Fall 2015/Non-campus

CH549

Thompson

CH549: PRESBYTERIAN CREEDS (4 Units: 160 Hours). John L. Thompson.

DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to enable students to enter into the theological ethos of the Presbyterian tradition. Reformed theology, culture, and tradition will be studied in its historical context and applied to the contemporary church. Special attention will be given to the Reformed confessions.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete CH549 will have demonstrated (1) a basic knowledge of the theological beliefs of the Reformed tradition, particularly with respect to the theology and history of the confessions of the PC(USA); (2) an ability to understand and articulate doctrinal statements, including their own personal statement of faith of the sort required for candidacy and ordination in the PC(USA); and (3) an ability to interpret the contemporary and pastoral significance of the Reformed tradition and to evaluate theological and ministerial issues in the light of Reformed theology and Presbyterian confessions.

COURSE FORMAT: Class will meet once a week for two hours on a ten-week schedule but each two-hour class is accompanied by two additional hours of recorded course material for a total of 40 instructional hours. Live and pre-recorded sessions include lectures, discussion of readings, and case studies, along with live small-group exercises. It is recommended that students read all of the Book of Confessions—Study Edition prior to the first class! Questions about course requirements or format may be directed to the instructor (jthomps@fuller.edu); the course syllabus is available at http://documents.fuller.edu/sot/faculty/thompson_john/CH549syllabus.pdf

REQUIRED READING:~1,000 pp. of reading

Book of Confessions—Study Edition. Presbyterian Church, 1999. ISBN: 978-0664500122, Pub. Price $30.00 [340 pp. assigned].

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): Part I, Book of Confessions. The Office of the General Assembly, 1991. (This is the usual edition without annotations, which must be used during the final exam). E-text available at http://www.pcusa.org/get/resources/resource/1423/

Allen, R. Michael. Reformed Theology. T.& T. Clark, 2010. ISBN: 978-0567034304, Pub. Price $34.95 [180 pp. assigned].

Small, Joseph D., ed. Conversations with the Confessions: Dialogue in the Reformed Tradition. Geneva Press, 2005. ISBN: 978-0664502485, Pub. Price $30.00 [115-225 pp. assigned].

And one or more of the following (300 pp. total):

Calvin, J. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Hendrickson, 2007. ISBN: 978-1598561685, Pub. Price $29.95; or The Comprehensive Calvin Collection. CD-ROM. Ages Software, 1988.

Donnelly, J. P.; F. A. James III; and J. C. McClelland, eds. The Peter Martyr Reader. Truman State University Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0943549750, Pub. Price $24.95 [260 pp.].

McKee, Elsie Anne, ed. John Calvin: Writings on Pastoral Piety. Paulist Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0809140466, Pub. Price $26.95 [384 pp.].

McKim, Donald K., ed. The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin. Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-0521016728, Pub. Price $44.99 [370 pp.].

Selected Theological Statements of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assemblies (1956-1998). Presbyterian Distribution Service, 1999. ISBN: 7042098010, Pub. Price $12.95.

RECOMMENDED READING: A list of recommended books can be found in the course syllabus, available on the instructor’s web page, http://documents.fuller.edu/sot/faculty/thompson_john

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Assigned readings of ~1000 pp. with reading log (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [67 hours].
  2. Participation, including classroom attendance and auditing pre- and post-class materials (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [40 hours].
  3. Eight one-page credal/doctrinal reflections on assigned topics or loci, along with self-critique (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [12 hours].
  4. Eight one-page response papers to case studies, along with self-critique (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [12 hours].
  5. Personal statement of faith, due by week ten (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [20 hours].
  6. Final examination, essay format (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [9 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.