Winter 2020/Pasadena

HT502

Feldmeth

HT502: THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHURCH, HUMANITY, AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT (4 Units: 160 hours). Nate Feldmeth.

DESCRIPTION: HT502 is a survey largely of medieval and Reformation history and theology that focuses especially on the doctrines that received their crucial shape for Protestant Christians during this period. Among these are the doctrine of the church (including the authority and office of the ministry, sacraments, the place of councils, and the role of the laity), the doctrine of scripture (including the place of tradition), theological anthropology (including human nature as created and fallen, and original sin), and the doctrine of the Christian life (including the entire order of salvation—election, calling, faith, justification, sanctification, and final glory). Key figures to be studied include Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete HT502 will demonstrate: (1) a basic historical and theological knowledge of the doctrines of the church, humanity, and the Christian life as those and other selected doctrines emerged especially in the medieval and Reformation church and developed to this day, (2) a basic competence in interpreting this history and theology and an ability to evaluate these theological issues and their historical development; and (3) a critical and sympathetic appreciation for the breadth, unity, and diversity of the Christian church.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: HT502 introduces students to a basic historical and theological knowledge of the doctrines of the church, humanity, and the Christian life as these doctrines and associated practices developed especially in the medieval and Reformation church, with an eye to developing skills in interpretation and critical appreciation; it thereby seeks to implement the SOT PLO, “Students will have demonstrated capacities for historically informed theological and ethical reflection.”.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets twice weekly for two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion.

Bettenson, Henry, ed. Documents of the Christian Church, 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0199568987, Pub. Price $30.95 Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [178 pp. assigned].

Feldmeth, Nathan P. Pocket Dictionary of Church History. InterVarsity Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0830827039, Pub. Price: $12.00 Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [120 pp. assigned].

Janz, Denis R. A Reformation Reader. 2nd ed. Fortress, 2008. ISBN: 978-0800663100, Pub. Price $49.00 [259 pp. assigned].

Kärkkäinen, V.-M.,“Ecclesiology,” in Mapping Modern Theology , eds. Kapic, Kelly and Bruce McCormack. Baker Academic, 2012. ISBN: 978-0801035357, Pub. Price $36.00 Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [31 pp. assigned].

Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity. Vols. 1 Rev. ed. Harper & Row, 1975. ISBN: 978-0060649524, Pub. Price $25.99 [354 pp. assigned].

MacHaffie, Barbara J. Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition. 2nd ed. Fortress Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0800638269, Pub. Price $44.00 [75 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 $37.99 [141 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Cross, F. L. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 3rd Ed. Oxford, 2005. ISBN: 978-0192802903, Pub. Price $215.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

Fairweather, Eugene R., ed. A Scholastic Miscellany. Westminster John Knox, 1956. ISBN: 978-0664244187, Pub. Price $45.00.

Muller, Richard A. Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms. Baker, 2006. ISBN: 978-0801020643, Pub. Price $34.00.

Payton, James R. Getting the Reformation Wrong: Correcting Some Misunderstandings. IVP Academic, 2010. ISBN: 978-0830838806, Pub. Price $23.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

Petroff, Elizabeth A. ed., Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature (Oxford University Press, 1986). ISBN

978-0195037128, Pub. Price $39.50

Sunquist, Scott, and Irvin, Dale. History of the World Christian Movement: Earliest Christianity to 1453. Orbis Books, 2001. ISBN: 978-1570753961, Pub. Price $36.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

__________ and Irvin, Dale. History of the World Christian Movement, Vol. 2: Modern Christianity from 1454- 1800. Orbis Books, 2012. ISBN: 978-1570759895, Pub. Price $40.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Assigned readings (~1,050 pp.) to be completed as preparation for lectures and exams. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3]. [71 hours].
2. Thesis driven research paper (12-15 pages) based on primary source materials (35% of course grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [34 hours].
3. Midterm examination (20% of course grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2, 3]. [5 hours preparation].
4. Final exam covering readings, lectures, and discussions (45% of course grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3]. [10 hours preparation].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH2 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH2 requirement in the 80 MATM and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015). Meets the CHB requirement in the 144 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.