Winter 2014/Pasadena
ST501
Kärkkäinen
ST501: SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY 1: THEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen.
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 evolution, 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: This class will meet twice a week for two-hour sessions for ten weeks for lecture, discussion, and student presentations.
REQUIRED READING: Selections from the following sources:
COURSE READER available at Moodle.
Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction. Baker, 2004. ISBN: 978-0801027529, Pub. Price $30.00 [316 pp.].
Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Trinity and Revelation: A Constructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World. Eerdmans, 2013 forthcoming. Unpublished MS available at Moodle.
Migliore, D. Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 2004. ISBN: 978-0802827876, Pub. Price $28.00 [457 pp.].
Schwarz, H. Creation. Eerdmans, 2002. ISBN: 978-0802860668, Pub. Price $29.00 [266 pp.].
Special topic: Choose one from EITHER A or B (max. 200 pp.):
A. Revelation and God:
Bacote, L.C., et al., eds. Evangelicals & Scripture: Tradition, Authority & Hermeneutics. InterVarsity Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-0830827756, Pub. Price $23.00 [245 pp.].
Beilby, J.K. & P.R. Eddy. Divine Foreknowledge: Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 2001. ISBN: 978-0830826520, Pub. Price $20.00 [221 pp.].
Fiddes, P. Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity. Westminster John Knox, 2000. ISBN: 978-0664223359, Pub. Price $30.00 [212 pp.].
Ganssle, G. God & Time: Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 2001. ISBN: 978-0830815517, Pub. Price $20.00 [246 pp.].
Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Trinity: Global Perspectives. Westminster John Knox, 2007. ISBN: 978-0664228903, Pub. Price $40.00 [relevant sections].
McGrath, A. Dawkins’ God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life. Blackwell, 2004. ISBN: 978-1405125383, Pub. Price $27.95 [208 pp.].
Moltmann, J. The Crucified God: The Cross of Christ as the Foundation and Criticism of Christian Theology. Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 978-0800628222, Pub. Price $29.00 [364 pp.].
Moltmann, J. The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God. Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 978-0800628253, Pub. Price $27.00 [256 pp.].
Pannenberg, W. Systematic Theology. Vol. 1. Eerdmans, 1991. ISBN: 978-0802865038, Pub. Price $60.00 [chapters 4 and 5].
Pinnock, C. Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God’s Openness. Baker, 2001. ISBN: 978-0801022906, Pub. Price $24.00 [218 pp.].
Volf, M. Exclusion and Embrace. Abingdon, 1996. ISBN: 978-0687002825, Pub. Price $28.00 [336 pp.].
B. Creation and Humanity
Bouma-Prediger, S. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2010. ISBN: 978-0801036958, Pub. Price $25.00 [240 pp.].
Davis, J.J. The Frontiers of Science & Faith: Examining Questions from the Big Bang to the End of the Universe. InterVarsity Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0830826643, Pub. Price $15.00 [200 pp.] ***OUT OF PRINT.
Fisher, Christopher. Human Significance in Theology and the Natural Sciences. Pickwick, 2010. ISBN: 978-1606080535, Pub. Price $40.00 [351 pp.].
Gunton, C.E. The Triune Creator: A Historical and Systematic Study. Eerdmans, 1998. ISBN: 978-0802845757, Pub. Price $27.50 [260 pp.].
McFadyen, A. Bound by Sin: Abuse, Holocaust and the Christian Doctrine of Sin. Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0521438681, Pub. Price $42.00 [272 pp.].
McGrath, A.E. A Fine-Tuned Universe: The Quest for God in Science and Theology. Westminster John Knox, 2009. ISBN: 978-0664233105, Pub. Price $40.00 [288 pp.].
Moltmann, J. God in Creation: A New Theology of Creation and the Spirit of God. Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 978-0800628239, Pub. Price $29.00 [pages 1-214 OR pages 185-296].
Murphy, N. Bodies and Souls or Spirited Bodies? Cambridge, 2006. ISBN: 978-0521676762, Pub. Price $28.99 [164 pp.].
Nelson, D.R. What’s Wrong with Sin? Sin in Individual and Social Perspectives from Schleiermacher to Theologies of Liberation. T&T Clark, 2009. ISBN: 978-0567266767, Pub. Price $44.95 [232 pp.].
