DESCRIPTION:

A survey of theological issues and developments from the second century A.D. as far as Ambrose and Augustine in the West and John of Damascus in the East.

This course is designed to enable students to understand more fully their own identity as Christians and as members of the Christian church by providing them with a view of the relationship of the historical course of Christianity to the present day existence and belief-structure of the church by giving them the tools to move toward a theologically spiritually responsible ministry in light of the church's historic witness.

Four hours of lecture/discussion per day. Assigned reading is to be completed as preparation for classwork.

Burns, J. Theological Anthropology. Fortress, 1981.

Froelich, K. Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church. Fortress, 1984.

Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Doctrines. 3rd ed. Harper & Row, 1978.

Norris, Richard A., ed. The Christological Controversy. Fortress, 1980.

Rusch, W. The Trinitarian Controversy. Fortress, 1980.

Selected readings as noted in Syllabus (photocopied).

Elwell, ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Baker, 1984.

González, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought. 3 Vols. 2nd ed. Abingdon, 1986.

Muller, Richard A. Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms. Baker, 1986.

Completion of assigned reading; four written analyses of assigned documents; final examination.

None.

Meets M. Div. core requirement in Church History "a" (CHA).

Yes.