DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of Christian beliefs about revelation and Scripture, the triune God, creation and providence, human beings as the image of God, and the fall, evil, and sin. Corollary current issues, such as human beings as male and female, sexuality, race, suffering, ecology, and the relationship of Christian faith to other religions will be discussed. On the basis of biblical and historical developments, a contemporary Evangelical theology will be constructed in dialogue with ecumenical, contextual/intercultural, and interreligious perspectives.

An essential part of preparation for Christian ministry is learning to think theologically through issues of faith and ministry and help student to begin to develop his or her own theology as well as cultivate sensitivity to ecumenical, cross-cultural, and interreligious issues.

The class will meet weekly for a three-hour session of lectures, discussions, and student presentations.

Grenz, S. J. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000, pp. 1-242

Jewett, P. K. with M. Shuster. Who We Are: Our Dignity as Human. Eerdmans, 1996.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. God in Global Perspective. Baker, 2004 (forthcoming; photocopy).

__________. An Introduction to the Theology of Religions. IVP, 2003 (relevant sections).

Special topic, choose one:

Beilby, J. K.& Eddy, P. R. Divine Foreknowledge. Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 2001.

Bouma-Prediger, S. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. IVP, 2001

Erickson, M. God the Father Almighty. Baker, 1998.

Fiddes, P. Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity. Westminster John Knox, 2001.

Ganssle, B. E., ed. God & Time. Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 2001.

Kimel, A.F., ed.Speaking the God: Holy Trinity & the Challenge of Feminism. Eerdmans, 1992.

Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Trinity and Religious Pluralism. Ashgate, 2004.

McKim, D. K. The Bible in Theology & Preaching. Abingdon, 1985/Wipf & Stock, 1999.

Pinnock, C. Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God's Openness. Baker, 2001.

Plantinga, A. Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin. Eerdmans, 1996.

Sanders, J. The God Who Risks: A Theology of Providence. InterVarsity Press, 1998.

Schwarz, H. Creation. Eerdmans, 2002.

Volf, M. Exclusion and Embrace. Abingdon, 1996.

A contextual and/or intercultural study (relevant sections) choose one:

Barr, W. R. Constructive Christian Theology in the Worldwide Church. Eerdmans, 1997.

Boff, L. Trinity and Society. Orbis, 1988.

Cone, J. H. God of the Oppressed. Orbis, 1997.

Elwood, J. E., ed. Asian Christian Theology: Emerging Themes. Westminster, 1980

Evans, J. We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic Theology. Fortress, 1992.

Fulljames, P. God and Creation in Intercultural Perspective. Peter Lang, 1993.

Gonzáles, J. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Abingdon, 1990.

Parratt, J. Reinventing Christianity: African Theology Today. Eerdmans, 1995.

Parsons, S. F. ed. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.

(1) 1,200 pages of required reading. (2) Reading responses. (3) A research paper, 10 pages. (4) Student presentations. (5) Final exam: topics will be given at the beginning of the course.