Spring 2011/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;
current issues such as ecology and relation to other faiths will also be
discussed. On the basis of biblical and historical developments, a contemporary
Evangelical theology will be constructed in dialogue with ecumenical,
intercultural, and interreligious perspectives.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: An essential part of preparation for
Christian ministry is to learn to think theologically through issues of faith
and ministry.
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.
COURSE FORMAT: Meets twice weekly for two-hour sessions for lecture, discussion
& student presentations.
REQUIRED READING:
- *Dyrness, W. & Kärkkäinen, V.-M., eds., Global
Dictionary of Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2008 (selected pp.)
996 pp. ISBN: 9780830824540. Retail price: $50.00.
- *Grenz, S.J. Theology for the Community of God. Eerdmans, 2000, pp.
1-242. ISBN: 9780802847553. Pub.price $40.00.
- Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Doctrine of God: A Global
Introduction. Baker, 2004. 301 pp. ISBN: 0801027527. Pub.price
$30.00.
- Placher, W.C., ed. Essentials of Christian Theology. Westminster
John Knox, 2003, pp. 1-181, 297-328 ). ISBN: 978-0664223953. Pub.price
$39.95.
- Special topic, choose one:
- Beilby, J.K. & P.R. Eddy. Divine Foreknowledge:
Four Views. InterVarsity Press, 2001, 221 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0830826520.
Pub.price $20.00.
- Bouma-Prediger, S. For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for
Creation Care. 2nd ed. Baker Academic. 240 pp. ISBN-13:
978-0801036958. Pub.price $24.99.
- Fiddes, P. Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity.
Westminster John Knox, 2001. 212 pp. ISBN: 9780664223359. Pub.price
$29.95.
- Fisher, Christopher. Human Significance in Theology and the Natural
Sciences: An Ecumenical Perspective with Reference to Pannenberg, Rahner, and
Zizioulas. Pickwick, 2010. ISBN: 9781606080535. 351 pp.
Pub.price $40.00.
- Kärkkäinen, V.-M. The Trinity. Global Perspectives. WJKP,
2007 (relevant sections). ISBN: 9780664228903. Pub.price $39.95.
- McKim, D.K. The Bible in Theology & Preaching. Wipf & Stock,
1999, 250 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1579102449. Pub.price $26.00.
- McFadyen, A. Bound by Sin: Abuse, Holocaust and the Christian Doctrine
of Sin. Cambridge University Press, 2000. 272 pp. ISBN: 9780521438681.
Pub.price $35.99.
- McFadyen, A. Call to Personhood: A Christian Theory of the Individual in
Social Relationships. Cambridge University Press, 1990. 340 pp. ISBN:
9780521409292. Pub.price $38.99.
- Moltmann, J. The Trinity and the Kingdom: The Doctrine of God. SCM,
1991. 276 pp. ISBN: 9780800628253. Pub.price $23.00.
- Murphy, N. Bodies and Souls or Spirited Bodies? Cambridge, 2006.
164 pp. ISBN: 9780521676762. Pub.price $25.99.
- Pinnock, C. Most Moved Mover: A Theology of God's Openness. Baker,
2001. 218 pp. ISBN: 9780801022906. Pub.price $24.00.
- Plantinga, A. Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin.
Eerdmans, 1996. 216 pp. ISBN: 978-0802842183. Pub.price $22.00.
- Polkinhorne. J.C. Science and Providence: God's Interaction with
the World. Templeton Press, 2005. 140 pp. ISBN: 9781932031928.
Pub.price $14.95.
- Schwarz, H. Creation, 216 pp. Eerdmans, 2002. ISBN: 978-0802860668.
Pub.price: $29.00.
- Shuster, M. The Fall and Sin: What We Have Become as Sinners.
Eerdmans, 2003. 292 pp. ISBN: 978-0802809940. Pub.price $30.00.
- Volf, M. Exclusion and Embrace. Abingdon, 1996. 336 pp. ISBN:
9780687002825. Pub.price $28.00.
- A contextual/intercultural/interreligious study (relevant
sections) choose one:
- Barnes, M. Theology and the Dialogue of
Religions. Cambridge, 2002. 292 pp. ISBN: 9780521009089. Pub.price
$43.00.
- Boff, L. Trinity and Society. Orbis, 1988. 288 pp. ISBN:
9781597521383. Pub.price $30.00.
- Cone, J.H. God of the Oppressed. Orbis, 1997. 257 pp. ISBN:
9781570751585. Pub.price $20.00.
- Evans, J. We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic
Theology. Fortress, 1992. 192 pp. ISBN: 9780800626723. Pub.price
$20.00.
- Gonzáles, J. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic
Perspective. Abingdon, 1990. 186 pp. ISBN: 9780687230679. Pub.price
$20.00.
- Johnson, E. She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological
Discourse. Continuum, 1992. 344 pp. ISBN: 9780824519254. Pub.price
$29.95.
- Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Trinity and Religious Pluralism.
Ashgate, 2004. 197 pp. ISBN: 978-754636465. Pub.price $29.95.
- Kapolyo, J. M. The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives through
African Eyes. InterVarsity Press, 2005. 170 pp. ISBN: 978-0830833023.
Pub.price $16.00.
- Kimmel, A.F., Jr., ed. Speaking the Christian God: The Holy Trinity and
the Challenge of Feminism. Eerdmans, 1992. 348 pp. ISBN:
9780802806123. Pub.price $32.00.
- McDermott, G. R. Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions?
InterVarsity Press, 2001.233 pp. ISBN: 9780830822744. Pub.price
$18.00.
- Parratt, J. Reinventing Christianity: African Theology Today.
Eerdmans, 1995. 228 pp. ISBN: 9780802841131. Pub.price $21.00.
- Tennent, T.C. Christianity at the Religious Roundtable. Baker
Academic, 2002. 270 pp. ISBN: 978-0801026027. Pub.price: $27.00.
- * = These books are required reading in all three systematics
courses taught by Dr. Kärkkäinen.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: (1) 1,200 pages of required reading and 15 pages
of critical reflections (40%). (2) A 10-page research paper (40%). (3)
Final project: "My theological statement," 5 pp. (20%).
PREREQUISITES: None. Yet, at least one course in biblical studies and in
historical theology/church history as well as philosophical theology are
strongly recommended
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv Systematic Theology "a" (STA); meets
MAT, MATM (2010 revision) requirement.