DESCRIPTION: The Apostles' Creed uniquely teaches the theological basis for both faith and ministry and therefore offers an effective template to educate, inspire, and empower those ministering. We will look at each of the Creed's tenets in order to understand what they affirm and how these affirmations might inform our lives and ministries.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: This class will help those ministering in today's culture to (1) understand and apply their theology to their ministry setting, (2) deepen their grasp of Incarnational Witness, and (3) provide a template for teaching others to minister in a biblical context.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: At the completion of this class students will have demonstrated that they (1) have an introductory knowledge of the history and theology of the Apostles' Creed; (2) can identify a range of questions that might be addressed to particular tenets of the Apostles' Creed and to explore the application of these questions to particular contemporary issues and ministries; (3) can identify significant, critical resources for the study of the Apostles' Creed and deploy those sources critically in spiritual formation; (4) can read and apply the Apostles' Creed in ways that foster faithful Christian practice.

COURSE FORMAT: Conducted online, the ten weekly lessons align with Fuller's academic calendar. The course involves reading, writing, use of libraries and other resources, and interactive discussion. Each week students and the instructor will interact with the material through journaling, threaded discussion forums, and web-based research.

REQUIRED READING: A maximum of 1600 pages taken from the following:

Briscoe, Stuart. The Apostles' Creed: Beliefs That Matter. Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1984. 249 pages. ISBN: 0877880522. Price: $12.99.

Exploring and Proclaiming the Apostles' Creed. Edited by Roger E. Van Harn. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004. (This is a collection of essays on the Creed from various authors representing a wide variety of theological and racial/socio-economic positions.) 292 pages. ISBN: 0802821200. Price: $16.00.

Gonzalez, Justo L. The Apostles' Creed for Today. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2007. 93 pages. ISBN: 0664229336. Price: $10.15.

Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why It Matters. New York: Doubleday, 2005. 297 pages. ISBN: 0385502486. Price: $10.17.

McGrath, Allister. "I Believe": Exploring the Apostles' Creed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997. 113 pages. ISBN: 0830819460. Price $9.40.

Either Barclay, William. The Apostles' Creed. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1998. 321 pages. ISBN: 0664258263. Price: $15.00.
Or Luther, Martin. The Larger Catechism of Martin Luther. Translated by Robert H. Fischer. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1959. 105 pages. ISBN: 0800608852. Price $10.00.

1. Regular and timely participation in online discussions (20%).

2. Completion of Required Readings (10%).

3. Weekly Journal entries (10%).

4. 1-page personal reflection papers on required readings (20%).

5. Write a 3-page paper for each of 3 articles in the Apostles' Creed applying them to the specific cultural, developmental, and/or theological trends in your ministry (30%).

6. A ministry-plan to use the Apostles' Creed in spiritual formation. Based on what you have learned from this course, describe how you will use the Apostles' Creed in your ministry (10%).