My Reflection

When I was asked to consider signing up for this module, I was not too excited. The words “research” and “ethics” did not sound interesting to me.  I thought it would be dry, boring, and comprising a list of do’s and don’ts. I was pleasantly surprised when I read the textbook “Issues Facing Christians Today” by John Stott. I found the writing style easy to read, contents were interesting and some views refreshing.  I also enjoyed going for my classes as I found the lectures and sharing sessions enriching.  

Making choices is not as black and white as it looks
One key takeaway from this module is ‘making choices’. The lectures, discussions and project made me slow down and dig deeper into the ethical choices I make or would have to make as a Christian.  This module is not about making right or wrong choices. But on our thinking and behaviour in relation to God. God has given us free choice and it has to be exercised responsibly and with accountability. Many issues I am facing today are not covered in the Bible and I have to make decisions based on God’s principles and how they impact others. The examples on abortion shared by Bro Casey reminded me not to impose my moral standards on others without being empathetic to the impact these issues have on them.

Euthanasia – what are we prolonging?
The discussion on Euthanasia was engaging. It made me ponder over the meaning and value of life. The concept of prolonged life versus prolonged death helped me understand the decisions on human suffering and death better. It dawned on me that reducing suffering with available means for a sick patient is not always right and ethical. Being created by God, we are stewards of our lives rather than owners. Created to be like God, our lives have an eternal purpose; set apart for, and owned by God. Since we are created in the image of God, our lives have intrinsic and immeasurable value. The Bible does not explicitly tell us what is right or wrong in such situations but this module helped me better understand the importance of digging deeper and making our decisions based on Christian principles.

Research outline helped with clarity and focus
I used to do my research paper by searching for info from all types of books related to my topic. This really stressed me out at times as there was so little time, but so many materials to read.  The research outline allowed me to have an overview of my research paper, hence not only providing a procedure to systemically reach my objective, but helped me organize my thoughts. It also provided a framework to synthesize my thoughts creatively before writing my paper. I was able to stay more focused on the objective of the paper, and it served as an effective guide to differentiate what was important and what needed more emphasis. The outline helped me to discern the topics I was familiar with and areas I needed more research.

The impact of sharing and learning together
The class discussions were interesting as I got to know my classmates better as they shared their views and testimonies.  I enjoyed some of the topics discussed in class (e.g., tattoo, sexuality, etc) and also understood more about the topics better because of the diverse views. I found some of my classmates’ sharing on how they handled specific ethical issues especially helpful to me. They would serve as a guide for me if I ever have to handle them one day.

Working in a group helped me bond with my classmates.  In the process of sharing ideas, we also gradually develop a shared identity. The group discussion not only helped me understand the topic better, it was also interesting to share diverse perspectives and challenge assumptions. I also found that working as a group allowed us to move faster and we were able to achieve more.  I held myself accountable to the team as I realized that any delay on my part would affect the entire group’s progress. I truly enjoyed other groups’ creative presentations.  The role plays were entertaining and informative.

In conclusion, this is my first block class. Compared to the regular classes, the due-date submissions of class assignments can be quite rush and stressful. I wish I had more time to think through my submission. I learned that time management and planning are crucial. However, I liked the delivery pace and the contents of this module. The contents are informative and engaging. Studying the whole day can be mentally and physically demanding and it made me realize how precious my Saturdays are.  Fortunately, the block class only lasts for two weeks and this is still quite digestible for me. I like the relaxing learning environment (lectures, discussions and assignments) where time was set aside for fellowship. In addition, I enjoyed learning together as one Body of Christ with my lecturer and classmates.