CHRISTIAN MORALITY

(THEO 215)

Professor: Dr. Robert Koerpel

Office: JRC 144
Mailbox: JRC 153
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: rckoerpel@stthomas.edu
The Mission Statement of the University of St. Thomas:
Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates
students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work
skillfully to advance the common good.
Course Overview:
Welcome to Christian Morality (THEO-215)! In order to receive a liberal arts
undergraduate education the University of St. Thomas requires its students to take a
number of courses in what are often referred to as the humanities, courses in such
disciplines as philosophy, theology, literature and history, to name a few. This is what
makes St. Thomas, and the universities and colleges like it, different than institutions that
focus primarily on teaching students professional, technical, and vocational skills and
trades. Unlike courses that teach a student how to perform a particular skill or practice a
professional trade, courses in the humanities are intended to humanize the student, to
make the student a particular type of person, a person with more intellectual breadth,
personal character, and emotional depth than before she took the humanities courses. To
put it in somewhat trite but nonetheless true terms, courses in the humanities are about
transformation, not information.
The discipline of theology is essential to the humanizing and liberating goal of a liberal
arts degree. Theology is a discipline that asks and attempts to answer questions regarding
the origin, meaning, and final destiny of the world. It often asks a range of questions such
as: Why is there something at all rather than nothing at all? What is the meaning and
purpose of human existence? How does Gods self-disclosure occur in the world? How
am I to live in the world in light of Gods self-disclosure? The Christian theological
tradition makes specific claims about where, when, and how God is disclosed to
humanity and how humanity is supposed to embody its response to Gods self-disclosure.
The wisdom and knowledge a student acquires from engaging theological questions and
contemplating its subject matter should make the student more free, better able to
analyze, evaluate, understand, and deliberate about her own life and the world she
inhabits.
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This course is the second of the three-course theology sequence that serves as the basis
for your study of the liberal arts at St. Thomas. Unlike the first course in theology,
Theology 101, which surveys the historical and theological development of the JudeoChristian tradition, this course explores the art of practical reasoning in the light of
Christian revelation. Practical reason is the human ability to reflect upon and carry out
actions that we describe as good and bad, right and wrong, and for which we are
held responsible. It is one feature of human beings that distinguishes them from other
animals. For human beings practical reasoning is a necessity of life. It moves beyond
simply identifying a just or kind act, or a good or nice person and involves thinking about
what it is that makes some particular act just, right or wrong and some particular person
good, kind or loving. Practical reasoning tries to discover criteria that helps us understand
why we choose certain actions and not others, how we make good judgments, how we
carry out good acts, what constitutes a good life, and what is genuine and true happiness.
Since this is a course in Christian morality we will spend most of our time thinking
through what the Christian tradition thinks a good life is, what it thinks true happiness
consists of and how the cardinal and theological virtues shape and form human action.
Students need not be practicing Christians nor hold to the beliefs of the Christian faith to
succeed in this course. However, students must be willing to intellectually, thoughtfully,
and respectfully engage the beliefs of the Christian tradition to do well in this course.
Course Objectives:
1. To help students understand and appreciate the skills and tools of practical
reasoning, and to help them reflect upon and analyze their own moral experience.
2. To help students reflect upon the nature of the good and a commitment to its
practice, particularly in reference to the communities to which they belong.
3. To help students appreciate the language and grammar of Christian morality,
including intention, freedom, goods, happiness, truth, prudence, justice,
temperance, fortitude, dignity, responsibility, community, faith, hope and charity.
4. To help students engage particular moral problems and challenges that they
encounter or will encounter in their everyday lives (school, work, family, etc.)
with the skills and tools of practical reason.
Required Texts:
1. William Mattison, Introducing Moral Theology
2. Texts posted on Blackboard
Procedures and Policies:
Class Participation - Much of the class period will be devoted to discussing, questioning,
and thinking through the material together. Part of your grade depends upon you doing
the assigned reading and coming to class prepared to discuss it.
What is Participation? There are two ways to consider participation. The first is General
initiative and involvement in class discussion. This form of participation is encouraged.
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It involves active listening, respect for others, as well as thoughtful additions to the
direction of the conversation. The second form of participation is Informed comments
on required reading. This form of participation, which builds on the first form, is vital to
a good class and is indicative of A or Excellent work. It demands preparation and
thoughtfulness before the class begins. It is characterized by the students reference to
specific texts during class (for example, On page 101 Mattison writes . . .). To prepare
for each class, take notes on the reading analyze, assess, compare, criticize, evaluate,
propose, summarize. Write down page numbers from the reading that you think the class
ought to address.
Attendance - Given the discussion-orientated structure of this class, you are expected to
attend every class session and to be on time. If you come to class late, please be seated
without disturbing the class. Should you come to class late more than two times, this will
be recorded as an absence.
Given the abbreviated nature of the J-term semester, you must attend each class session.
If you miss one class session, I will deduct half of the attendance/participation points for
the course from your final grade. If you miss two class sessions, you will receive no
attendance/participation points for the course. Should you miss three class sessions, you
will automatically fail the course. If you have to miss a class, you are responsible for
