Individualized Distance Learning

ST516

Anderson

ST516: THEOLOGY OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AND MINISTRY ( 4 units).

Ray S. Anderson, Senior Professor of Theology and Ministry

DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to show how the church as the continued presence and ministry of Jesus emerges out of the sending of the Holy Spirit in the world, the apostolic witness, and the existence of a community of believers. The church is understood as the continued ministry of Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. A theological paradigm for ministry will be developed, showing how Christ's ministry through his whole church empowers all members of the church, both men and women, for the full ministry of Christ.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Students will:

  1. Apply theological principles to concrete and practical ministry situations through case study and critique
  2. Learn how to do theological reflection in the context of ministry
 

COURSE FORMAT :

Students will study at their own pace over a ten-week period. Audio lectures will be provided, along with .lecture outlines, a study guide, and supplementary materials.

 

REQUIRED READING:

·          Anderson, R.S. Expanded Lecture Syllabus.

·          Anderson, R.S. The Soul of Ministry. Westminster John Knox, 1997.

·          Bloesch, Donald. The Church: Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission. InterVarsity, 2002.

·          Green, Michael. I Believe in the Holy Spirit. Eerdmans, Revised Edition, 2004.

·          Kraus, C. Norman. The Community of the Spirit. Herald Press, 1993.

·          Ogden, Greg. The New Reformation: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Zondervan, Revised edition, 2003.

ELECTIVE READING:
Select one of the following texts:

·          Dyrness, William. Learning About Theology from the Third World. Zondervan, 1990

·          Belleville, Linda L. Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions. Baker, 2000

·          Rowland, Christopher. ed. The Cambridge Companion to Liberation Theology. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1999

·          Thomas, Linda E. ed. Living Stones in the Household of God: The Legacy and Future of Black Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

Students wishing to work towards an A level grade will be required to read 1500 pages, including the assigned reading, and complete four take-home exam questions.

 

Students wishing to work towards a B level grade will be required to read 1000 pages of reading from the assigned reading list, and complete two take-home exam questions.

 

All students will submit a 500 word book review of one of the elective reading texts.

 

PREREQUISITES: None

 

RELATION TO CURRICULUM: Meets M.Div. core requirement in Systematic Theology C (STC). Ministry Focus Elective in MA in Global Leadership

FINAL EXAMINATION: No

Updated July 2007