Individualized Distance Learning

ST502

Kärkkäinen

ST502: SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY 2: CHRISTOLOGY AND SOTERIOLOGY (4 units).

Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen , Professor of Systematic Theology.

DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to provide a theological understanding of Christian beliefs about Christ, salvation, and the Holy Spirit. Topics include biblical and historical developments of Christological and pneumatological traditions, their contemporary and contextual/intercultural varieties, various approaches to election, atonement, salvation, forgiveness, healing, Spirit-baptism, as well reconciliation of communities. An Evangelical theology will be constructed in dialogue with ecumenical and intercultural perspectives, and in light of the church’s mission to other religions.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/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 topics for this course; (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.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:

An essential part of preparation for Christian ministry is to learn to think theologically through issues of faith and ministry.

COURSE FORMAT:

The course uses recorded lectures, a detailed study guide, and readings. It is designed to be completed in one quarter while allowing for flexibility in the student’s schedule.

REQUIRED READING:

· Green, J. B. and M. D. Baker. Recovering the Scandal of the Cross. InterVarsity Press, 2000.

· Grenz, S. J. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 243-460.

· Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Pneumatology. The Holy Spirit in International, Ecumenical, and Historical Perspectives. Baker Academic, 2002.

· __________. Christology. A Global Introduction. Baker Academic, 2003.

· __________. One with God: Salvation as Deification and Justification. Liturgical Press, 2004

· Shults, F. L. & Sandage, S. J. The Faces of Forgiveness. Baker, 2003.
OR Blue, K. Authority to Heal. InterVarsity Press, 1987.

Choose one contextual/intercultural/interreligious text from below or of your choice (200 pp.):

· Comblin, J. The Holy Spirit and Liberation. Orbis, 1989.

· Cone, J. H. A Black Theology of Liberation. 2nd ed. Orbis, 1986.

· Imbach, J. Three Faces of Jesus: How Jews, Christians and Muslims See Him. Templegate, 1993

· Kärkkäinen, V.-M. An Introduction to the Theology of Religions. InterVarsity Press, 2003.

· Küster, Volker. The Many Faces of Jesus. An Intercultural Christology. Orbis, 2001.

· Parsons, S. F., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.

· Ramachandra, V. The Recovery of Mission: Beyond the Pluralist Paradigm. Paternoster, 1996.

· Serretti, M., ed. The Uniqueness and Universality of Jesus Christ: In Dialogue with the Religions. Eerdmans, 2004.

· Summer, G. The First and the Last: The Claims of Jesus Christ and the Claims of Other Religious Traditions. Eerdmans, 2004.

· Tiessen, Terrance L. Who Can Be Saved?: Reassessing Salvation in Christ and World Religions. InterVarsity Press, 2004 (substitutes also for either Shults or Blue above).

· Yong, A. Beyond the Impasse: Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Religions. Baker, 2003.

RECOMMENDED READING: Syllabus lists a number of sources for various topics.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Weekly Theological Reflections on lectures and 1,200 pages of required reading (20%)

2. Reading responses, 15-pages (20%)

3. A research paper of 10-pages (40%)

4. Final project: "My theological statement," 5-pages (20%).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets M.Div. core requirement in Systematic Theology “B” (STB). Ministry Focus Elective in MA in Global Leadership degree.

FINAL EXAMINATION: No.

Updated May 2008