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[ The Elmhurst Scene ]
Facing Facts in Theology Class
Paul Parker, Professor of Religious Studies, talks about his most thought-provoking class, Christian Ethics in Modern Society, and the effects it has on his students.
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 The course:
Christian Ethics in Modern Society, “a critical introduction to Christian theological ethics.”
What the syllabus says:
“Students will examine the ethical adequacy of fundamental Christian convictions in an effort to understand the moral decision-making process of others.”
What the professor says:
“This course opens students’ eyes to facts that they might not have been aware of,” says Dr. Paul Parker, professor and chair of religious studies. “They learn, for example, that 30,000 kids die every day from preventable diseases. Sometimes they question the facts. They say, ‘Surely this isn’t true or I would have known about it.’ Some resent the course for making them face these facts. But if they’re committed to the status quo, they’ll probably avoid the course.”
Reading:
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, Ronald J. Sider; The Politics of Jesus, John H. Yoder; Why We Can’t Wait, Martin Luther King Jr.; State of the World 2007, World Watch Institute (among other titles).
Writing:
Thirteen weekly assignments in response to assigned reading; five “worship response” papers, in which students evaluate a service they’ve attended.
Why so much writing?
“I’ve learned that if you want students to read closely every week, you must give a writing assignment every week,” says Parker. “If they read, they’ll learn. If they read and write about what they’ve read, they’ll learn even more thoroughly. And if they read, and write about their reading, and bring their papers to class and discuss them in small groups, they’ll learn still more thoroughly.”
Service-learning:
Students do eight to twelve hours of service in settings that include grade schools, homeless shelters, and assisted-living centers. They also submit a written analysis of their experience. “The purpose of service-learning is what the student learns. The service is just a by-product,” says Parker. “I want them to pick something they’re scared of, to get out of their comfort zone.”
“Existentially powerful”
“There’s never a term when at some point students don’t cry in class. It’s an existentially powerful class. We laugh a lot, and we get quiet and somber and teary-eyed, too.” |
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Best Leader
Commencement speaker Eboo Patel included in U.S. News ranking.
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Big Questions
EC’s thought-provoking student orientation program is featured in the Chicago Tribune.
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In The News
EC student Jessica Sullivan talks about hope and President Obama in The New York Times.
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Teacher’s Gift
An Elmhurst professor for 39 years, George Thoma reflects on what he's learned.
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Taking the Lead
At the LeaderShape Institute, the emphasis is on bonding and brainstorming.
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Chemistry Show
A science class for non-science majors teaches students to teach chemistry to kids.
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