Winter 2019/Pasadena
HT504
Tibbs
HT504: MODERN THEOLOGY IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT (4 Units: 163 hours). Eve M. Tibbs.
DESCRIPTION: HT504 is a survey of systematic and philosophical theology that focuses especially on the articulation of Christian doctrine in the modern world. The course reflects the historic Christian church’s development of eschatology in its dialogue with its opponents and with its cultural context, including the current global diversity and plurality. It also considers recent constructive theologies, including theologies of liberation, public theology, and contextual theology. Related topics and themes to be addressed may include the development and articulation of the Christian doctrine of the four last things (death, judgment, heaven, and hell), the intermediate state, so-called “contextual” theologies, and the place of theology in contemporary public life; the relation of Christian theology to other religious traditions may also be included in this consideration.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who complete HT504 will demonstrate: (1) a basic critical theological knowledge of the conceptual and normative dimensions of Christian eschatology, and of recent constructive theologies (e.g. theologies of liberation, public theology, and contextual theology); (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 class meets on four Saturdays for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.
REQUIRED READING: Selections from the following texts [1,100 pages].
1. Plantinga, Richard J., Thomas R. Thompson, Matthew D. Lundberg. An Introduction to Christian Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0521690379, Pub. Price $37.99 [max. 335 pp. assigned]. This book serves as the integrative text in all four common HST courses (both historical and systematic theology options).
2. Schwartz, H. Eschatology. Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN: 978-0802847331, Pub Price $35.00 [250 selected pp. assigned].
3. ELECTRONIC COURSE READER (Canvas) contains essays and primary texts by leading theological scholars on classical and contemporary topics, particularly pertaining to eschatology and theology’s role and challenges in the contemporary world [400 pp].
Historical Texts on Eschatology [55 pp.]
Hall, Christopher. “The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting” in Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. InterVarsity Press, 2009. Ch 11. [25 pp.]
McGrath, Alister E. “The Last Things” in The Christian Theology Reader. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2011. Ch 10. [30 pp.].
Ecumenism and Theologies of Religion [42 pp.]
Ford, David, et al. “Ecumenical Theology.” The Modern Theologians Reader. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. [11 pp.]
Kärkkäinen, V.M. “Theologies of Religions” in Global Dictionary of Theology, ed. W. Dyrness and V.-M. Kärkkäinen. InterVarsity Press, 2008. [8 pp.].
Tibbs, P.E. “A Distinct Economy of the Spirit?: Amos Yong, Pentecostalism, and Eastern Orthodoxy” in Wolfgang Vondey and Martin William Mittelstadt, eds The Theology of Amos Yong and the New Face of Pentecostal Scholarship: A Passion for the Spirit. Leiden: Brill: 2013. Ch. 11. [18 pp.].
_____. “Common Vision, Common Understanding” in Journal of Ecumenical Studies, vol 50.2 Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015. [5 pp].
Contemporary Theology [191 pp.]
McGrath, Alister E. “Science” in Gerald R. McDermott, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology. Oxford: 2010. (17 pp.).
Olson, R.E. “Karl Barth Drops a Bombshell on the Theologian’s Playground” in The Journey of Modern Theology: From Reconstuction to Deconstruction. [24 pp.]
_____. “Theologians Look to the Future with Hope” on J. Moltmann and W. Pannenberg in The Journey of Modern Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2013. [80 pp.].
_____. “Evangelical Theology Comes of Age and Wrestles with Modernity” in The Journey of Modern Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2013. [21 pp.].
Polkinghorne, J. Cosmic Process: Past and Future in The God of Hope and the End of the World. Yale University Press, 2003. [11 pp.].
_____. Insights from Natural Science The God of Hope and the End of the World. Yale University Press, 2003. [14 pp.].
Vanhoozer, Kevin J. “Theology and the Condition of Postmodernity: A Report on Knowledge,”in Vanhoozer, Kevin J., ed. Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2003. Ch. 1. [24 pp.]
Contextual Theologies [112 pp.]
Coleman, Monica A. “Making a Way out of No Way” in Making a Way out of No Way: A Womanist Theology. Fortress Press, 2008. Ch. 1 [26 pp.].
McDougal, Joy Ann. “Feminist Theology”in John Webster, Kathryn Tanner, and Iain Torrance, eds., The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology. Oxford University Press, 2009. Ch. 37. [19 pp.].
McFague, Sallie, “God as Mother” in Models of God” Theology for an Ecological, Nuclear Age. Ch. 4. [19 pp].
