Winter 2018/Fuller Online

HT501

Ireland

HT501: THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND CHRIST IN ITS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Marèque Steele Ireland

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 demonstrate: (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 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: 1,100-1,200 pp. of required reading.

Course readings and articles (available through eReserves and online sources accessed through course website) including essays and excerpts from historical and contemporary theology, including but not limited to: Augustine, Athansius, Aquinas, Irenaeus, the Cappadocian Fathers, Vatican II, John Zizioulas, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Jürgen Moltmann, Clark Pinnock, Elizabeth Johnson, James Cone, et. al. [around 200 pp.].

Gunton, Colin. The Promise of Trinitarian Theology. 2nd revision. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2003. ISBN: 978-0567081001, Pub. Price $56.95 [200 pp. assigned]. Note that this book is available for Fuller students free as an eBook through Fuller’s online database.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Christ and Reconciliation.AConstructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World, vol. 1. Eerdmans, 2013. ISBN: 978-0802868534, Pub. Price $40.00 [300 pp. assigned]

Pinnnock, Clark H. Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit. IVP Academic, 1999. ISBN: 978-0830815906, Pub. Price $26.00 [108 pp. assigned]

Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, Matthew D. Lundberg. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0521690379, Pub. Price $34.99 [290 pp. assigned]

RECOMMENDED READING: Please see course syllabus for list of recommended reading.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 1,100-1,200 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3]. [70 hours].

  2. Video Instruction [15 hours].

  3. Weekly online interaction and assignments consisting of one 250 word opening post and two response posts of 150 words. (25% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-3] [25 hours].

  4. One theological textual analysis (1,250 words, 5 pp.) (20% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 2 and 3] [13 hours].

  5. One quiz (20% of grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1 and 2] [10 hours].

  6. A research paper (2,000- 2,250 words, 8-9 pp.) 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.] [27 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

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.


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.