Should Communion Be Served At Weddings

Utrum Paper[footnoteRef:1] [1: Adapted from Nancy Duff’s course “Issue in Bio-Medical Ethics,” Fall 2004.]

Instructions: Students will compose two 1000-word utrum papers on topics related to course content. Further instructions will be posted on Discovery. DUE 24 February and 24 March, respectively.

· First Paper

· Closed vs. Open Communion

· What Happens During Communion

· Should Communion Be Served At Weddings

· Wine vs. Juice in Communion

· Digital Communion vs. In-Person Communion

· Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Elements

· Should Communion Only Be Served By Clergy

· Other Related Topic as Approved by the Professor

· Second Paper

· Egalitarian vs. Complementarian/Traditional Marriage

· Divorce and Remarriage

· What Constitutes Christian Marriage

· Cohabitation

· Performing Weddings for Divorced Christians

· Performing Weddings for Non-Christians

· Same-Sex Marriage

· Other Related Topic as Approved by the Professor

The paper must interact with the selective topic as well as authoritative outside sources and give 1) a fair hearing to a position that you oppose and 2) a persuasive argument for the position you hold.

1. The utrum. “Whether or not it is the case that…” (utrum=“whether”)

In one (!) sentence state your issue in such a way that you will be able to provide two fair and persuasive, yet opposing, arguments, one of which you will refute.

Example, using abortion:

Whether or not it is the case that abortion should legally be defined as murder.

Do not add comments to this statement. Also, do not word the utrum to reveal your own position, e.g. “Whether or not it is the case that baby-killing should be legal.”

2. The videtur. “It seems that…”

State in one sentence and then present arguments for a position that you finally reject.

Example:

It seems that abortion is murder and should be legal only in cases where it can be deemed self-defense, i.e., when the pregnancy threatens the life of the women.

Following this statement write a few pages giving as convincing an argument as possible supporting this position. Remember our rule for academic debate: “You should be able to state your opponent’s position so clearly and so fairly that your opponent could say ‘Yes, that it what I mean.’” Present arguments that are actually worth refuting, not “straw” arguments that are easily dismissed. In other words, present arguments that you find challenging and worthy of addressing, when you present your own position.

3. The respondeo. “I answer that…”

In one or two (!) sentences state your position. Do not just repeat the utrum, but state your position clearly and concisely so that someone reading it would know where you stand even before reading your defense of this position.

Example:

I answer that even though early stage abortion entails the destruction of nascent human life, it should not legally be defined as murder.

4. The ergo. “Therefore…”

Write in a few pages a convincing argument for the position that you hold, drawing on material (of a suitable academic quality) you find helpful. Respond to legitimate questions and issues you have raised in the videtur (step #2), explaining why you finally reject them.