Spring 2016/Fuller Online
HT501
Garcia-Johnson
HT501: THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND CHRIST IN ITS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Oscar Garcia-Johnson.
DESCRIPTION: HT501 is a survey of systematic and philosophical theology that focuses especially on the doctrine of God, The Trinity, Christology (comprising the person and work of Christ), and the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. The course reflects the historic Christian church's development of trinitarian and Christological theology and creeds in its dialogue with its opponents and with its cultural context. Related topics and themes to be addressed may include the development and articulation of the Christian doctrine of God including the divine perfections and nature, as well as the doctrine of the Trinity; the development and articulation of the person and work of Christ; and Pneumatology, the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete HT501 will have demonstrated: (1) a basic critical theological knowledge of the conceptual and normative dimensions of the doctrines of God and Christ 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.
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 will participate in weekly video-podcast lessons/lectures by the instructor and other resources. 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: 1,135 pp. total number of pages required.
Escobar, Samuel. En Busca de Cristo en América Latina. Kairós, 2012. ISBN: 978-9871355457, (U.S. price unavailable.) [100 pp.].
García-Johnson, Oscar. Jesús, Hazme como tú. Wipt & Stock, 2014. [100 pp].
González, Justo L. Retorno a la historia del pensamiento cristiano. Kairos, 2009. ISBN: 978-9879403709, Pub. Price $18.00 [207 pp.].
Mignolo, Walter. La Idea de América Latina. Gedisa, 2012. ISBN: 978-8497840941, Pub. Price $23-$40. [242 pp.].
Villafañe, Eldin. Introducción al Pentecostalismo. Abingdon, 2012. ISBN: 978-1426758119, Pub. Price $19.99 [186 pp.].
Electronic Course Reader (Moodle) contains two kinds of materials:
a. Essays on key historical topics and issues from a historical perspective, including some primary texts on Augustine, the Creeds (Nicaea, Constantinople, Chalcedon), Thomas Aquinas [100 pp. assigned].
b. Essays and primary texts by leading theologians on contemporary topics, particularly the doctrine of the Trinity, including current global and contextual diversity: selections include Maria Ko Ha Fong (Asian roots of Christianity), Heitor Frisotti (Africanism, blackness, and Bible), Rui Grácio Das Neves (Zen Buddhism and Liberation Theology), Leonardo Boff (on the Trinity), Sally McFague and others (on science and theology), Dussel, (philosophy of history & culture) [300 pp. assigned].
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Careful reading of assigned texts: 1,135 pages of required reading. The quality and extent of readings will be assessed in the form of one midterm exam, reflective reports and a Creedal Document. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2] [75 hours].
Collaborative-spirituality: Each week students will reflect upon a reading selection with a Christological content, post their impressions in Moodle (250 words), and interact with two members of their group (200 words) (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [25 hours].
Participation on weekly video-podcast lessons by posting 250 word posts (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1,2]. [10 hours]
A midterm (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [5 hours].
Four 700-word reflective reports (40%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [25 hours]
A Creedal document based on personal convictions, course readings, and researched themes [2,000-2,500 words] (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2,3]. [20 hours].
PREREQUISITES: Spanish.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH1 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH1 requirement in the 80 MATM and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015). Meets the STA requirement in the 144 MDiv Program.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.