CH500 Early Church History
Nathan P. Feldmeth, Ph.D. Award Winning Course

CH517 Christian Spirituality
James Bradley, Ph.D.

ET501 Christian Ethics
Glen Stassen, Ph.D.

NS500 New Testament 1: The Gospels
Marianne Meye Thompson, Ph.D. Award Winning Course

NS501 New Testament 2: Acts Through Revelation
Available for Personal Enrichment Only
David M. Scholer, Th.D.

PH504 Christian World View and Contemporary Challenges
Richard J. Mouw Ph. D. Award Winning Course

PH510 Christian Apologetics
William A. Dyrness, D.Theol.

ST512 Theological Anthropology and the Revelation of God
Ray S. Anderson, Ph.D.

ST514 Reconciliation and the Healing of Persons
Ray S. Anderson, Ph.D.

ST516 Theology of Christian Community and Ministry
Ray S. Anderson, Ph.D.

YF503 Youth Outreach and Evangelism
Chapman R. Clark, Ph.D.

Early Church History is a survey of the dynamic period in the life of the Church from 100 to 590 AD.  It covers how the Church wrestled with doctrinal and philosophical issues, which are of ongoing significance and importance.  It introduces the key personalities and the major events that helped shape the Church.  It establishes these developments, people, and events as the spiritual heritage of all Christians.

As a result of this course the student will have 1) a basic grasp on how the Church developed in the first five centuries; 2) a working knowledge of the people, doctrinal issues and the historical context of the early Church period; 3) practical insights in applying the lessons and events of the early Church in preaching, teaching, and resolving current doctrinal disputes; 4) a foundation for continuing study of Church history; and 5) skills in researching the original sources.

•  Three 5-page papers

•  Midterm exam

•  Final exam

Bettenson, Henry, ed. Documents of the Christian Church, 3^rd edition, Chris Maunder, ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.

Clark, Elizabeth Ann. Women in the Early Church.  Message of the Fathers of the Church series.  Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1984.

Froehlich, Karlfried, ed and trans.  Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church.  Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.

Latourette, Kenneth Scott.  A History of Christianity, vol 1 (rev. ed.).  San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1975.

Rusch, William G., ed. and trans. The Trinitarian Controversy. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980.

Meets the M.Div. core requirement in Church History A (CHA)

This class will survey the practice of piety in the Roman Catholic, Reformed, and Arminian traditions, with a focus upon the distinctive theology of each.  “Spirituality” is understood to encompass both the inward activity of the spiritual disciplines and the outward activity of social involvement (Mt. 6:6; James 1:27).  Therefore in all three traditions the relation of justification to sanctification, of faith to works, will receive detailed attention.  The course will examine the thought and piety of such notable figures as Augustine, Gregory the Great, and Margery Kemp; Luther, Calvin, and William Perkins; Margaret Fell, Robert Barclay, and Wesley.

Through a comparative historical method, this course will foster critical discernment regarding the nature of Christian Spirituality.  It will encourage empathy for other traditions of piety and commitment to one’s own.  As a result of this course the student will be able to:  a) identify the various teachings on piety practiced with the Roman Catholic, Reformed and Arminian traditions; b) recognize key figures, their historical setting and their writings within each of these traditions; c) understand the major interpretative issues arising from the texts; and d) apply these teachings in the practice of personal spirituality. 

ASSIGNMENTS:

•  Preparation of three papers (typewritten; five to seven pages each) which will integrate the assigned reading and the lecture notes.

•  Interaction with the “Probe” questions in the course reader.  The student will choose 8 of the exercises listed in the 17 lessons of the reader and submit a one page (typed) interaction of each exercise.

Calvin, John.  Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life.  Baker, 1975.

Luther, Martin.  Three Treatises.  Fortress, 1970.

St. Augustine.  Confessions.  Penguin, 1961.

St. Augustine. The Enchiridion. Gateway.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux.  St. Bernard’s Selected Works.  Paulist, 1987

St. Teresa of Avila.  The Interior Castle.  Paulist, 1979

Toon, Peter.  Justification and Sanctification.  Crossway Books, 1983.

Wesley, John.  A Plain Account of Christian Perfection.

Meets the M.A. in Theology requirement in Spirituality (SPIR)

This introduction to Christian ethics aims to identify and compare fundamental assumptions that shape how Christians exercise their Christian discipleship.  It offers a method that aids in repentance and correction, while fostering growth in wholeness and the commitment to serve Jesus Christ as Lord in all of life and ministry.  The agenda will be set by the Sermon on the Mount, thus issues of violence and peacemaking, sanctity of life, sexual faithfulness, truth-telling, love and justice (economic, racial, and ecological) will be included.

