DESCRIPTION:

This course in an introduction to the doctrines of ecclesiology and eschatology, including the topics of worship, sacraments, death, resurrection, judgment, heaven and hell, and the nature and life of the church. The course is intended to provide students with the resources for developing their own understanding about these areas of Christian theology.

A thoughtful understanding of the life and worship of the church is important to Christian ministry and will influence what is preached and taught. Therefore it is essential for students to begin forming a framework from which they will carry out their ministries as well as live their Christian lives. Students are encouraged to consider their own faith traditions in dialogue with others who may be from a different spiritual heritage.

The class will meet daily for four-hour sessions for two weeks. Class time will be divided among lectures, large and small group discussion, and student presentations.

Grenz, Stanley J. The Millennial Maze. InterVarsity Press, 1992.

__________. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000 (relevant sections).

Guder, Darrell L., ed. Missional Church. Eerdmans, 1998.

Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. An Introduction to Ecclesiology. InterVarsity Press, 2002.

Course reader.

Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry. Faith and Order Paper No. 111. WCC, 1982.

Barr, William R. Constructive Theology in the Worldwide Church. Eerdmans, 1997.

Bauckham, R. God Will Be All in All: The Eschatology of Jürgen Moltmann. T&T Clark, 1999.

Evans, James. We Have Been Believers: African American Systematic Theology. Fortress, 1992.

Gonzáles, Justo. Mañana: Christian Theology from an Hispanic Perspective. Abingdon, 1990.

Lumen Gentium: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. (Vatican Council II), 1966.

Moltmann, Jürgen. The Coming of God. Fortress Press, 1996.

Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology. vol. 3. Eerdmans, 1993.

Russell, Letty. Church in the Round: Feminist Interpretation of the Church. Westminster, 1993.

Torrance, James B. Worship, Community and the People of God. InterVarsity Press, 1996.

Volf, Miroslav. After Our Image: The Church as the Image of the Trinity. Eerdmans, 1998.

White, James F. The Sacraments in Protestant Practice. Abingdon, 1999.

Zizioulas, John. Being as Communion. St. Vladimir's Press, 1985.

In addition to required reading and participation in class discussion, students are asked to write four two-page papers (in response to reading assignments). Students will also write two 10-page papers, one in the area of ecclesiology and the other in the area of eschatology, to be submitted by August 1 and September 12, or students may choose to write a single 20-page paper integrating different aspects of the course that will be due on the second of the above dates.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Systematic Theology "C" (STC).