DESCRIPTION:

This doctoral seminar (open to a maximum of five advanced master's level students) studies ecclesiastical traditions and developments at the international and ecumenical level as well as ecclesiologies of some leading contemporary theologians. Special topics include mission, unity, communion, Eucharist, charisms, and the ministry of the whole people of God.

Theological reflection on various issues related to the nature and mission of Christian community in its contemporary contexts is an essential task for theologians and ministers.

The class will meet once a week for a three-hour session of discussion and student presentations.

Boff, L. Ecclesiogenesis: The Base Communities Reinvent the Church. Orbis,1986.

Fiorenza, E. S. Discipleship of Equals: Critical Feminist Ekklesia-logy of Liberation. Crossroad, 1993.
OR Russell, L. M. Church in the Round: Feminist Interpretation of the Church. Westminster John Knox, 1993.

Garijo-Guembe, M. M. Communion of the Saints. Liturgical Press, 1994.

Gelder C. van, ed. Confident Witness. (Gospel and Culture Series.) Eerdmans, 1999.
OR Guder, D. L. and L. Barrett. Missional Church. Eerdmans, 1998.

Jenson, R. W. and Braaten, C. In One Body Through the Cross. Eerdmans, 2003.
OR Idem. The Ecumenical Future. Eerdmans, 2004.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Ecclesiology: An Ecumenical, Historical, & Contextual Introduction. InterVarsity Press, 2002.

Kimball, D. The Emerging Church. Zondervan, 2003.
OR Gibbs, E. ChurchNext: Quantum Changes in How We Do Ministry. InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Moltmann, J. The Church in the Power of the Spirit. SCM Press, 1977.

Pannenberg, W. Systematic Theology. Vol. 3. Eerdmans, 1998 (section on the church).

Stackhouse, J. G. ed. Evangelical Ecclesiology: Reality or Illusion? Baker 2003.

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

"Articles on Ecclesiology." Course Reader. Ed. V-M. Kärkkäinen. FTS Bookstore.

Lumen Gentium; Unitatis Redintegratio (in Vatican II documents, ed. A. Flannery or Vatican website).

"Mission as Reconciliation." CWME 2005 Preparatory Paper No.4 <http://www.mission2005.org>.

"The Nature and Purpose of the Church." Faith and Order Paper No. 181, 1998 <http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/nature1.html>.

The Church as Communion. Ed. Holze. Lutheran World Federation # 42, LWF, 1997.

Harvey, B. Another City: An Ecclesiological Primer for a Post-Christian World. Trinity Press, 1999.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Toward a Pneumatological Theology. Ed. A. Yong. University Press of America, 2002.

Meyer, H. That All May Be One: Perceptions and Models of Ecumenicity. Eerdmans, 1999.

(1) A careful reading of the required texts. (2) Reading responses, max. 20 pages (3) A major research paper, 30 pages. (4) Student presentations. (5) Active participation in discussions.