Summer 2015/Pasadena
HT503
Tibbs
HT503: THE CHURCH’S UNDERSTANDING OF CHURCH, HUMANITY, AND CHRISTIAN LIFE IN ITS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION (4 Units: 167 hours). Eve M. Tibbs
DESCRIPTION: HT503 is a survey of systematic and philosophical theology that focuses especially on revelation and scripture; creation and providence; theological anthropology (human identity and nature, the image of God, the fall, sin, and evil), soteriology (the election, calling, justification, regeneration, and sanctification of the Christian), and ecclesiology (the ministry and mission of the church). The course reflects the historic Christian church's development of these doctrines in dialogue with its opponents and with its cultural context. Related topics and themes to be addressed may include the development and articulation of the inspiration and authority of scripture, God's work in creation, human persons in relation to God, and the place of the church in the purposes of God.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete HT503 will demonstrate: (1) a basic critical theological knowledge of the conceptual and normative dimensions of the doctrines of revelation, creation and providence, anthropology, soteriology, and ecclesiology as those and other selected doctrines emerged in the early church and developed to this day; (2) a basic competence in interpreting historic and contemporary perorations of these doctrines and an ability to evaluate these theological issues and their historical and contemporary development; and (3) a critical and sympathetic appreciation for the breadth, unity, and diversity of the Christian church.
COURSE FORMAT: This course meets daily for two intensive weeks of four-hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture, discussion & student presentations.
REQUIRED READING: Selections from the following texts, not to exceed 1,100 pages
Kärkkäinen, V.-M. Creation and Humanity.AConstructive Christian Theology for the Pluralistic World, vol. 3. Eerdmans, 2015. ISBN: 978-0802868558, Pub. Price $40.00. This text contains historical, systematic (including global/contextual ), and comparative theological discussions of main topics [315 pp.].
Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, Matthew D. Lundberg. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0521690379, Pub. Price $32.99 [329 pp. assigned].
Wiles, Maurice & Mark Santer (eds.) Documents in Early Christian Thought. Cambridge University Press, 1977. ISBN: 978-0521099158, Pub. Price $44.99 [150 pp. assigned and use in class].
Course Reader: (Moodle) contains essays and primary texts by leading theological scholars on contemporary topics, particularly the doctrine of the Trinity and Ecclesiology [200 pp.].
Student will choose one text from a list of texts provided on the syllabus, which will allow the student to explore an area of specific interest in more depth [200-250 selected pages].
RECOMMENDED READING: Please see course syllabus for list of recommended reading
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1,100 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [73 hours].
Two in-class quizzes, which test the mastery of basic terms and concepts, based primary on lecture material (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1].
Four 800-word critical response essays (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [24 hours] (Two are due in week 2 of the course; two are due during the 2 weeks following the last class session).
A research essay on an assigned topic (10 pages) (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [30 hours]. (Due 6 weeks after last class session.)
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH2 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Meets the STB requirement in the 144 MDiv Program.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.