DESCRIPTION: This is an introductory course on the church, including its nature, authority, worship and sacraments, and institutional expression; and on individual and corporate eschatology, including death, resurrection, judgment, heaven and hell.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Understanding of the principal doctrines of the Christian faith is vital to the preaching and teaching ministry of the church, as well as informing Christian living. Knowledge of what has traditionally been construed as essential to the church and its ministry is particularly critical in a time of changing models of the church and ministry. Similarly, awareness of options and central affirmations in eschatology has heightened importance at a time of high interest in various religious and scientific end-time scenarios.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will become familiar with the basic doctrinal loci in ecclesiology and eschatology, that they might know the classic components of these loci, see how they are related to other aspects of Christian doctrine, and better understand what they believe and why. Students will have opportunity to explore a variety of theological options through diverse reading choices, and they will be exposed to theologians from differing cultural backgrounds, in order that they might appreciate how their own and others' cultural location and theological orientation affect theological formulations. Students will also be able to apply what they have learned to common problems one encounters in ministry settings and in Christian living.

COURSE FORMAT: Two-hour sessions meeting twice a week for ten weeks for multimedia lecture and discussion. Part of the reading is designed to address issues that receive lesser attention in the lectures.

REQUIRED READING:

Choose at least one from each of the following two groups:

1.   Clouse, Robert. The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 1977.

Cooper, John W. Body, Soul, and Life Everlasting. Eerdmans, 2000.

Hauerwas, Stanley, and William Willimon. Resident Aliens. Abingdon, 1989.

Jewett, Paul K. The Lord's Day OR Infant Baptism and the Covenant of Grace OR The Ordination of Women (all Eerdmans, reprinted by Fuller Press).

Wallis, Jim. The Soul of Politics. Harcourt Brace, 1995. OR God's Politics. HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.

2.   Either Evans, J. We Have Been Believers. Fortress, 1992. PLUS Gonzalez, J. Mañana. Abingdon, 1990.
OR Barr, W. Constructive Christian Theology in the Worldwide Church. Eerdmans, 1997 OR Global Dictionary of Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2008 (selections only from all of these).

Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. New ed. Eerdmans, 1996.

Grenz, Stanley. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000.

Oden, Thomas. Life in the Spirit. HarperCollins, 1994.

Also Recommended (many additional titles will be on reserve):

Hick, John. Death and Eternal Life. Westminster John Knox, 1994.

Moltmann, Jürgen. The Coming of God. Fortress, 1996.

Vander Zee, Leonard. Christ, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. InterVarsity Press, 2004.

Volf, Miroslav. After Our Likeness. Eerdmans, 1997.

Wainwright, Geoffrey. Doxology. Oxford University Press, 1984.

Walls, Jerry. Heaven: The Logic of Eternal Joy. Oxford University Press, 2002.

White, James. Introduction to Christian Worship. 3rd ed. Abingdon, 2001.