Acourse syllabus for RET 237A: Introduction to Christian Theology. To develop a syllabus for a new course entitled "Theology of and for the Global Christian Community" to help students develop a new multi-lingualism of faith to be able to fully participate in the emerging global Christian community as old divisions in theology decline and the newly accented theologies of Africa, Asia, and Latin America rise in importance | |
Course Description All general education "Christian Beliefs" courses are designed to introduce students to the most important historic doctrines of Christian faith; to familiarize students with some of the more significant schools of Christian theology (especially Anabaptism, pietism, and Wesleyanism); to help students negotiate their way through the plurality of theological options available to them; and to provide a grounding in theological reflection that can serve as a base for the integration of faith and learning in each student's major field of undergraduate study. This course, in particular, will also include a heightened cross-cultural dimension. There are currently as many Christians living outside of Europe and the United States as live in those two western cultural regions. And, growth trends indicate that soon Euro-US Christians will be in the minority. As the Christian community of faith becomes increasingly global, western Christians will need to learn how to understand and appreciate the Christian insights that are emerging and will continue to emerge from non-Euro-US churches. In this course, we will try to balance our treatment of western traditional (and typically professional) theology with a selective look at Hispanic theology, Asian theology, African-American theology, and a range of non-professional "vernacular" theologies. Student Goals - To develop a familiarity with the vocabulary and basic ideas of historic Christian theology.
- To learn how to think "theologically," (i.e., how to balance the claims of scripture, tradition, science, reason, and experience in thinking about God, the world and oneself)
- To become attuned to global concerns when reflecting on Christian faith.
- To develop a tolerance toward (and even an appreciation of) differing Christian ideas while clarifying one's own particular Christian worldview.
Texts Available in Bookstore William A. Dyrness, Invitation to Cross-Cultural Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992). Justo L. Gonzalez, Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective(Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1990). Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction (Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 1994). Andrew Sung Park, The Wounded Heart of God: the Asian Concept of Han and the Christian Doctrine of Sin (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 199x). Readings on Reserve in Murray LRC: Roland H. Bainton, The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century (Boston: Beacon Press, 1952). Chapter 5 - "The church Withdrawn: Anabaptism" (pp. 95-109) Rickey Cotton, "Transactional Theory of Reading and Biblical Hermeneutics" (Paper presented at the 22nd Meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies.) W. H. C. Frend, Saints and Sinners in the Early Church: Differing and Conflicting Tradition in the First Six Centuries (Wilmington, Del.: Michael Glazier, 1985.) Chapter 5 - "Donatus and Christianity in North Africa" (pp. 94-117) Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity, Vol. 2 (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985). Chapter 36 - "From the Ends of the Earth" (pp. 388-98) Douglas Jacobsen and William Vance Trollinger, Jr., "Evangelical and Ecumenical: Re-Forming a Center," Christian Century (July 13-20, 1994), pp. 682-684. Joseph H. Jackson, Many But One: The Ecumenics of Charity (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1964). Chapter 9 - "Building Fellowship on Agreements" (pp. 91-102)
Chapter 10 - "The Urgency of Christian Fellowship" (pp. 103 -15) