This course will focus on the relevance of the Franciscan Spirituality in addressing today’s ethical challenges, such as integral ecology (cf.
Laudato Si’), economy, peace, communication and dialogue. Pope Francis affirms that interaction and communication are essential aspects of all that exists. Humans are dialogical beings and “everything is connected”. The Franciscan perspective can help greatly to build this new relational paradigm that the Church is promoting, setting the theological and ethical bases of both communication and integral ecology. In doing so, the course will also underline that the new Media are gifts of God that can contribute decisively to strengthening the bonds of fraternal communication and to assuming a more responsible lifestyle. However, they also present ethical challenges that must be addressed.
Some goals:
Understand the relationship that exists between the use of ICT and being true to him/herself as a person
To stimulate the moral imagination
To develop the ability for critical analysis on the moral values involved in the use of ICT (reflection)
To acquire the capacity of publicly sustaining a reasonable position while being open to dialogue and pluralism (argument)
To strengthen the sense of moral responsibility (life)
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will be expected:
To become aware of the current relevance of the Franciscan Spirituality and Charism, being able to apply its values and principles to the use of ICT.
To become familiar with the main documents issued by the Catholic Church regarding ICT and the basic truths, values and anthropology they propose.
To understand how ICT shape our society and the challenges they create for ethics, identity, relationships and religion.
To acquire a basic knowledge of the evolution of communication and be able to illuminate the ethical challenges of today with the reflection already made in earlier times.
To offer constructive responses to ICT dilemmas in the light of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition.
To explore the possibilities of using the new ICT for Pastoral care, liturgy, and evangelization
To participate appropriately and ethically in the new digital environment.
Required Texts:
Quinn, Michael J., Ethics for the Information Age, Pearson, Boston 2013 (7th edition 2016), ISBN-13: 978-0133741629 List price: $106. The 6th edition will be also valid: List price: $35, ISBN-10: 0133741621 (Quinn).
Lynch, Jonah, The scent of lemons: technology and relationships in the age of Facebook, Darton Longman & Todd, London 2012
Carbajo Núñez, Martín, A free and fraternal economy. The Franciscan perspective, Ed. Tau Publishing, Phoenix, AZ, 2017, 245 pages. ISBN 978-1-61956-564-7. List price: $17.
Recommended:
