopy on the day that the paper is due. Second, students will upload a copy to Turnitin. Failure to do both will result in a 0.Option 1: you may do a standard research project that should consist of you making an argument. In other words, don’t just give a summary; have a thesis. Your topic must be approved by the teacher by Week 13. You must use 6-8 sources (only one encyclopedia; Wikipedia is never a valid source; only one dictionary; you may only have a maximum of two websites; you must have a minimum of 4 books or scholarly journal articles).Option 2: Choose one of the cases from CE that we did not discuss in class. What would you do based on the information provided? In addition to stating what you would do, justify why you made the decisions that you have made? In other words, explain your reasoning for your moral decisions.Option 3: Write a critique of one of the documents from the third section of our semester. For example, write a critique of why you disagree with Paul VI who says that artificial contraception is morally wrong. Make an argument, don’t just give an opinion.Option 4: Address an issue not covered in this class (i.e.: cloning, in vitro fertilization, hydration of coma patients). How do the virtues discussed by Mattison help elucidate the morally responsible course of action?Option 5: Is natural law something that is truly universal? In other words, can natural law be found across cultures, time, and geography? Make an argument for or against.Option 6: Students may do a project—paper or other— that is not listed here and employs the particular skill sets of the student. If this option is chosen, students must get the project approved by the instructor by week 13.Style: The student will use: Times New Roman; 12 point font; double spacing; 1 inch margins. Students may use their preferred style (MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style), but they must choose one and apply it correctly. Do not just make it up. Grade Distribution: Reflections: 60 pointsMidterm: 100 ptsFinal: 100 ptsPaper: 100 ptsGrading Scale:GradeMeaningEquivalentAExcellent100-92A-91-90B+89-87BGood86-82B-81-80C+?79-77CSatisfactory76-72C-71-70DLowest Passing69-60FFailing59-0POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS:If the student chooses to come to class, he or she must not be tardy, as arriving late is distracting to the instructor, disruptive to colleagues, and it is disrespectful. If the student is late, the student should sit in the row closest to the door (which should remain empty) so as to cause as little disturbance as possible.Students may submit assignments before the deadline. If any student (especially an athlete) is aware that he/she will miss a deadline of any type of assignment because of a scheduled event, that student MUST submit the work BEFORE the deadline, or else the student will not receive any credit for the assignment. If a student misses a deadline due to an unexpected event, the student may submit the work after the deadline with a 20% penalty. The sole exception to this policy is if the teacher hears from the Dean of Students due to a case of extreme emergency.Students must do all of the reading for the week and bring all of the texts that are assigned for the week to class.There is to be no texting, emailing, or instant messaging during class.Students may not sleep in the class.Students must regularly check their Brescia email account as I will be emailing important information to it. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES POLICY: Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. If you have a documented disability and need accommodations to participate fully in this course, please contact Mr. Dwight Ottman (Office 411 on the fourth floor of the Science Building). All academic accommodations must be approved in advance through his office. Please drop by or call 270-686-4281 to make an appointment, or contact him by email at dwight.ottman@brescia.edu.ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT POLICY: There is to be absolutely no plagiarism in this class. If a student is caught, he or she will be reported to the University and will fail the assignment. If the grade on that assignment drops the student’s overall grade to a “F” for the semester, the student will fail the course. Plagiarism policy found on p. 44 of the Brescia Catalog: An instructor who becomes aware of an act of deliberate academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, should report the student(s) involved to the Academic Dean and describe the disciplinary action proposed. (Note: Plagiarism is defined as the deliberate use of another‘s ideas, work, or words as one‘s own, without properly documenting and crediting the original source.) Purchasing or copying another‘s work and using it as one‘s own, cheating on tests, refusing to do one‘s share of group work for which all will receive the same grade, and not doing one‘s own homework are other examples of academic dishonesty.This class fulfills the major requirement for the Theology major and is a GER approved course.SKILLSThinking: Through the close reading of primary texts and writing term paper, students will demonstrate the skill of applying logic, reason from hypothesis to conclusion, identify core issues, and evaluate judgments of the arguments of the authors read in class.Research: Through the term paper required by all students, they will demonstrate their skill of observing, investigating and analyzing information from disparate munication: Through the quizzes, midterm, final, and term paper, students will demonstrate their skill of articulating their understanding and discernment of what they have read.Creativity: Through the choice of the paper option, students will be able to employ and demonstrate their creativity to perceive the world from different viewpoints.VALUESGlobal Welfare: Through our readings of Church documents that discuss the Bible, students will have an understanding of how another culture at another time existed.Human Welfare: The students will learn