Fall 2006/Pasadena
ST501
Kärkkäinen
ST501: SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY 1: THEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY. Veli-Matti
Kärkkäinen.
DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to provide a theological 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, 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.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have
demonstrated (1) a basic understanding of issues in their traditional and
contemporary expressions; (2) an ability to reflect theologically upon the
course topics; (3) skills towards developing one's own theology in critical
dialogue with various views; (4) an acquaintance with a range of cultural and
contextual matters that shape our understanding of theological issues; (5) an
appreciation of ecumenical and cultural diversity.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: An essential part of preparation for Christian
ministry is to learn to think theologically through issues of faith and
ministry.
COURSE FORMAT: Class meets weekly for 3-1/2 hours of lecture, discussion &
student presentations.
REQUIRED READING:
- Grenz, S.J. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans,
2000, pp. 1-242
- Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Doctrine of God. A Global
Introduction. Baker, 2004.
- _______. An Introduction to the Theology of Religions. InterVarsity
Press, 2003 (relevant sections).
- Placher, W.C. ed. Essentials of Christian Theology. Westminster John
Knox, 2003, pp. 1-181, 297-328.
- Special topic, choose one:
- Bacote, L.C., et al., ed. Evangelicals &
Scripture: Tradition, Authority & Hermeneutics. IVP, 2004.
- Beilby, J.K. & P.R. Eddy. Divine Foreknowledge: Four Views.
InterVarsity Press, 2001.
- Bouma-Prediger, S. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for
Creation Care. IVP, 2001.
- Fiddes, P. Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity.
Westminster John Knox, 2001.
- Jewett, P.K. & Shuster, M. Who We Are: Our Dignity as Human.
Eerdmans, 1996.
- McKim, D.K. The Bible in Theology & Preaching. Abingdon,
1985/Wipf & Stock, 1999.
- Murphy, N. Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies? Cambridge
University Press, 2006.
- 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.
- Schwarz, H. Creation. Eerdmans, 2002.
- Shuster, M. The Fall and Sin: What We Have Become as Sinners.
Eerdmans, 2003.
- Volf, M. Exclusion and Embrace. Abingdon, 1996.
- A contextual/intercultural/interreligious 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.
- Evans, J. We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic
Theology. Fortress, 1992.
- Gonzáles, J. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic
Perspective. Abingdon, 1990.
- Kapolyo, J. M. The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives through
African Eyes. IVP, 2005.
- Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Trinity and Religious Pluralism.
Ashgate, 2004.
- McDermott, G. R. Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions?
InterVarsity Press, 2001.
- Parratt, J. Reinventing Christianity: African Theology Today.
Eerdmans, 1995.
- Parsons, S.F., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology.
Cambridge Univ. Press, 2002.
- Tennent, T.C. Christianity at the Religious Roundtable. Baker
Academic, 2002.
ASSIGNMENTS: (1) 1,200 pages of required reading and 15 pages of critical
reading responses (40%). (2) A 10-page research paper (40%). (3) Final
project: "My theological statement," 5 pp. (20%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Systematic Theology
"A" (STA).
FINAL EXAMINATION: No.