Ethical Foundations Honors Program

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Ethical Foundations Honors Program

Choices Matter: Build Your Future with Meaning

“Everything we adopt and justify becomes virtually a permanent part of us.”– Divine Providence 317

Students in the Ethical Foundations Honors Program pursue their majors alongside a rigorous curriculum that explores the ways that the teachings of the New Church can inform their life choices.  Students will explore the works of great thinkers from multiple disciplines and put their ideas into conversation with Swedenborg's Heavenly Doctrines.  Experiential and creative learning opportunities challenge students to develop an understanding of what it means to be ethical—how and why our choices matter.  Ultimately, the Program empowers students to think for themselves, live for others, and embrace a purposeful life aligned with higher principles.

Program Features

  • Ethical reasoning
  • Applying learning to the workplace
  • Knowledge of the Heavenly Doctrines
  • Foundations of ethical leadership
  • Competency in New Church Teachings

Program Outcomes

  • Evaluate different ethical perspectives
  • Explore one's core beliefs
  • Relate and integrate the Heavenly Doctrines to ethical life
  • Understand how learning applies to career life

At Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, the Ethical Foundations Honors Program is unlike anything else. If you’re ready to raise your sights and go deeper—beyond theory, beyond algorithms, beyond the surface—you’re not alone. We see you.

Why Choose the Ethical Foundations Honors Program?

The world is drowning in distraction, uncertainty, and moral ambiguity. The Ethical Foundations Honors Program is designed for students who want to think deeply, develop interiorly, lead ethically, and shape the future with clarity and confidence.

What Makes This Program Different?

You’ll customize your experience with honors courses, internships, and hands-on projects that align with your academic and career goals.

  • Faith Meets Reason – Explore ethical philosophy and the Old Testament and the New Testament through the lens of the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Church. Discover timeless wisdom and hidden layers of meaning in sacred texts. Learn more about the New Church.
  • Hands-on Learning – Gain real-world experience through internships, independent studies, aesthetic experiences, service projects, and research opportunities in healthcare, business, and computer science, mathematics, and more.
  • Deep Ethical Inquiry – Engage with great thinkers, similarly focused peers, sacred texts, and modern dilemmas to understand how moral decisions shape the world.
  • A Foundation for Any Future – Whether you’re pursuing graduate school, a Pre-Med path, business leadership, entrepreneurship, or any of our Majors, our Ethical Foundations Honors Program gives you a distinct advantage from day one.

Major Departments:

  • Art / Ancient, Expressive, Visual
  • Biology & Science / Pre-Med
  • Business, Mathematics, & Computer Science
  • Education
  • History & Social Sciences
  • Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Language & Literature
  • Psychology
  • Religion, Sacred Languages, & Philosophy

What You Gain:

  • A strong foundation in ethical reasoning
  • A compass to navigate complex moral decisions with clarity
  • Critical thinking and communication—integrating faith, reason, and leadership
  • Hands-on experience through internships, independent studies, aesthetic experiences, research, and service-learning
  • A connection between faith and action—applying New Church teachings to real-world challenges

Core Honors Courses:

  • Rel190H – Principles of Expression (1 credit, taken three times)
  • Phil111H – Moral Philosophy (3 credits)
  • Hon280H – Choice and Character: An Exploration of Ethical Leadership (3 credits)

Ethical Applications in Your Major:

  • Courses in business ethics, political philosophy, bioethics, AI ethics, and more.
  • Hands-on internships, independent studies, and research projects.

Capstone Project:

  • A senior essay or project applying New Church teachings to real-world ethical challenges.

Are You Ready to Choose More?

If you’re looking for a program that challenges you to think beyond the ordinary—to bridge faith, ethics, and the real world—you’ve found it.

Program Forms and Resource Links