DESCRIPTION:

This is an introductory course on the church, including its nature, authority, worship and sacraments, and institutional expression; and on individual and corporate eschatology, including death, resurrection, judgment, heaven and hell.

Understanding of the principal doctrines of the Christian faith is vital to the preaching and teaching ministry of the church, as well as informing Christian living. Knowledge of what has traditionally been construed as essential to the church and its ministry is particularly critical in a time of changing models of the church and ministry. Similarly, awareness of options and central affirmation in eschatology has heightened importance at a time of end-of-millennium eschatological interest.

The class will meet for four hours twice a week for five weeks, for lecture, discussion, and a few (optional) student presentations. Part of the reading is designed to address issues which receive lesser attention in the lectures.

Choose one (sections relevant to Theology III):

Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. New ed. Eerdmans, 1996.

Grenz, Stanley. Theology for the Community of God. Broadman & Holman, 1994.

And choose one book each from two of the following three groups (paper must address a different issue than the three books selected from these groupings):

1. Jewett, P. K. The Lord's Day. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971 (all of these reprinted by FTS).
   ________. Infant Baptism and the Covenant of Grace. Eerdmans, 1978.
   ________. The Ordination of Women. Eerdmans, 1980.

2. Hauerwas, Stanley and William Willimon. Resident Aliens. Abingdon, 1989.
   Willis, Jim. The Soul of Politics. Harcourt Brace, 1995.

3. Bavinck, Herman. The Last Things, ed. John Bolt. Baker, 1996.
   Grenz, Stanley. The Millennial Maze. InterVarsity Press, 1992.
   Witherington, Ben, III. Jesus, Paul and the End of the World. InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Brown, Robert M. The Significance of the Church. Westminster, 1956. OP.

Bynum, Caroline W. The Resurrection of the Body in Western Christianity, 200-1336. Columbia University Press, 1995.

Dante. The Divine Comedy. (many editions and translations; Sayers recommended).

Hick, John. Death and Eternal Life. Harper & Row, 1980.

Küng, Hans. The Church. Doubleday, 1976. OP.

Pannenberg, Wolfhart. The Church. Westminster, 1983. OP.

Schaff, Philip. The Creeds of Christendom. 3 vols. Baker, 1977; reprint ed., 1983.

Toon, Peter. Heaven and Hell. Thomas Nelson, 1986. OP.

Wainwright, Geoffrey. Doxology. Oxford University Press, 1980.

White, James. Introduction to Christian Worship, 2nd ed. Abingdon, 1990.

Reading as noted; 7-10 page paper; optional class presentation (in group, extra credit); final exam.

Meets M. Div. core requirement in Systematic Theology "c" (STC).