Winter 2014/Fuller Online
PH514
Ihnatkov
PH514: TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. Vladimir Ihnatkov.
DESCRIPTION: This course will examine the major dilemmas of modern philosophy that affect our contemporary understanding of the Christian faith. The modern worldview created an inhospitable environment for Christianity, which eventually resulted in the isolation of theology from science and separated Christian disciplines from the concerns of everyday life. Thus, a postmodern alternative must and will be considered. To accomplish this task, we will discuss a range of interconnected topics selected from four major divisions of philosophy: anthropology, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. These topics will be addressed in context, including their cultural and historical origins as well as their application to the contemporary situation and current events. An emphasis will be placed on their relevance to a believer’s practice of the Christian faith and sense of vocation.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: A primary goal of contemporary theological education is to develop a clear understanding of the origin and nature of our beliefs in order to be able to authentically express our faith to representatives of competing worldviews. This course is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for this task by (1) introducing them to philosophical developments in the West and to related intellectual problems relevant to the Christian faith (knowledge); (2) developing their critical reasoning ability, assisting them to gain a broader perspective, as well as to examine subjects from various angles (skills); and (3) increasing their confidence to handle intellectual problems while developing their understanding and sympathetic appreciation for scholars who arrive at conclusions different than their own (attitudes).
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By completing this course, students will gain familiarity with the main philosophical problems with which modern philosophers struggle, with their relevance to the Christian faith, and with the importance of historical and cultural context within which these problems were raised and attempted to be resolved. Students will also improve their skills in reasoning and their ability to express their thoughts and faith in academic writing. Finally, students will become more confident in the employment of philosophical concepts and principles for problem resolution within their own Christian practices and vocation.
COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar. 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.It is taught asynchronously (you are not required to be available online at a particular day or time). Students are expected to spend at least 5 hours per module in online discussions. These five hours do not include the time necessary for preparing for these discussions, writing research papers, and covering required reading. (If needed, the faculty might request a student to allocate additional time for synchronous communication in order to handle any communication issues that may arise.)
REQUIRED READING: Total pages of reading: 1,038
Edis, Taner. Science and Nonbelief. Prometheus Books, 2008. ISBN: 978-1591025610, Pub. Price $21.98 [90 pp. assigned].
Giberson, Karl, and Francis Collins. The Language of Science and Faith. InterVarsity Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830838295, Pub. Price $20.00 [221 pp. assigned].
Green, Joel, ed. In Search of the Soul. 2nd ed. Wipf & Stock, 2010. ISBN: 978-1608994731, Pub. Price $23.00 [182 pp. assigned].
Murphy, Nancey. Reasoning and Rhetoric in Religion. Wipf & Stock, 2002. ISBN: 978-1579107727, Pub. Price $29.00 [237 pp. assigned].
Pojman, Louis P. Philosophy of Religion. Waveland Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-1577666110, Pub. Price $22.95 [153 pp. assigned]. An older, out-of-print edition can also be used: Pojman, Louis P. Philosophy of Religion. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. ISBN: 978-0767408196, Pub. Price $19.98. Used copies of this book may be available through Archives Bookstore at Fuller; additional shipping charges may apply.
Pojman, Louis P. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. 4th ed. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003. ISBN: 978-0534543648, Pub. Price $76.20 [155 pp. assigned]. Important: Make sure to use provided ISBN in order to acquire the 4th edition (2003) of this anthology as later editions do not contain all required materials. The 4th edition is out of print, but it is easily available through Amazon for around $20.00 (used).
Course reader (Only this resource will be provided electronically. The rest of the books must be purchased.)
RECOMMENDED READING: See course syllabus.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Active participationin online discussion is expected and will be graded correspondingly based on both the quantity and the quality of the debates. A quiz will be completed at the end of each designated module. A longer essay will serve as a midterm paper and the final essay will be submitted at the end of the course. All course assignments will be graded according to the breakdown below:
Weekly online discussions (to develop critical thinking and to discuss the content of the course in light of Christian practices and ministry) in weeks 1-10: response to one of the primary discussion questions (250-400 words) [1 hour] and at least eight follow-up responses to classmates’ posts (80-200 words per response) [3 hours] (30%)
Quizzes in week two, three, and four [3 hours] (5% each = total 15%)
Midterm essay (1500 words) in week six [6 hours] (20%)
Proposal and outline for the final essay (500 words) in week seven [2 hours] (5%)
FINAL essay (2500 words) in week ten [10 hours] (30%)
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Philosophical Theology (PHIL).
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.