Fall 2018/Pasadena

HT503

Lee

HT503: THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF CHURCH, HUMANITY, AND CHRISTIAN LIFE IN ITS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Daniel D. Lee.

DESCRIPTION: HT503 is a survey of systematic and philosophical theology that focuses especially on revelation and scripture; creation and providence; theological anthropology (human identity and nature, the image of God, the fall, sin, and evil), soteriology (the election, calling, justification, regeneration, and sanctification of the Christian), and ecclesiology (the ministry and mission of the church). The course reflects the historic Christian church's development of these doctrines in dialogue with its opponents and with its cultural context. Related topics and themes to be addressed may include the development and articulation of the inspiration and authority of scripture, God's work in creation, human persons in relation to God, and the place of the church in the purposes of God.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete HT503 will demonstrate: (1) a basic critical theological knowledge of the conceptual and normative dimensions of the doctrines of revelation, creation and providence, anthropology, soteriology, and ecclesiology 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 twice weekly for two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion.

REQUIRED READING: 1100 pages required.

Buck, Jennifer M. Reframing the House: Constructive Feminist Global Ecclesiology for the Western Evangelical Church. Pickwick, 2016. ISBN: 978-1498278829, Pub Price $25.00. [110 pp. assigned]

Evans, James E.We have Been Believers.Fortress Press, 2012. ISBN:978-0800698782, Pub. Price $29.00. [96 pp. assigned].

Forde, Gerhard O. On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation, 1518. Eerdmans, 1997. ISBN: 978-0802843456, Pub. Price:$21.50 [118 pp.].

Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World: A Global Introduction. (Submitted manuscript, available via eReserves) Eerdmans, 2018. [255 pp. assigned].

Course Reader contains texts by Jürgen Moltmann, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Karl Barth, Justo González, Sang Hyun Lee, John Howard, Yoder, Ray Anderson, and others [170 pp.].

Two additional books chosen by the student from a list in the syllabus [approximately 250 pages]

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

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1,100 pages of required reading (5% of the final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 3]. [74 hours].
Class Attendance and Participation (5% of the final grade) [40 hours].
Two 1000-word critical analysis essays based on readings of two primary texts, one historical, one contemporary (25% each for a total of 50% of the final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2, 3]. [16 hours, 10 of which are DLAs].
A research essay on an assigned topic [10 pages] (40% of the final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [30 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH2 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH2 requirement in the 80 MATM and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015). Meets the STB requirement in the 144 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.