Summer 2020/Fuller Online

HT503

Ireland

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

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.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: HT503 introduces students to a basic historical and theological knowledge of the doctrines of the church, humanity, and the Christian life as these doctrines and associated practices developed especially in the medieval and Reformation church, with an eye to developing skills in interpretation and critical appreciation; it thereby seeks to implement the SOT PLO, “Students will have demonstrated capacities for historically informed theological and ethical reflection.”

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: 1,145-1,200 pp. of required reading.

Course Reader (available online) including essays and excerpts from historical and contemporary theology, including but not limited to: Augustine, Pelagius, Luther, Calvin, Yves Congar, Vatican II, John Zizioulas, Wolfart Pannenberg, Jürgen Moltmann, Kathryn Tanner, Alistair McFadyen et. al. [around 300 pages].

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Creation and Humanity. A Constructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World, vol. 3. Eerdmans, 2015. ISBN: 978-0802868558, Pub. Price $45.00. NOTE: Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [315 pp. assigned].

Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, Matthew D. Lundberg. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0521690379, Pub. Price $38.99 [330 pp. assigned].

Student will choose one text from a list of texts provided on the syllabus, which will allow the student to explore an area of specific interest in more depth [225-275 selected pages].

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

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1,145-1,200 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3]. [70 hours].
Video Instruction [15 hours].

Weekly online interaction and assignments consisting of one 300-350 word opening post and two response posts of 250 words. (25% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3] [30 hours].

One theological textual analysis (1,250 words, 5 pp.) (20% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 2 and 3] [10 hours].
One Exam (20% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1 and 2] [10 hours].
A research paper on an assigned topic (2,500 words, 9 pp.) on a topic of the student’s choice within the course description parameters (35% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3] [25 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.