MIDLAND LUTHERAN COLLEGE
PHI 290
What is Religion? Who is God?
Course Syllabus
Fall 2008
Class Meetings: Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. till noon in the AND 421.
Instructor: Edward Abplanalp
Office Hours: contact me to set up an appointment
Email: philosophered@cox.net
Credit Hours: 3
Class Materials: We will use Questions About God: Today's Philosophers Ponder the Divine, edited by Steven M. Cahn and David Shatz (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002)
Course Description: This Christianity course examines the philosophical questions about religions, God and faith in their spiritual, historical and theological expressions and responds to them from the perspective of the Christian faith and its transforming power. Some of the questions raised include: Why are people religious? Can God’s existence make a difference? Can God’s existence be proven? Does it make a difference? If God is good, why is there evil? What difference does religion make for human life? The students’ understanding of Christian faith is deepened and challenged by rational consideration of God, faith, the meaning of evil and human destiny.
Course Learning Objectives - This class will promote an understanding of some key philosophical issues surrounding the God of Christianity. Besides aiming at helping students understand and think critically about philosophical arguments, the class aims at facilitating the development of the student’s own worldview. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
I. Define ‘philosophy’, ‘faith’, ‘theism’, ‘natural theology’, and ‘theodicy’.
II. Describe the main attributes the Christian faith ascribes to God.
III. Explain and discuss (in written form)
a. Basic arguments from natural theology:
i. The Cosmological Argument
ii. The Teleological Argument
iii. The Ontological Argument
b. The Problem of Evil
c. The Euthyphro Dilemma
d. Pascal’s Wager
e. The Paradox of Omnipotence
f. The Rationality of Believing in Miracles
g. Whether God Requires Prayer/Is God Vain?
IV. Develop skills of careful and disciplined reading, argumentation, writing, and editing.
V. Respectively express and discuss differing points of view.
Academic Integrity: I support and enforce the academic integrity policy that has been adopted by the college. A copy of this policy can be found in the Student Handbook. The policy covers cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism and related areas. Violations of this policy will result in an F for the course.
Grading Policy: Work submitted late will be graded harder than work submitted on time.
Grades: Grades will be calculated as follows:
Exam #1: 20%
Exam #2: 20%
Exam #3: 20%
Exam #4: 20%
Final Exam: 20%
100-90 A
89-88 B+
87-80 B
79-78 C+
77-70 C
69-68 D+
67-60 D
below 60 F
Exams: Specific information regarding the questions asked on exams will be provided as the time of the exam nears. Materials asked on each exam are discussed thoroughly in class lectures. No make up exams will be given unless prior permission of the instructor has been granted. If an exam has been missed due to an illness, then documentation of the illness must be presented.
Learning Disabilities: Students should self-disclose learning disabilities to Dr. Lori Moseman (Director of Academic Support Services) by the third day of class. Some accommodation for class work may be possible after consultation with Dr. Moseman. Please read the ADA policy in the Student Handbook.
9/6: Natural Theology
9/13: Natural Theology (Continued)
9/20: Natural Theology and Atheology
9/27: Natural Theology and Atheology (Continued)
10/4: God, Omnipotence, and Morality
10/11: God, Omnipotence, and Morality (Continued)
10/18: Miracles and God’s Incorporeality
10/25: Miracles and God’s Incorporeality (Continued)
11/1: Prayer and Rationality
11/8: Prayer and Rationality (Continued)