figuring out what you missed.
Since this is a college course, I do not negotiate excused or unexcused absences. If you
have a time conflict with the course, you are responsible for resolving the time conflict. If
you are planning a family vacation or if you have a family vacation scheduled that
conflicts with the time the course meets, you, not the professor, are responsible for
resolving the time conflict. If you anticipate being unable to resolve any time conflict
with the course, I would encourage you to drop the course and take it at a later time when
the conflict no longer exists.
Should you have an emergency during the course of the semester (emergencies do not
include family vacations and athletic events), please come and talk to me about your
emergency.
Electronics A liberal arts education at a university or college is about books, people and
ideas, not electronics. Please turn off your electronica, including your cell phone and
laptop and put them away during class. You may use a laptop to take notes during
lectures. However, if you are using your laptop or any electronic device inappropriately
during class and/or if you are text messaging during class you will be asked to leave and I
will deduct 15 points from your participation grade.
Academic Dishonesty - Plagiarism is presenting the words or thoughts of another writer
as if they were your own. Dont do it! It is considered a violation of academic integrity
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and will result in an automatic F for the course. Furthermore, you may be subject to
disciplinary action by the University. Here is the Universitys description of academic
integrity and what constitutes a violation of academic integrity, as well as the protocol for
violations of academic integrity:
Honesty and trust among students and between students and faculty are essential for a
strong, functioning academic community. Consequently, students are expected to do their
own work on all academic assignments, tests, projects and research/term papers.
Academic dishonesty, whether cheating, plagiarism or some other form of dishonest
conduct related to academic coursework and listed in the Student Policy Book under
Discipline: Rules of Conduct will automatically result in failure for the work involved.
But academic dishonesty could also result in failure for the course and, in the event of a
second incident of academic dishonesty, suspension from the university. Here are the
common ways to violate the academic integrity code:
Cheating - Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials,
information, or study aids in any academic exercise. The term academic exercise
includes all forms of work submitted for credit.
Fabrication - Intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any
information or citation in an academic exercise.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty - Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting
to help another to violate a provision of the institutional code of academic
integrity.
Plagiarism - The deliberate adoption or reproduction of ideas or words or statements of
another person as one's own without acknowledgment. You commit plagiarism whenever
you use a source in any way without indicating that you have used it. If you quote
anything at all, even a phrase, you must put quotation marks around it, or set it off from
your text; if you summarize or paraphrase an author's words, you must clearly indicate
where the summary or paraphrase begins and ends; if you use an author's idea, you must
say that you are doing so. In every instance, you also must formally acknowledge the
written source from which you took the material. (This includes material taken from the
World Wide Web and other Internet sources.)
Assignments:
Quizzes Throughout the semester there will be approximately seven 10-point quizzes
covering the main points of the readings you have prepared for each session. If you have
read the material assigned for the session closely and carefully, you should have no
problem with the quiz.
The quizzes will be given at the beginning, the middle or the end of the class session.
Quizzes cannot be made up for any reason. If you come to class late and a quiz has
started or if you have left class early and a quiz was given, you may not make up the
quiz.
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Exams There will be two exams, a take-home essay exam due on January 13th, and an
in-class exam on January 29th. I will give you a study guide and we will devote the
second-to-last day of the semester to preparing for the in-class exam. The exam cannot be
made up except for emergency reasons.
Writing Assignments There will be two short papers. Papers must be double-spaced and
typed in 12-point font. You are expected to use proper English grammar and sentence
structure in your papers, as well as follow the basic mechanics of writing.
Paper extensions are granted for emergencies only. Emergencies do not include computer
malfunction, university events or family vacations. Your paper is due at the beginning of
the class period for which it is assigned. Each day the paper is late the letter grade for
your paper will be reduced by one third (e.g. the first day it is late, a B+ will become a B,
the second day it will become a B-, etc.).
A few words about writing college-level papers
The grammar and spellchecker program on your computer is an inadequate way to revise
and edit your paper in college. You, or someone with the ability to formulate a clear,
concise, structurally and grammatically sound sentence, should reread and revise your
paper before you hand it in. I am always happy to sit down with you and work through
your paper with you. You may email me your paper for comments and revisions after you
have checked your paper for basic spelling and grammatical errors. Also, you may want
to visit the Writing Center (see "The Center for Writing" below) before you hand in your
paper. Should you be interested in improving your writing skills, I recommend you read
Style: Toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams. This book will show you how
to write well.
The Thesis Statement:
The following is taken from: writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements.
Writing in college often takes the form of persuasionconvincing others that you have
an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill
you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your
parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy.
In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You
are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often
called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief
introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in
one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the
argument youll make in the rest of your paper.

