Course Texts (all available at the Seminary bookstore):
Holben, L. R. What Christians Think About Homosexuality: Six Representative Viewpoints. North Richland Hills, TX: Bibal Press, 1999.
McCarthy, David Matzko. Sex and Love in the Home, New Edition. London: SCM Press, New Edition, 2004.
Witte, John, Jr. From Sacrament to Contract: Marriage, Religion, and Law in the Western Tradition. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.
Other Required Readings (on reserve)
Lisa Sowle Cahill, “Lessons from African American Families” in Family: A Christian Social Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000.
Kay Hymowitz, “Marriage and Caste: America’s Chief Source of Inequality? The Marriage Gap” in City Journal: http://www.city-journal.org/html/16_1_marriage_gap.html (also on reserve)
Max Stackhouse, “Sex and Marriage” ” from Covenant and Commitments: Faith, Family, and Economic Life. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.
Iris Marion Young, “Making Single Motherhood Normal” in Dissent Winter 1994: 88-93.
“A Progressive Ethical Covenant with American Families”
Course Aims:
1. To gain an understanding of historic and contemporary theological views of marriage.
2. To explore different theological views of human sexuality and its appropriate expression.
3. To apply critical perspectives (feminist, gay/lesbian, economic, and cultural) to contemporary expectations of marriage and sexuality.
4. To explore various understandings of “household,” including the meaning and value of family life for the wider society, the place of children within the family structure, adoptive families, and the effects of divorce and single-parenting on children.
Course Requirements:
Note: All students should read David McCarthy’s assigned chapters (1-3) from Sex and Love in the Home, before the start of class on June 5, if possible. The books for the course will be available through the Seminary Bookstore. For Bookstore hours and information, call (860) 509-9527.
1. Students are required to attend each class, having read the day’s reading assignment in advance of the class. Attendance and participation are 30% of the grade.
2. Students are required to write 6-8 pages of single-spaced book notes outlining the information from John Witte’s book, From Sacrament to Contract. These book notes will be due on Monday, June 30th. The notes are to be on the Introduction, Chapter 1, either Chapter 2 or Chapter 3, and Chapter 5. These notes are worth 30% of the grade.
3. Students are required to write a 12-15 page research paper focusing on a topic from the course. This should involve reading the equivalent of at least two additional books. A bibliography and possible paper topics will be distributed by the end of the class (June 26). The paper should be written in accordance with the Seminary Guidelines for a Research Paper, which will be distributed to the class. This paper is due NO LATER THAN Friday, August 15, and is worth 40% of the grade.
Weekly Schedule
Note: Each day will include many opportunities for dialogue and discussion, so bring your opinions and experience, along with the course texts!
May 27: Contemporary views of sexuality, love, and marriage.
Reading: David Matzko McCarthy, Sex and Love in the Home, Chapters 1-3.
May 29: The family in crisis: feminism, individualism, and divorce
Reading: McCarthy, Chapter 4.
June 3: Theological models of marriage—Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist
Reading: John Witte, Introduction and Chapter 1, and either Chapter 2, or 3.
June 5: Theological models of marriage—Anglican, Enlightenment
Reading: John Witte, Chapter 5 and “Reflections.”
June 10: Embodiment, sex, and homosexuality
Reading: McCarthy, Chapter 10 (only pages 212-221, “Sexual indeterminacy” and “A place for debate”); L. R. Holben, Chapters 1, 2, and 5.
June 12: Civil unions, gay marriage, and beyond
Reading: Stackhouse, “Sex and Marriage” from Covenant and Commitments: Faith, Family, and Economic Life (on reserve).
Presentation by Carol Buckheit from “Love Makes a Family.”
June 17: Children, adoption, divorce, and the family unit in society.
Reading: McCarthy, Chapter 10 (only pages 197-212); Kay Hymowitz, “Marriage and Caste: America’s Chief Source of Inequality? The Marriage Gap;” Iris Marion Young, “Making Single Motherhood Normal” (on reserve)
June 19: Race, poverty, and the family
Reading: Lisa Sowle Cahill, “Lessons from African American Families” in Family: A Christian Social Perspective (on reserve)
June 24: Toward a Contemporary Theology of Sexuality
McCarthy, Chapters 5-9, 11 and Conclusion
Movie: Casomai
June 26: Toward a Contemporary Theology of Marriage and Family
Reading: “A Progressive Ethical Covenant with American Families” (on reserve)
