This is an introductory course in religion and ethics focusing on
social responsibility and American public life.  We will begin by
examining basic methods and tools in ethics, but the majority of our
time will be spent on discussing six topics: abortion; justice in
war; medical care for the dying; economic justice; discrimination;
and environmental ethics.   The chief goal is to explore the
complexity of these topics and to understand how religious thought,
belief, and practice inform moral discussion in the United States
today.  We will ask whether individuals or groups have a
responsibility to protect the interests of vulnerable or “at-risk”
populations:  fetuses, political communities under attack, women in
the economic and cultural marketplace, sick and dying patients, the
poor, racial minorities, and nonhuman lives.  Sources draw from
Judaism, Christianity, and contemporary social thought.