DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to provide a theological understanding of Christian beliefs about revelation and Scripture, the triune God, creation and providence, human beings as the image of God, and the fall, evil, and sin; current issues such as ecology and relation to other faiths will also be discussed. On the basis of biblical and historical developments, a contemporary Evangelical theology will be constructed in dialogue with ecumenical, intercultural, and interreligious perspectives.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: An essential part of preparation for Christian ministry is to learn to think theologically through issues of faith and ministry.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a basic understanding of issues in their traditional and contemporary expressions; (2) an ability to reflect theologically upon the course topics; (3) skills towards developing one's own theology in critical dialogue with various views; (4) an acquaintance with a range of cultural and contextual matters that shape our understanding of theological issues; (5) an appreciation of ecumenical and cultural diversity.

COURSE FORMAT: Meets twice weekly for two-hour sessions for lecture, discussion & student presentations.

REQUIRED READING:

*Dyrness, W. & Kärkkäinen, V.-M., eds., Global Dictionary of Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2008 (selected pp.) 996 pp. ISBN: 9780830824540. Retail price: $50.00.

*Grenz, S.J. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 1-242. ISBN: 9780802847553. Pub.price $40.00.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction. Baker, 2004. 301 pp. ISBN: 0801027527. Pub.price $30.00.

Placher, W.C., ed. Essentials of Christian Theology. Westminster John Knox, 2003, pp. 1-181, 297-328 ). ISBN: 978-0664223953. Pub.price $39.95.

Special topic, choose one:

Beilby, J.K. & P.R. Eddy. Divine Foreknowledge: Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 2001, 221 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0830826520. Pub.price $20.00.

Bouma-Prediger, S. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. 2nd ed. Baker Academic. 240 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0801036958. Pub.price $24.99.

Fiddes, P. Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity. Westminster John Knox, 2001. 212 pp. ISBN: 9780664223359. Pub.price $29.95.

Fisher, Christopher. Human Significance in Theology and the Natural Sciences: An Ecumenical Perspective with Reference to Pannenberg, Rahner, and Zizioulas. Pickwick, 2010. ISBN: 9781606080535. 351 pp. Pub.price $40.00.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Trinity. Global Perspectives. WJKP, 2007 (relevant sections). ISBN: 9780664228903. Pub.price $39.95.

McKim, D.K. The Bible in Theology & Preaching. Wipf & Stock, 1999, 250 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1579102449. Pub.price $26.00.

McFadyen, A. Bound by Sin: Abuse, Holocaust and the Christian Doctrine of Sin. Cambridge University Press, 2000. 272 pp. ISBN: 9780521438681. Pub.price $35.99.

McFadyen, A. Call to Personhood: A Christian Theory of the Individual in Social Relationships. Cambridge University Press, 1990. 340 pp. ISBN: 9780521409292. Pub.price $38.99.

Moltmann, J. The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God. SCM, 1991. 276 pp. ISBN: 9780800628253. Pub.price $23.00.

Murphy, N. Bodies and Souls or Spirited Bodies? Cambridge, 2006. 164 pp. ISBN: 9780521676762. Pub.price $25.99.

Pinnock, C. Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God's Openness. Baker, 2001. 218 pp. ISBN: 9780801022906. Pub.price $24.00.

Plantinga, A. Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin. Eerdmans, 1996. 216 pp. ISBN: 978-0802842183. Pub.price $22.00.

Polkinhorne. J.C. Science and Providence: God's Interaction with the World. Templeton Press, 2005. 140 pp. ISBN: 9781932031928. Pub.price $14.95.

Schwarz, H. Creation, 216 pp. Eerdmans, 2002. ISBN: 978-0802860668. Pub.price: $29.00.

Shuster, M. The Fall and Sin: What We Have Become as Sinners. Eerdmans, 2003. 292 pp. ISBN: 978-0802809940. Pub.price $30.00.

Volf, M. Exclusion and Embrace. Abingdon, 1996. 336 pp. ISBN: 9780687002825. Pub.price $28.00.

A contextual/intercultural/interreligious study (relevant sections) choose one:

Barnes, M. Theology and the Dialogue of Religions. Cambridge, 2002. 292 pp. ISBN: 9780521009089. Pub.price $43.00.

Boff, L. Trinity and Society. Orbis, 1988. 288 pp. ISBN: 9781597521383. Pub.price $30.00.

Cone, J.H. God of the Oppressed. Orbis, 1997. 257 pp. ISBN: 9781570751585. Pub.price $20.00.

Evans, J. We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic Theology. Fortress, 1992. 192 pp. ISBN: 9780800626723. Pub.price $20.00.

Gonzáles, J. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Abingdon, 1990. 186 pp. ISBN: 9780687230679. Pub.price $20.00.

Johnson, E. She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse. Continuum, 1992. 344 pp. ISBN: 9780824519254. Pub.price $29.95.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Trinity and Religious Pluralism. Ashgate, 2004. 197 pp. ISBN: 978-754636465. Pub.price $29.95.

Kapolyo, J. M. The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives through African Eyes. InterVarsity Press, 2005. 170 pp. ISBN: 978-0830833023. Pub.price $16.00.

Kimmel, A.F., Jr., ed. Speaking the Christian God: The Holy Trinity and the Challenge of Feminism. Eerdmans, 1992. 348 pp. ISBN: 9780802806123. Pub.price $32.00.

McDermott, G. R. Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions? InterVarsity Press, 2001.233 pp. ISBN: 9780830822744. Pub.price $18.00.

Parratt, J. Reinventing Christianity: African Theology Today. Eerdmans, 1995. 228 pp. ISBN: 9780802841131. Pub.price $21.00.

Tennent, T.C. Christianity at the Religious Roundtable. Baker Academic, 2002. 270 pp. ISBN: 978-0801026027. Pub.price: $27.00.

* = These books are required reading in all three systematics courses taught by Dr. Kärkkäinen.