Fall 2020/Fuller Online

HT504

Oden

HT504: MODERN THEOLOGY IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT (4 Units: 160 hours). Patrick Oden.

DESCRIPTION: HT504 is a survey of systematic and philosophical theology that focuses especially on the articulation of Christian doctrine in the modern world. The course reflects the historic Christian church’s development of eschatology in its dialogue with its opponents and with its cultural context, including the current global diversity and plurality. It also considers recent constructive theologies, including theologies of liberation, public theology, and contextual theology. Related topics and themes to be addressed may include the development and articulation of the Christian doctrine of the four last things (death, judgment, heaven, and hell), the intermediate state, so-called “contextual” theologies, and the place of theology in contemporary public life; the relation of Christian theology to other religious traditions may also be included in this consideration.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: : Students who complete HT504 will demonstrate: (1) a basic critical theological knowledge of the conceptual and normative dimensions of Christian eschatology, and of recent constructive theologies (e.g. theologies of liberation, public theology, and contextual theology); (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: HT504 introduces students to a basic historical knowledge of the church in its diverse global expressions of theology and practice, particularly as that diversity has been manifested over the course of the last three centuries, 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. This course modality provisions a fully asynchronous structure enhanced with optional synchronous meeting times. Although it does not require synchronous meeting times, faculty may provide one or more opportunities for live interaction scheduled to support represented time zones.

REQUIRED READING: Approximately 1266 pages of required reading.

Course Reader (available on Canvas and online) including essays and excerpts from historical and contemporary theology, including but not limited to: Joachim, Aquinas, Calvin, Wesley, Darby, Oduyoye, Pannenberg, Moltmann, Bediako, Chan, Grenz, Andrew Walls, Elizabeth Johnson, etc. (approximately 200 pages).

Green, Gene L., Stephen T. Pardue, and Khiok-Khng Yeo, eds. All Things New: Eschatology in

the Majority World. Global Library, 2019. ISBN: 978-1783686469, Pub. Price: $25.00
[150 pages assigned] *

Jacobsen, Douglas. Global Gospel: An Introduction to Christianity on Five Continents. Baker

Academic, 2015. ISBN: 978-0801049934, Pub. Price: $28.00 [270 pages assigned] *

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Hope and Community: A Constructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World,

vol. 5. Eerdmans, 2017. ISBN: 978-0802868572, Pub. Price $50.00. [220 pages assigned]. *

Pick One from each category:

Modern Theology in Autobiographical Perspective [280 pages assigned]:

Hauerwas, Stanley. Hannah’s Child. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012. ISBN: 978-0802867391,

Pub. Price $20.00. *

Moltmann, Jürgen. A Broad Place. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0800696542,

Pub. Price $25.00.

Oden, Thomas. A Change of Heart. Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP, 2014. ISBN: 978-0800696542,

Pub. Price $40.00.

Sanneh, Lamin. Summoned from the Margin: Homecoming of an African. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,

2012. ISBN: 978-0802867421, Pub. Price: $24.00

Modern Global Theology in Regional Perspective [150 pages assigned]:

Ela, Jean Marc. My Faith as an African. Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2009.
ISBN: 978-1606086230, Pub. Price $25.00.

Gutierrez, Gustavo. We Drink from Our Own Wells. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2003.
ISBN: 978-1570754968 Pub. Price $24.00. *

Starr, Chloë. Chinese Theology: Text and Context.. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016.

ISBN: 978-0300204216, Pub. Price: $50.00 [278pg book, choose 150 pages to read] *

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1266 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3]. [80 hours].
Class Lectures and Discussions [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3]. [30 hours].
Weekly Canvas forum discussions on readings which will include a 250+ post related to the readings, a question derived from the content of the week, and a 100+ word response to another student’s question. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3] (35% of final grade). [10 hours].
Integrative critical reflection on “Modern Theology in Autobiographical Perspective.” Student will engage key themes of course in light of chosen text from category A. (500 words) (8% of grade) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 2-3] [3 hours].
Integrative critical reflection on “Modern Global Theology in Regional Perspective”. Student will engage key themes of course in light of chosen text from category B. (500 words) (8% of grade) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 2-3] [3 hours].
A research paper (10 pages) 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] [30 hours].
Final Exam: online, multiple-choice exam covering lecture material. (14% of grade) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3] [4 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH3 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program and the 80 MAT Program (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH3 requirement in the MATM Program (Fall 2015). Meets STC in the 144 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.