DESCRIPTION:

This course discusses Christian beliefs about ecclesiology and eschatology. The topics include the church, its nature as expressed in various ecclesial traditions, ministry and mission, sacraments/ordinances, as well as various approaches to the last things: parousia, death, resurrection, new creation, judgment, millennium, heaven and hell. On the basis of biblical and historical developments, a contemporary Evangelical theology will be construed in dialogue with ecumenical and contextual/intercultural perspectives.

An essential part of preparation for Christian ministry is to learn to think theologically through issues of faith and ministry. The student is encouraged to develop his/her own theology and cultivate ecumenical, cultural, and interreligious sensitivity toward other traditions.

Class will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions of lectures, discussions, & student presentations.

Grenz, S.J. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000 (relevant sections).

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. An Introduction to Ecclesiology. InterVarsity Press, 2002.

__________. Toward a Pneumatological Theology, ed. Amos Yong. UPA, 2002 (relevant sections).

Schwartz, H. Eschatology. Eerdmans, 2000.

A text on a special topic: choose one:

Fudge, E.W. & R.A. Peterson. Two Views of Hell. InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Gelder, C. van. The Essence of the Church. A Community Created by the Spirit. Baker, 2000.

Gelder C. van, ed. Confident Witness. (Gospel and Culture Series.) Eerdmans, 1999.

Grenz, S.J. The Millennial Maze. InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Guder, D.L. and L. Barrett, eds. Missional Church. Eerdmans, 1998.

George, T. Pilgrims on the Sawdust Trail: Evangelical Ecumenism. Baker, 2004.

Husbands, M., et al., eds. The Community of the Word. InterVarsity Press, 2005.

Kimball, D. The Emerging Church. Zondervan, 2003.

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

A contextual and/or intercultural text (sections relevant for the course): choose one:

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

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

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

González, J. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Abingdon, 1990.

Parratt, J. Reinventing Christianity: African Theology Today. Eerdmans, 1995.

Parsons, S.F., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.

Russell, L.M. Church in the Round: Feminist Interpretation of the Church. WJKP, 1993.

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

__________. The Coming of God: Christian Eschatology. SCM Press, 1994.

Pannenberg, W. Systematic Theology. Vol. 3. Eerdmans, 1993.

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

(1) 1,200 pages of required reading. (2) Reading responses: about 15 pages. (3) A research paper, 10 pages. (4) Final exam: topics will be given in the beginning of the course.