Schwarz, H. “The Quest for Liberation (Liberation Theologies)”in Theology in a Global Context: The Last Two Hundred Years. Eerdmans, 2005. [14 pp.].
_____. “Voices Out of Africa” in Theology in a Global Context: The Last Two Hundred Years. Eerdmans, 2005. [9 pp.].
_____. “Theology with an Asian Face” in Theology in a Global Context: The Last Two Hundred Years. Eerdmans, 2005. [6 pp].
Tseng, Timothy. “Race” The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology. Oxford University Press. 2010. [19 pp.].
4. One special topic text of student’s choice, pertaining to contextual theologies (intercultural, interreligious, or science-religion):
Barr, W. Constructive Christian Theology in the Worldwide Church. Eerdmans, 1997. ISBN: 978-0802841438, Pub. Price $10.50 [553 pp. assigned]. ***OUT OF PRINT.
Chung, S. W., ed.Christ the One and Only.Baker, 2005. ISBN: 978-0801028540, Pub. Price $28.00 [272pp.]. ***OUT OF PRINT.
Coleman, Monica A. Making a Way out of No Way: A Womanist Theology. Fortress Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0800662936, Pub. Price $21.00. [224 pp.].
Cone, J.H.A Black Theology of Liberation.Anniversary ed. Orbis, 2010. ISBN: 978-1570758959, Pub. Price $20.00 [200 pp.].
D’Costa, Gavin. Christianity and World Religions: Disputed Questions in the Theology of Religions. Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. ISBN: 978-1405176736, Pub. Price $41.95 [248 pp.].
Ellis, G.F.R., ed. The Far-future Universe: Eschatology from a Cosmic Perspective. Templeton Foundation Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-1890151904, Pub. Price: $39.95 [408 pp.]. ***OUT OF PRINT.
Evans, J. We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic Theology. Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 978-0800698782, Pub. Price $29.00 [192 pp.].
González, J. Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective. Abingdon, 1990. ISBN: 978-0687230679, Pub. Price $21.99 [184 pp.].
Knitter, Paul F., H. Coward. Life After Death in World Religions. OrbisBooks, 2005. ISBN: 978-1570751196, Pub. Price $18.00 [131 pp.].
Lee, Sang Hyun. From a Liminal Place: An Asian American Theology. Fortress, 2010. ISBN: 978-0800696689, Pub. Price $29.00 [200 pp.].
McDermott, Gerald R., ed.The Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology. Oxford University Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0199335992, Pub. Price $53.00 [available online through FTS’s library].
Parratt, J. Reinventing Christianity: African Theology Today. Eerdmans, 1995. ISBN: 978-0802841131, Pub. Price $22.50 [228 pp.].
Parsons, S.F., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0521663809, Pub. Price $35.99 [188 pp.].
Polkinghorne, J. & Welker, M, ed. The End of the World and the Ends of God: Science and Theology on Eschatology. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2000. ISBN: 978-1563383120, Pub. Price $55.00 [320 pp.].
Quinn, Philipp and Kevin Meeker, eds.The Philosophical Challenge of Religious Diversity. Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0195121551, Pub. Price $54.95 [256 pp.].
Russell, R.J. Cosmology: From Alpha to Omega: The Creative Mutual Interaction of Theology and Science. Fortress, 2008. ISBN: 978-0800662738, Pub. Price $34.00 [352 pp.].
Vanhoozer, Kevin J., ed. Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology. Cambridge University Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0521793957, Pub. Price $36.99 [312 pp.].
Walls, Jerry, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Eschatology. Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0199735884, Pub. Price $61.00 [455 pp.] (available online through FTS’s library).
Ward, P. Religion and Community. Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0198752592, Pub. Price $86.00 [376pp.].
Wilkinson, D. Christian Eschatology and the Physical Universe. T&T Clark Continuum, 2010. ISBN: 978-0567045461, Pub. Price: $43.95 [256 pp.].
Wolterstorff, Nicholas.The Mighty and the Almighty: An Essay in Political Theology. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 978-1107673809, Pub. Price $46.99 [181 pp.].
Yong, A.Beyond the Impasse: Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Religions.Wipf & Stock, 2014. ISBN: 978-1498204651, Pub. Price $25.00 [208pp.].
RECOMMENDED READING: Please see course syllabus for list of recommended reading.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH3 or TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program and the 80 MAT Program (Fall 2015). Option to meet the TH3 requirement in the MATM Program (Fall 2015). Meets STC in the 144 MDiv Program.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.