DESCRIPTION: The course will look closely at the distinctive theological ideas
of the Gospel and Epistles of John, including the doctrine of God, the person
and work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, election, conversion,
faith and knowledge, ethics and eschatology.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: The objectives of this course are that
students will have gained (1) a basic knowledge of the theology, Christology,
ecclesiology and ethics of the Gospel of John; (2) some acquaintance with the
varied possibilities as to the origin of these ideas, whether in the Jewish and
Graeco-Roman world of the time or in earlier expressions of Christianity; (3)
an understanding of the theology of the Johannine Epistles (1, 2, and 3 John)
in relation to that of the Gospel: (4) an ability to locate this distinctively
"Johannine" thought within the larger framework of New Testament theology as a
whole; (5) a sense of what this Johannine perspective has to contribute to
Christian ministry in the twenty-first century.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The relevance of John's Gospel and Epistles in
Christian preaching, worship and daily life is greater than ever now that
Christianity is no longer the dominant culture in America. The Johannine voice
is more and more the voice of a counterculture in a society that does not share
its values, and for that very reason a voice that must not be silenced.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet twice weekly for lecture and discussion in
two-hour sessions, with a break.
REQUIRED READING: