Winter 2018/Pasadena

HT501

Clarke

HT501: THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND CHRIST IN ITS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION (4 Units: 163 hours). Clifton Clarke.

DESCRIPTION: HT501 is a survey of systematic and philosophical theology that focuses especially on the doctrine of God, The Trinity, Christology (comprising the person and work of Christ), and the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. The course reflects the historic Christian church's development of trinitarian and Christological theology and creeds in its dialogue with its opponents and with its cultural context. Related topics and themes to be addressed may include the development and articulation of the Christian doctrine of God including the divine perfections and nature, as well as the doctrine of the Trinity; the development and articulation of the person and work of Christ; and Pneumatology, the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete HT501 will demonstrate: (1) a basic critical theological knowledge of the conceptual and normative dimensions of the doctrines of God and Christ as those and other selected doctrines emerged in the early church and developed to this day; (2) a basic competence in interpreting historic and contemporary perorations of these doctrines and an ability to evaluate these theological issues and their historical and contemporary development; and (3) a critical and sympathetic appreciation for the breadth, unity, and diversity of the Christian church.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: selections from the following texts, not to exceed 1,100 pages.

ELECTRONIC COURSE READER contains essays and primary texts by leading theological scholars on contemporary topics, particularly the Trinity and Christology [200 pp.].

Clarke, Clifton., African Christology: Jesus in Post-Missionary African Christianity. Pickwick Publication, 2011. ISBN: 978-1608994335, Pub. Price $24.00 [approx. 187 pp. assigned 70].

Evans, James E. We have Been Believers. Fortress Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0800698782, Pub. Price $29.00. [approx. 227 pp. assigned 100].

González, Justo L. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Abingdon Press, 1990. ISBN: 978-0687230679, Pub. Price $21.99 [approx. 191 pp. assigned 100].

Grant, Jacquelyn., White Woman’s Christ and Black Women’s Jesus. American Academy of Religion, 1989. ISBN: 978-1555403034, Pub. Price $50.00 [approx. 263 pp. assigned 70].

Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, Matthew D. Lundberg. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0521690379, Pub. Price $34.99 [approx. 300 pp. assigned].

Yong, Amos., Renewing Christian Theology. Baylor University Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-1602587618, Pub. Price $49.95 [approx. 477 pp. assigned 200].

RECOMMENDED READING: Please see course syllabus for list of recommended reading.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1,100 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [73 hours].
Two 800-word critical response essays based on readings of two primary texts, one historical, one contemporary (30% each). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [30 hours, 10 of which are DLAs].
A research essay on an assigned topic [10 pages] (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [30 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH1 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH1 requirement in the 80 MATM and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015). Meets the STA requirement in the 144 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.