Spring 2019/Pasadena
CH532
Thompson
CH532: CALVIN AS PASTOR AND THEOLOGIAN (4 Units: 160 hours). John L. Thompson.
DESCRIPTION: This elective MA course, linked to a separate doctoral seminar, will consider a selection of topics where the task of theology and the tasks of ministry coincide, tracing Calvin’s theology and pastoral practice through what might be called the marks (and quasi-marks) of the church: word, sacrament, discipline, and care for the poor. Calvin left a rich legacy for Christian thought on a myriad of topics — a legacy that survives not just in his Institutes, but also in works of liturgy, catechism, sermons, commentaries, and both civil and ecclesiastical legislation. This course will explore selections from such works in order to come to terms not just with Calvin’s theological legacy but also with the connections between his theology and practice.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who pass this course will demonstrate: (1) a basic historical and theological knowledge of the Protestant Reformation as it was manifested in the pastoral and theological work of John Calvin and his contemporaries; (2) a basic competence in interpreting this history and theology and an ability to evaluate Calvin’s work in its historical development, as well as in critical dialogue with secondary literature in this field; and (3) a critical and sympathetic appreciation for the task of ministry in the Christian church as manifested during this era.
COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three-hour sessions 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: 1200 pages required
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 vols. Westminster John Knox, 1960. ISBN: 978-0664220280, $100.00 hardcover. Held by Fuller Library as an e-book; also available on Kindle and as a CD-ROM. [~300 pp. assigned]
Manetsch, Scott. Calvin’s Company of Pastors. Oxford, 2015. ISBN: 978-0190224479, $38.95 paper. Held by Fuller Library as an e-book; also available on Kindle. [~200 pages assigned]
McKee, Elsie Anne. Ed. John Calvin: Writings on Pastoral Piety. Classics of Western Spirituality; Paulist, 2002. ISBN: 978-0809140466, $26.95 paper; $13.99 on Kindle. [~260 pages assigned]
Various articles and chapters available on eReserves. [~440 pp.]
One additional book, chosen by student, approved by instructor. [page-count varies; this reading is part of assignments #2 and 3, below]
RECOMMENDED READING:
De Greef, Wulfert. The Writings of John Calvin. Expanded edition, Westminster John Knox, 2008. ISBN 978-0664232306, Pub. Price $40.00 hardbound.
Gordon, Bruce. Calvin. Yale, 2009. ISBN: 978-0300170849, Pub. Price $25.00 paper.
Mckim, Donald K., ed. The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin. Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN: 978-0521016728, $51.00 paper.
Naphy, William G. Calvin and the Consolidation of the Genevan Reformation. Westminster John Knox, 2003. ISBN: 978-0664226626, $40.00 paper.
Spierling, Karen E. Infant Baptism in Reformation Geneva: The Shaping of a Community, 1536-1564. Westminster John Knox, 2009. ISBN: 978-0664233419, $40.00 paper.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
PREREQUISITES: CHB or HT502 or equivalent is recommended but not required.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH4 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MAT Programs (Fall 2015).
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.