A thesis statement:
~tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter
under discussion.
~is a road map for the paper. In other words, it tells the reader what to expect
from the rest of the paper.
~directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a
question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be
World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the
novel.
~makes a claim that others might dispute.
~is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your
argument to the reader.
The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that
will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

The Center for Writing

Peer consultants in the Center for Writing provide free one-on-one conferences with
writers at any stage of the writing process for any course.
Make appointments online 24/7 on our web site www.stthomas.edu/writing
The Center for Writing is in JRC 361, with Sunday hours in OShaughnessy-Frey
Library.
Mondays Thursdays 9 am 8 pm
Fridays 9 am 12 noon
Sundays 6 pm 9 pm

JRC 361
JRC 361
OSF Library

Bring a copy of the writing assignment to your appointment and any supporting material
you have. You do not need to have a draft of your paper in order to see a consultant.
Questions? Call (651) 962-5601 or email writing@stthomas.edu.

Theology Tutor
The Theology Department has tutors who are available to assist you in JRC 141. Please
call 2-5342 for hours.

Disability Services
Classroom accommodations will be provided for qualified students with documented
disabilities. Students are invited to contact the Disability Resources office about
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accommodations for this course. Telephone appointments are available to students as

needed. Appointments can be made by calling 651-962-6315 or 800-328-6819, extension
6315. You may also make an appointment in person in Murray Herrick 110. For further
information, you can locate the Disability Resources office on the web at
http://www.stthomas.edu/enhancementprog/.

Grading:
Attendance and Participation = 50
Quizzes = 70
Take-home Exam = 50
In-class Exam = 50
Response Paper # 1 = 20
Response Paper # 2 = 20________
= 260 total points

A = Excellent work that demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the material

B = Very good work that demonstrates a broad and firm grasp of the material
C = Satisfactory work that demonstrates a basic and adequate understanding of the material
D = Poor but passing work that demonstrates a limited knowledge of the material
F = Failing work does not demonstrate a basic college level of knowledge
A
AB+
B
B-

= 100 94
= 93 90
= 89 87
= 86 84
= 83 80

C+
C
CD+
D

= 79 77
= 76 74
= 73 70
= 69 67
= 66 64

COURSE READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

1/6 (T): Why are Human Beings Moral?

Reading:
- William Mattison, ch. 1, pp. 19-37; two types of morality

1/7 (W): Is There a Final End/Supreme Good of Human Life?

