Winter 2019/Fuller Online

CH549

Pollock

CH549: PRESBYTERIAN CREEDS (4 Units: 160 Hours). Darren M. Pollock.

---

DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to enable students to enter into and engage with the theological ethos of the Pres­by­terian tradition. Reformed theology and practice 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), including the ability to articulate differences between Reformed understandings and those of other Christian traditions; (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: This course will be conducted online, asynchronous, 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 written and video material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning. Students are encouraged to read all of the Book of Confessions—Study Edition prior to the first class

REQUIRED READING: ~1,050 pp. of reading

Book of Confessions—Study Edition. Westminster John Knox, 2017. ISBN: 978-0664262907, Pub. Price $30.00. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [430 pp. assigned].

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): Part I, Book of Confessions. The Office of the General Assembly Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) 2016. (This is the usual edition without annotations, which must be used during the final exam). E-text available at http://oga.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/oga/pdf/boc2016.pdf.

Allen, R. Michael. Reformed Theology. T. & T. Clark, 2010. ISBN: 978-0567034304, Pub. Price $35.95. Available as an e-book from the Fuller library [179 pp. assigned].

Nimmo, Paul T. and David A.S. Fergusson, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Reformed Theology. Cambridge U. Press, 2016. ISBN: 978-1107690547. Pub. Price $35.99. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [92 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. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [89 pp. assigned].

And one or more of the following (260 pp. total) :

Bierma, Lyle D., et al. The Theology of the Heidelberg Catechism: A Reformation Synthesis. Westminster John Knox, 2013. ISBN: 978-0801031175. Pub. Price $30.00. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [118 pp.].

Calvin, J. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Hendrickson, 2007. ISBN: 978-1598561685, Pub. Price $29.95. E-text available at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes/.

Carter, Anthony J. Black and Reformed: Seeing God’s Sovereignty in the African-American Christian Experience. P&R Publishing, 2016 (2nd ed.). ISBN: 978-1629952307, Pub. Price $13.99. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [118 pp.]

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. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [260 pp.]

Kolb, Robert, and Carl R. Trueman. Between Wittenberg and Geneva: Lutheran and Reformed Theology in Conversation. Baker Academic, 2017. ISBN: 978-0801049811. Pub. Price $26.99. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [236 pp.]

Leith, John. Introduction to the Reformed Tradition. John Knox, 1981. ISBN: 978-0804204798. Pub. Price: $30.00. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [133 pp.]

Muller, Richard A. and Rowland S. Ward. Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation and the Directory for Worship. P&R Publishing, 2007. ISBN: 978-1596380721. Pub. Price $18.00. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [140 pp.]

Pauw, Amy Plantinga. Feminist and Womanist Essays in Reformed Dogmatics. Westminster John Knox, 2006. ISBN: 978-0664224370. Pub. Price. $30.00. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [224 pp.]

Trueman, Carl. The Creedal Imperative. Crossway, 2012. ISBN: 978-1433521904. Pub. Price $16.99. Not available as an e-book from the Fuller library [190 pp.]

RECOMMENDED READING:

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): Part II, Book of Order 2015-2017. Office of the General Assembly Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), 2017. (E-text available at http://oga.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/oga/pdf/book-of-order2017-electronic.pdf)

Ames, William. The Marrow of Theology. Baker, 1997. ISBN: 978-0801020384, Pub. Price $34.00.

Barth, Karl. The Theology of the Reformed Confessions. Westminster John Knox, 2002. ISBN: 978-0664230456, Pub. Price $40.00.

Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics. 4 vols. Baker, 2008. ISBN: 978-0801035760, Pub. Price $215.95.

Crisp, Oliver. Deviant Calvinism: Broadening Reformed Theology. Fortress Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-1451486131, Pub. Price $34.00.

Diller, Kevin. Theology's Epistemological Dilemma: How Karl Barth and Alvin Plantinga Provide a Unified Response. IVP Academic, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830839063, Pub. Price $38.00.

Fesko, J. V. The Theology of the Westminster Standards: Historical Context and Theological Insights. Crossway, 2014. 978-1433533112, Pub. Price $28.00.

Hoekema, Anthony. The Bible and the Future. Eerdmans, 1994 (2nd ed.). ISBN: 978-0802808516, Pub. Price $30.00.

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

McKim, Donald K., ed. The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin. Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-0521016728, Pub. Price $51.99.

McKim, Donald K., ed. Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith. Westminster/John Knox, 1992. ISBN: 978-0664218829, Pub. Price $60.00.

Muller, Richard A. Calvin and the Reformed Tradition. Baker, 2012. ISBN: 978-0801048708, Pub. Price $40.00.

Muller, Richard A. Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics. 4 vols. Baker, 2003. ISBN: 978-0801026188.

Murray, Iain H., ed. The Reformation of the Church: A Collection of Reformed and Puritan Documents on Church Issues. Banner of Truth, 1965. ISBN: 978-0851511184, Pub. Price $17.00.

Naudé, Piet J. Neither Calendar nor Clock: Perspectives on the Belhar Confession. Eerdmans, 2010. ISBN: 978-0802862594, Pub. Price $25.00.

Olevianus, Caspar. A Firm Foundation: An Aid to Interpreting the Heidelberg Catechism. Baker, 1992. ISBN: 978-0801020223.

Placher, William C., and Willis-Watkins, David. Belonging to God: A Commentary on A Brief Statement of Faith. Westminster John Knox Press, 1992. ISBN: 978-0664252960, Pub. Price $20.00.

Reformed Reader I: Classical Beginnings, 1519-1799. Ed. John Leith & W. S. Johnson. Westminster John Knox, 1994. ISBN: 978-0664226046, Pub. Price $40.00.

Reformed Reader II: Contemporary Trajectories, 1799-Present. Ed. George Stroup. Westminster John Knox, 1994. ISBN: 978-0664226053, Pub. Price $40.00.

Riggs, John W. The Lord’s Supper in the Reformed Tradition. Westminster John Knox, 2015. ISBN: 978-0664260194, Pub. Price $35.00.

Rohls, Jan. Reformed Confessions: Theology from Zurich to Barmen. Westminster John Knox, 1998. ISBN: 978-0664220785.

Selected Theological Statements of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assemblies (1956-1998). Presbyterian Distribution Service, 1999. ASIN: B000YHB2EC.

Stout, Harry S., ed. The Jonathan Edwards Encyclopedia. Eerdmans, 2017. ISBN: 978-0802869524, Pub. Price $60.00.

Ursinus, Zacharias. Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism. Phillipsburg: Presbyterian & Reformed, n.d. (E-text online at http://archive.org/details/commentaryofzach00ursiuoft).

Wendel, François. Calvin: The Origins and Development of His Religious Thought. Trans. Philip Mairet. Baker, 1995. ISBN: 978-0801020629, Pub. Price $45.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Assigned readings of ~1050 pp. with reading log (13%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [70 hours].
2. Assigned video/audio lectures on each creed/confession and various doctrinal loci (25 lectures, averaging 48 minutes/lecture). Students will show evidence of having engaged with these videos and with their reading assignments through weekly posts (200 words) addressing a prompt question, plus comments on other students’ posts (two replies per week of ~50 words each) (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [20 (lectures) + 12 (responses) = 32 hours].
3. Eight one-page credal/doctrinal reflections on assigned topics or loci, along with self-critique (12%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [12 hours].
4. Eight one-page response papers to case studies, along with self-critique; contributions/ comments to other students’ case studies (two replies per week of ~100 words each) (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [12 (papers) + 8 (responses) = 20 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] [6 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.