As a result of this course the student will be able to identify the variables (e.g. pivotal presuppositions) that are important in the four dimensions of character and in any ethical argument, compare different positions concerning these variables, and analyze how they make a difference in concrete ethical issues.

•  Midterm Exam (50% of grade)

• Final Exam (50% of grade)

Clark & Rakestraw. Readings in Christian Ethics: Issues and Applications V. 2.  Baker Books, 2001

King, Jr. Martin Luther. Why We Can’t Wait. Signet Classic, 2000.

Sider, Ronald. Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity. Word Publishing, 1997

Stassen, Glen H. Just Peacemaking: Transforming Initiatives for Justice and Peace. John Knox Press, 1992

Stassen, Glen H and David P, Gushee. Kingdom Ethics, InterVarsity Press

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Ethics (ETH). 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This introduction to the four Gospels has two main objectives:  to increase the student’s knowledge of the content of the Gospels and to facilitate informed reading -- as well as sound teaching and preaching--of them through the introduction of information and methods important for interpreting the text.  

The course is divided into four main units: 

(1) history of the NT period pertinent to the Gospels;

(2) appropriate methods of studying the Gospels;

(3) the theology of the Gospels;

(4) an outline of Jesus’ life and ministry.

As a result of this course the student will increase confidence in reading, studying, and teaching the Gospels, as well as in understanding and interpreting the work of NT scholars.  Moreover, the Gospels are wonderful examples of contextualized theology, since each gospel interprets the story of Jesus for a specific context and community.  It is hoped that careful study of the ways in which the authors of the Gospels contextualized their message will stimulate thinking about how we may do so today.

•  An exam on the content of the Gospels.

•  A paper on a central  topic of the course. This paper is to be five pages long, double-spaced.  It is not a research paper.

•  A final examination, covering lectures and reading.

Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels.  3rd ed.  American Bible Society, 1979.  (Prints the Nestle-Aland 26th edition of the Greek text with facing pages of the RSV, 2nd edition.)  OR the same synopsis in English only.

Achtemeier, Paul J., Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson.  Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology.  Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2001.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in New Testament 1 (NT1).

The course, within the sphere of NT Theology, basically is a study of the emerging church in the apostolic period as portrayed in The Book of Acts and the New Testament Epistles.  This literature will be consulted for information on such topics as church organization, leadership, worship, the sacraments, the Holy Spirit, Jewish/Gentile problems, and the unity of the church.

Students who read and interact with the required material, and complete the assignments should:

1. Understand the Jewish and Greco-Roman world into which Christianity came
2. Outline the geographical expansion of the church during the apostolic period
3. Examine the theological contributions of the early apostles
4. Evaluate the basic nature and structure of the early church as described in the New Testament
5.  Appreciate the development and diversity of the church
6. Be able to engage more competently and sympathetically in local and ecumenical discussions of the church today.

• Complete three brief reports (2pp.) on required assignments (15%)

• A book review of Brown (5-7pp). (15%)

• A major research paper (15-20 pp.) or two shorter (10-12 pp.) on a topic(s) as suggested in "course syllabus" (35%)

• A final 3-hour take-home exam. (35%)

Brown, R. The Churches the Apostles Left Behind. Paulist, 1984.

Bruce, F.F. The Book of the Acts. NIC. Eerdmans, revised, 1989.

Dunn, J.D.G. Unity and Diversity in the New Testament. Trinity, 3rd. ed., 1990

Patzia, A. The Emergence of the Church: Context, Growth, Leadership, Worship. InterVarsity, 2001

 Supplementary materials provided with the Syllabus

Meets M.Div. core requirement in New Testament Theology (NTT).

Challenges to the Christian faith are often grounded in alternative worldviews; people criticize the Christian Gospel from points of view which are characterized by differing conceptions of reality. When dealing with such challenges Christians are forced to get clearer about their own understandings of God, God’s relationships to the world, and the proper patterns for human living in God’s world. This course will examine several significant challenges to the Christian Gospel, including the “secular humanism” of the contemporary “New Age” cults, and recent “post-modern” philosophical perspectives. Specific attention will also be given to environmental questions. As we examine these matters, we will also be exploring the proper contours of a Biblically grounded world-and-life view.