Reading:
- Francis Slade, On the Ontological Priority of Ends and Its Relevance to the
Narrative Arts, from Beauty, Art, and the Polis, pp. 58-69 (Blackboard)
- Paul Wadell, "Happiness: The One Thing Everybody Wants" from The
Primacy of Love: An Introduction to the Ethics of Thomas Aquinas
(Blackboard)
Assignment Due:
For this class period I want you to write a short 1-3-page paper in response to the
following fundamental questions in moral theology. The grade will be determined by the
clarity of the writing and grammar. Answer all of these questions in short, direct
sentences.
Questions:
What most often makes you think about moral issues?
When do you feel most free?
What rule is most important in your life?
What ideal is most important in your life?
Finish the sentence, A good person is one who
If you had to give a short description of love, what would it be?
What is more important actions or intentions? Give one short reason for your choice.
How do you know you have a conscience?

1/8

(R): The Problem with Happiness & the Role of Friendship in Living a Good
Life
Reading:
- Eric G. Wilson, The American Dream from Against Happiness:
In Praise of Melancholy, pp. 3-37 (Blackboard)
- Aristotle, Book 8, chapters 1-5, from Nicomachean Ethics, pp. 1825-1829
(Blackboard)

1/9

(F): The Moral Mechanics of Human Action

Reading:
- Mattison, ch. 2, pp. 38-56; on intention and freedom

1/13

(T): No Class Today; Today's Class Period is Devoted to Working on TakeHome Exam # 1
Assignment Due:
You should spend today's class period working on take-home exam # 1. Your
take-home exam is due no later than 3:59.59 PM Tuesday, January 13th. Your
exam must be sent to me electronically by email (rckoerpel@stthomas.edu) as an
attachment in either a Word or Pdf. document.

1/14

(W): The Cardinal Virtues of Temperance and Prudence

Reading:
- Mattison, ch. 3, pp. 57-74; on virtue
- Mattison, ch. 4, pp. 75-94; on temperance
- Mattison, ch. 5, pp. 95-112; on prudence
- Mattison, ch. 6, pp. 113-133; on alcohol and American college life

1/15

(R): The Cardinal Virtues of Justice and Fortitude (Courage)

Reading:
- Mattison, ch. 7, pp. 134-159; on justice
- Mattison, ch. 8, pp. 160-179; on just wars
- Mattison, ch. 9, pp. 180-194; on fortitude (courage)

1/16

(F): Big-picture Beliefs, Morality & the Theological Virtue of Faith

Reading:
- Mattison, ch. 10, pp. 195-212; big-picture beliefs and morality
- Mattison, ch. 11, pp. 213-230; on faith

1/20

(T): The Problem of Sin & the Theological Virtue of Hope

Reading:
- Mattison, ch. 12, pp. 231-250; on sin
- Mattison, ch. 13, pp. 251-272; on hope

1/21

(W): The Theological Virtue of Charity (Love) and Infused Cardinal Virtue
Reading:
- Paul Wadell, "Charity: The Virtue of Friendship with God" from The Primacy
of Love: An Introduction to the Ethics of Thomas Aquinas (Blackboard)
- Mattison, ch. 14, pp. 273-289; on Jesus Christ
- Mattison, ch. 15, pp. 290-310; on charity
- Mattison, ch. 16, pp. 311-332; on grace

1/22

(R): The Practice of Forgiveness and Loving an Enemy as Concrete Marks of

Charity
- Forgiveness: A Time to Love and a Time to Hate (film)

1/23

(F): Beginning and End-of-Life Moral Issues: Sex, Marriage & Euthanasia
Reading:
- Mattison, ch. 17, pp. 333-363; on the virtue of chastity and non-marital sex
- Mattison, ch. 18, pp. 364-392; on euthanasia

1/27

(T): Two Approaches to Dying

- My Last Days (Film)
- The Suicide Tourist (Film)

1/28 (W): Review for final exam

Assignment Due:
Write a 2-3-page response paper to the films The Suicide Tourist and My Last Days. In
your paper discuss the different approaches to dying between Craig Ewert and Zach
Sobiech. Your paper should focus on the existential, theological, and spiritual differences
between the two men, not the differences in pathology, illnesses, pain, age, etc. What do
you think accounts for these differences? Which approach to dying do you think is better?
Why?

1/29

(R): Final Exam

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