ST551/TH851
McClendon
ST551/TH851: BAPTIST THEOLOGY AND ITS ROOTS. James McClendon.
DESCRIPTION:
- Beside Catholic and Protestant, there is a third historic ecclesial
type, often named Baptist (or baptist--a spelling to match lower case
"catholic" and "protestant"). This type recurs over the centuries, but its
characteristic theology remains little examined and often unknown. To remedy
this lack, this seminar seeks the central features of Baptist (or baptist)
theology. The goals of the seminar are correctly to locate the Baptist
movement in the Christian spectrum and to identify its definitive vision.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
- Three aspects of this work make it relevant for Christian ministry:
Formational: Many Fuller students seek an appropriate ecclesial setting
for the ministry to which they know they are called. Ecumenical: The
unity of God's people requires that each part discover itself so that it can
contribute its true character to the whole. Pedagogical: If the church
would be the church, it must theologically examine its constitutive
character.
COURSE FORMAT:
- Read and discuss extracts from primary baptist theological writings
from the 15th century to the present with current interpretations of these.
REQUIRED READING: (1400 pages of total assigned)
- Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim's Progress. Penguin, 1965.
- Durnbaugh, Donald. The Believers' Church. Herald, 1985.
- Klaassen, W. Anabaptism: Neither Catholic nor Protestant. Conrad,
1981.
- Lumpkin, W. L. Baptist Confessions of Faith. Judson, 1988.
- McClendon, James. Systematic Theology, Volumes I and II. Abingdon,
1986-94.
- Pipkin, H. Wayne. Essays in Anabaptist Theology. Institute of
Mennonite Studies, 1994.
- Yoder, J. H. The Fullness of Christ. Brethren, 1987.
- Course Reader, Fuller Bookstore.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Carroll, J. M. The Trail of Blood. Any edition.
- Toews, Paul, ed. Mennonites & Baptists. Kindred, 1993.
- Other works represented in Reader as appropriate.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Attend all sessions prepared for well-informed discussion of the
assigned readings for the day. A midterm examination will check progress in the
seminar. By term's end submit a paper of 3,500 to 4,000 words, or for doctoral
students a paper written to CATS standards, on an individually assigned topic
closely related to the second seminar task.
PREREQUISITES:
- Advanced M.Div. or M.A. standing as determined by your FTS
advisor, or Ph.D. enrollment.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
- Elective.
FINAL EXAMINATION:
- None.