Courses

Questions in professional ethics are based in religious, political, and cultural beliefs about how humans ought to act. The diversity of opinion on these matters makes determining professional ethics very difficult. Questions we will consider include: Do professionals—specialized people with privileged roles in society—have the same moral obligations as the layperson or are there extra moral responsibilities? Is it enough to follow the law, or should professionals have a higher moral standard beyond the letter of the law? What might that look like? What should one do if the law and one’s moral beliefs conflict? Are members of one professional field morally obligated in the same way as another, e.g., medicine the same as business; counselling the same as law? In what ways does a Christian form of professional ethics create different practices, questions, and requirements that a purely secular form does not? Should professional bodies regulate their own professions, or should there be an overarching (interdisciplinary/trans-professional) standard of correct conduct? How might one develop a universal professional ethics?

Knowing

• By the end of this course students will possess greater knowledge of professional ethics in the modern world.

Being

• Through an examination of major ethical questions, students will be encouraged to develop their own ethical way of life that embodies Christian values such as honesty, integrity, respect, and accountability.

Doing

• By the end of this course students will be able to apply theologically-grounded ethical principles to life and ministry contexts across the professions.