This course is designed to equip persons preparing for various ministries—parish, parachurch, counseling, teaching, cross-cultural—to be more discerning about the intellectual currents that flow through the contexts to which they will minister. People operate with worldview—conceptions about the nature of reality, human nature in particular, the basic causes of human  malfunctioning and the possibilities of correction and growth. An understanding of these kinds of conceptions, and an ability to articulate a Christian perspective on such matters, is often crucial for effective ministry.

• A midterm examination

• A final examination

• One 5-7 page paper

Bednarowski, Mary Farrell. New Religions and the Theological Imagination in America. Indiana University Press. 1995.

Card, Orson Scott. Seventh Son. TOR Books. 1987.

Johnston, Carol. And the Leaves of the Trees are for the Healing of the Nations. Office of Environmental Justice. Presbyterian Church (USA). 1997.

Murray, John C. The Problem of God. Yale University Press. 1964.

Russell, Bertrand. Why I am Not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects. Simon and Schuster. 1957.

Photocopied readings in the syllabus.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Philosophical Theology (PHIL)

This course explores the major challenges that Christianity faces in North America at the end of the 20th century. The approach is to develop an apologetic framework by (1) surveying the way Christians have defended the faith throughout the history of he church, (2) exploring a biblical model for understanding Christianity, and (3) developing a strategy for defending the truth of Christianity and thus commending the faith to unbelievers. The second half of the course will be devoted to addressing issues that are important with the tools that have been developed.

As a result of this course the student will:

•  Recognize theoretical implication of the material being studied so as to deduce principles, theories, major theses, and implications of these for today’s strategies of mission.

• Explain the basis of an apologetic framework.

• Be able to define the major issues facing Christian apologists today.

• Explain a biblical model for understanding Christianity.

•  Engage in reflective thinking which compares and contrasts and draws principles from the materials being studied.

• A written examination

• Two 4-5 page response papers

• A research project

Dyrness, William. Christian Apologetics in a World Community . IVP Press, 1982. (OR)

McGrath, Alister. Intellectuals Don’t Need God. Grand Rapids:Zondervan, 1993.

Middleton, J. Richard & Brian J. Walsh. Truth is Stranger Than it Used to Be. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1995.

Murphy, Nancey. Anglo-American Postmodernity: Philosophical Perspectives on Science, Religion and Ethics. Boulder: Westview. 1997.

Newbigin, Lesslie.The Gospel in a Pluralistic Society.  Grand Rapids:Eerdmans, 1990.

Placher, William.Unapologetic Theology. WJKP, 1989.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Philosophical Theology (PHIL)

“Theological Anthropology and the Revelation of God” is designed to be an introduction to the nature of theological study, developing a structure of divine revelation as fundamental to our knowledge of God as well as the human person. Central to the course will be a unit of theological anthropology, showing how the true order of humanity is determined by divine revelation, and then taking into consideration practical matters of human existence such as male and female role relationships, human sexuality, death and dying, and therapeutic approaches to pastor care.

As a result of this course the student will develop tools which will facilitate an understanding of the theological issues present in basic human question about the reality of God, the authority of Scripture, human sexuality and the spiritual/psychical dynamics of the human person.

Students wishing to work towards an A level grade will be required to read 1500 pages, including the assigned reading, and complete four exam questions.

Students wishing to work towards a B level grade will be required to read 1000 pages of reading from the assigned reading list, and complete two exam questions.

Anderson, R.S. Expanded Lecture Syllabus.

Anderson, R.S. On Being Human: Essays in Theological Anthropology. Eerdmans,1982.

Becker, E. The Denial of Death. Macmillan, Free Press, 1973.

Bloesch, Donald. Holy Scripture:Revelation, Inscripturation and Interpretation. InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Jinkins, Michael. Invitation to Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2001.

Pinnock, et al. The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God.  InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Systematic Theology A (STA).

“Reconciliation and the Healing of Persons” considers the doctrine of the Incarnation, the person of Jesus Christ as the basis for reconciliation of persons to God, the doctrines of Justification and Sanctification, as well as the doctrine of Atonement. A unit on healing and the atonement will look closely at the issues of forgiveness of sin, physical healing, and the relationship of healing to God’s ministry of reconciliation through the Church.

As a result of this course the student will develop tools which will facilitate a broader understanding of the theological issues present in the basic human questions related to the experience of saving faith, assurance of salvation, and the overcoming of sin and its effects in our spiritual, emotional and physical life.