how Catholicism’s understanding of the Bible translates into human flourishing.Personal Welfare: This course is designed to aid students in their continual intellectual development and spiritual growth by reading the Church’s teachings on what it means to be part of the Catholic Church.KNOWLEDGEReligion and Philosophy: Students will read Church documents and be immersed in Catholicism’s understanding of the Catholic moral tradition.SCHEDULE FOR THE SEMESTERMOVEMENT #1: VIRTUESFri. Aug. 21: Lucien Longtin and Andrew Peach: “Relativism, the Monkey on the Back of Ethics,” from An Introduction to Catholic Ethics (Handout). Mon. Aug. 24: Mattison: “Chapter 1: Morality, Happiness, and the ‘Good Life: How Do I live My Life, and Why Do I Live that Way?”Wed. Aug. 26: Mattison: “Chapter 2: Intentions, Good Acts, and Human Freedom.”Fri. Aug. 28: Mattison: “Chapter 3: Why Virtue? The Moral Life as More than Actions.”Mon Aug. 31: Mattison: “Chapter 4: The Virtue of Temperance: Living a Passionate Moral Life.” Wed. Sep. 2: Mattison: “Chapter 5: The Virtue of Prudence: Knowing the Truth and Living it.”Fri. Sep. 4: Reflection #1 Due. Mattison: “Chapter 6: Alcohol and American College Life: Test Case One.”Mon. Sep. 7: LABOR DAY: NO CLASSWed. Sep. 9: Mattison: “Chapter 7: The Virtue of Justice and Justice in Waging War.”Fri. Sep. 11: Mattison: “Chapter 8: Using the Atom Bomb in World War II: Test Case Two.”Mon. Sep. 14: Mattison: “Chapter 9: Virtue of Fortitude and the Unity of the Virtue.”Wed. Sep. 16: Mattison: “Chapter 10: A Transition: Actions, Practices, and Big-Picture Beliefs about the Way Things Are.”Fri. Sep. 18: Reflection #2 Due. Mattison: “Chapter 11: The Virtue of Faith: Answering Big Picture Questions.” Mon. Sep. 21: Mattison: “Chapter 12: Sin: Corruption of Human Happiness.”Wed. Sep. 23: Mattison “Chapter 13: The Virtue of Hope: Eternity in this Life and the Next,”Fri. Sep. 25: Mattison: “Chapter 14: Jesus Christ: Incarnation and Life of Christ.”Mon. Sep. 28: Mattison: “Chapter 15: The Virtue of Charity: The Form of the Christian Life.”Wed. Sep. 30: Mattison: “Chapter 16: Grace: The Gift of the Holy Spirit for the Virtuous Life.”Fri. Oct. 2: Reflection #3 Due. Mattison: “Chapter 17: Chastity and Nonmarital Sex: Test Case Three.”MIDTERM:Mon. Oct. 5: REVIEW FOR MIDTERM EXAM Wed. Oct. 7: *MIDTERM EXAM*MOVEMENT #2: CASE STUDIESFri. Oct. 9: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Rigor and Responsibility.”Mon. Oct. 12: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Vietnam’s Legacies.” Wed. Oct. 14: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Homelessness: The How and Why of Caring.” Fri. Oct. 16: FALL BREAK: NO CLASSMon. Oct. 19: FALL BREAK: NO CLSASWed. Oct. 21: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Who Cares about Haiti Anyways?”Fri. Oct. 23: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Oil and the Caribou People.”Mon. Oct. 26: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Whose Water?” Wed. Oct. 28: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Sustaining Dover.” Fri. Oct. 30: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: How Many Children?”Mon. Nov. 2: Stivers: “Case and Commentary: Keeping the Doors Open.”Wed. Nov. 4: Reflection #4 Due. Daniel Daly: “The Ethics of Exit.” America Magazine. (Libguide).MOVEMENT #3: CHURCH TEACHINGFri. Nov. 6: An Introduction to Catholic Ethics: “The Role of Natural Law in the Formation of the Christian Conscience” (pp. 184-198). (LibGuide).Mon. Nov. 9: Pope Paul VI: Humanae Vitae sec. 1 through 16; Genesis: 1-3. (Libguide).Wed. Nov. 11: Pope Paul VI: Humanae Vitae sec. 17 through 31. (Libguide).Fri. Nov. 13: Reflection #5 Due. Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF): “Declaration on Euthanasia.” (Libguide).Mon. Nov. 16: United States Council of Catholics Bishops (Formerly called the NCCB): “Nutrition and Hydration: Moral and Pastoral Reflections.” (Libguide).Wed. Nov. 18: CDF: “Persona Humana: Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics.” (Libguide).Fri. Nov. 20: Vatican II: Gaudium et Spes (The Dignity of Marriage and the Family. Sec. 47-52). (Libguide).Mon. Nov. 23: CDF: “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons.” (Libguide).Wed. Nov. 25: THANKSGIVING BREAK: NO CLASSFri. Nov. 27: THANKSGIVING BREAK: NO CLASSMon. Nov. 30: Justice Anthony Kennedy: “Obergefell v. Hodges: Opinion of the Court.” (Libguide).Wed. Dec. 2: Reflection # 6 Due. CDF: “Declaration on Procured Abortion.” (Libguide).Fri. Dec. 4: PAPER DUE; REVIEW FOR FINAL EXAM *FINAL EXAM: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH @ 8:05 A.M.*Th. 303:Catholic Moral Tradition I, ___________________________________, have read the entire syllabus for Th. 303 “Catholic Moral Tradition.” If there were any parts of the syllabus I did not originally understand, I have asked the professor for clarification. By signing this paper and remaining enrolled in this class, I acknowledge that I have understood the syllabus—including (but not limited to) the policies and expectations, especially concerning attendance, tardiness, reading expectations, preparedness, and plagiarism. Not only do I understand the requirements of the class, but I will abide by them.Signature:________________________________Date:____________________________________Th. 303:Catholic Moral Tradition I, ___________________________________, have read the entire syllabus for Th. 303 “Catholic Moral Tradition.” If there were any parts of the syllabus I did not originally understand, I have asked the professor for clarification. By signing this paper and remaining enrolled in this class, I acknowledge that I have understood the syllabus—including (but not limited to) the policies and expectations, especially concerning attendance, tardiness, reading expectations, preparedness, and plagiarism. Not only do I understand the requirements of the class, but I will abide by them.Signature:________________________________Date:____________________________________ ................
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