Pannenberg, W. Systematic Theology. Vol. 2. Eerdmans, 1994. ISBN: 978-0802837073, Pub. Price $60.00 [pages 1-174 OR pages 175-275].
Polkinhorne. J. Science and Providence: God’s Interaction with the World. Templeton Press, 2005. ISBN: 978-1932031928, Pub. Price $14.95 [140 pp.].
Sanders, J. The God Who Risks: A Theology of Providence. 2nd ed. InterVarsity Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0830828371, Pub. Price $27.00 [384 pp.].
Yong, A. The Spirit of Creation: Modern Science and Divine Action in the Pentecostal-Charismatic Imagination. Eerdmans, 2011. ISBN: 978-0802866127, Pub. Price $32.00 [256 pp.].
A contextual/intercultural or interreligious text: Choose one from EITHER A or B (max. 200 pp.):
A. Contextual/Intercultural:
Boff, L. Trinity and Society. Orbis, 2005. ISBN: 978-1597521383, Pub. Price $30.00 [288 pp.].
Cone, J.H. God of the Oppressed. Orbis, 1997. ISBN: 978-1570751585, Pub. Price $20.00 [257 pp.].
Gonzales, M.A. Created in God’s Image: An Introduction to Feminist Theological Anthropology. Orbis, 2007. ISBN: 978-1570756979, Pub. Price $24.00 [210 pp.].
Hopkins, D.A. Being Human: Race, Culture, and Religion. Fortress, 2005. ISBN: 978-0800637576, Pub. Price $22.00 [236 pp.].
Johnson, E. She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse. Continuum, 2002. ISBN: 978-0824519254, Pub. Price $29.95 [344 pp.].
Kapolyo, J.M. The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives through African Eyes. InterVarsity Press, 2005. ISBN: 978-0830833023, Pub. Price $16.00 [170 pp.] ***OUT OF PRINT.
Keller, K. From the Broken Web: Sexism, Separation, and Self. Beacon Press, 1988. ISBN: 978-0807067437, Pub. Price $23.00 [296 pp.].
B. Interfaith Encounter and Comparative Theology:
Clooney, F. Hindu God, Christian God: How Reason Helps Break Down the Boundaries between Religions. Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0199738724, Pub. Price $24.95 [220 pp.].
Coward, H., ed. Experiencing Scripture in World Religions. Orbis, 2000. ISBN: 978-1570752988, Pub. Price $45.00 [178 pp.] ***OUT OF PRINT.
Ipgrave, M., ed. Scriptures in Dialogue: Christians and Muslims Studying the Bible and the Qur’an Together. Church House Publishing, 2004. ISBN: 978-0898694659, Pub. Price $20.00 [154 pp.].
Schimmel, A.M., and Abdoldjavad Falaturi, eds. We Believe in One God. London: Burns & Oates, 1980. ISBN: 978-0860120780 [200 pp.] ***OUT OF PRINT.
Tennent, T.C. Christianity at the Religious Roundtable. Baker Academic, 2002. ISBN: 978-0801026027, Pub. Price $26.00 [270 pp.].
Volf, Miroslav. Allah: A Christian Response. HarperOne, 2011. ISBN: 978-0061927072, Pub. Price. $25.99 [336 pp.].
Ward, P. Concepts of God. Images of the Divine in Five Religious Traditions. Oxford: One, 1998. ISBN: 978-1851680641, Pub. Price $14.95 [208 pp.].
Ward, K. Religion & Revelation: A Theology of Revelation in the World’s Religions. Oxford University Press, 1994. ISBN: 978-0198263753, Pub. Price $45.00 [360 pp.].
Ward, K. Religion & Creation. Oxford University Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0198263944, Pub. Price $205.00 [360 pp.].
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1,200 pp. of required reading and 15 pp. of critical reflections (32%).
Short Quizz(es) (8%)
A 10-page research paper (40%).
A final project: “My theological statement,” 5 pp. (20%).
PREREQUISITES: None. Yet at least one course in biblical studies and in historical theology/church history as well as philosophical theology are strongly recommended.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv Systematic Theology “a” (STA); meets MAT, MATM (2010 revision) requirement.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.