DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of Christian beliefs about the incarnation, the person of Christ as the basis for reconciliation with God, justification and sanctification, and the atonement. We will emphasize the christological and soteriological themes most relevant for Hispanic/Latino Christianity, such as popular christologies and jesuologies, pneumatological christologies, marginality, and liberationism. On the basis of biblical and socio-historical developments, a contemporary Evangelical-Latino/a theology will be constructed in dialogue with ecumenical, contextual, classical theologies in connection with spiritual reflections on the ministry of Jesus Christ.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a foundational knowledge of the central doctrines of Christianity, particularly: the incarnation, the person of Christ as the basis for reconciliation of the world with God, justification and sanctification, and the atonement; (2) an understanding of the interrelated character of these doctrines as experienced and expressed within Latino/a religious communities; (3) an acquaintance with an ecumenical environment disclosing a range of cultural and historical variations informing a diverse and yet common ground for the practice of these Christian beliefs; (4) an ability to reflect theologically upon contemporary and controversial themes, particularly pneumatological christologies, popular christologies/jesuologies, marginality, and human liberation; (5) an integrated experience where doctrine and spiritual reflections on the ministry of Christ forge a domestic spirituality for Latino/a ministry.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Christologies and soteriologies within the context of Latino religiosity (Latin Americans and U.S. Latinos/as) represent a fertile and challenging loci for theological reflection due to the merging of Roman Catholicism, Evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism. Naturally then a sound biblico-doctrinal foundation informed by traditional and contextual theological views and endowed by a domestic spirituality are vital for any ministry worker interested in impacting these communities and their greater contexts.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet weekly for three-and-a-half-hour sessions. Students are expected to study beforehand the required readings for the week and take part in assigned presentations.

REQUIRED READING:

Barth, Karl. Esbozo de dogmática. Sal Terrae, 2000.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. El precio de la gracia--seguimiento. 6th ed. Sígueme, 2004.

Boff, Leonardo. La cruz nuestra de cada día: Fuente de vida y de resurrección. Sal Terrae, 2006.

González Faus, J. I. La humanidad nueva: Ensayo de cristología. 9th ed. Sal Terrae, 1984.

González, Justo L. Breve historia de las doctrinas cristianas. Abingdon, 2007.

1. Students are expected to have studied the reading assignment for the week in its entirety.

2. Each week students will prepare a two-page critical reflection paper based on the reading (40%).

3. Each week students will reflect on Christological issues from a devotional perspective and will keep a journal (5%)

4. Students will give class presentations on their "critical reflection essays" that articulate a personal critical response on the assigned topic as well as an illustration of how such a doctrinal expression is embodied in their own religious setting (10%).

5. A Personal Creedal Document (of doctrines discussed in this course), 10 pp. (30%).

6. A Final (Take Home) Exam (15%).