 Students wishing to work towards an A level grade will be required to read 1500 pages, including the assigned reading, and complete four exam questions.

 Students wishing to work towards a B level grade will be required to read 1000 pages of reading from the assigned reading list, and complete two exam questions.

Anderson, R.S. Expanded Lecture Syllabus.

Anderson, R.S. Judas and Jesus: Amazing Grace for the Wounded Soul.  Cascade Books, 2005.

Blue, K. Authority to Heal. IVP, 1987.

Kraus, N. Jesus Christ Our Lord: Christology from a Disciple's Perspective.
New Publisher

Torrance, T.F. The Mediation of Christ. Helmers and Howard, 1991.

Wilson, J.R. God So Loved the World. Baker Book House.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Systematic Theology B (STB).

This course is designed to show how the church as the continued presence and ministry of Jesus emerges out of the sending of the Holy Spirit in the world, the apostolic witness, and the existence of a community of believers. The church is understood as the continued ministry of Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. A theological paradigm for ministry will be developed, showing how Christ's ministry through his whole church empowers all members of the church, both men and women, for the full ministry of Christ.

In this course students will apply theological principles to concrete and practical ministry situations through case evaluation and critique. Students will learn how to do theological reflection in the context of ministry.

 Students wishing to work towards an A level grade will be required to read 1500 pages, including the assigned reading, and complete four exam questions.

 Students wishing to work towards a B level grade will be required to read 1000 pages of reading from the assigned reading list, and complete two exam questions.

All students will submit a 500 word book review of one of the elective reading texts.

Anderson, R.S. Expanded Lecture Syllabus.

Anderson, R.S.  The Soul of Ministry.  Westminster John Knox, 1997.

Green, Michael.  I Believe in the Holy Spirit.  Eerdmans, Revised Edition, 2004.

Kraus, C. Norman.  The Community of the Spirit. Herald Press, 1993.

Ogden, Greg.  Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God.  Zondervan, Revised edition, 2003.

Bloesch, Donald.  The Church: Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission.  InterVarsity, 2002.

ELECTIVE READING

Select one of the following texts

Dyrness, William. Learning About Theology from the Third World.  Zondervan, 1990

Belleville, Linda L. Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions. Baker, 2000

Rowland, Christopher. ed. The Cambridge Companion to Liberation Theology. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1999

Thomas, Linda E. ed. Living Stones in the Household of God: The Legacy and Future of Black Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004

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

This course explores the biblical mandate to “go and make disciples” as it relates to the adolescent subculture.  Students will learn how to articulate and pass on to others a biblical, theological, and practical understanding of evangelism and outreach.  Through readings, lecture, projects and discussion, students will learn how to design an incarnational as well as relational ministry program which takes seriously Christian care and evangelism with unbelieving young people.  Issues covered are: the content and message of the Gospel as it relates to an age-specific population, contemporary models of youth evangelism, and the partnership and networking of local parishes and the parachurch.

As a result of this course the student will be able to articulate and pass on the biblical principles which influence outreach and evangelism as well as a biblical and theological view of evangelism and outreach.  The student will be given the tools to assess and critique contemporary youth ministry models and develop a biblically sound, culturally relevant, and practically feasible theology of youth outreach and evangelism.  Upon this theological base the student will design an incarnational as well as relational ministry program which takes seriously Christian care and evangelism in contemporary adolescent culture.  The student will develop an appreciation for the thoughts and motivation of the secular person, thus enabling the Spirit to work in the lives of those we are trying to reach. 

•  Preparation of four quote sheets (typewritten; 2 pages on each of the required text books).

• Preparation of a paper (4-5 pages) in which you reflect on the practicum involved in the course.

•  Preparation of an evaluation paper (8-12 pages) based on a field exercise in which you examine an organization specializing in youth evangelism.

•  Complete a comprehensive examination of the course content.

•  Preparation of a final paper (10-12 pages).

Kallenberg, Brad J. Live to Tell: Evangelism for a Postmodern Age. Brazos Press, 2002

McLaren, Brian.  A Generous Orthodoxy. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2004.

Peace, Richard.  Conversion in the New Testament: Paul & the Twelve.  Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1999. (pp. 1-125, 285-346)

Van Gelder, Craig, ed.  Confident Witness-Changing World.  Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1999.

Meets M.Div. core requirement in Evangelism (MIN 3)

Required course for M.A./M.Div. Youth Ministries concentration