DESCRIPTION: This is a CATS graduate seminar, open to a small number of
master's level students. Despite the remarkable advance of democracy in the
twentieth century, and despite democracy's stunning success in the recent
history of the West, the power of the modern state continues to expand and
extend its sway. The state now rules in areas that were heretofore considered
the responsibility of the Church, and while this means that opportunities for
social justice are potentially enhanced, the putative omnicompetence of
government brings with it substantial threat. At the same time, the Church
itself has rediscovered the political nature of its existence in the world.
Christian leaders today must examine afresh the question of the foundations for
modern political authority in relationship to the Kingdom of God. To that end,
this seminar examines the political thought of leading twentieth-century
theologians, including Barth, Bonhoeffer, Moltmann, Cone, and Segundo, with
emphasis on questions of authority, human rights, equality, and liberation.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course is intended for students who plan a
vocation in teaching, research, and writing. The course will provide students
with a historical foundation for understanding the biblical and theological
basis of political and church authority today. Numerous contemporary political
issues will thus be placed in the context of the best Christian thought on the
topic of the state.
COURSE FORMAT: The seminar will meet two hours a week for discussion.
REQUIRED READING: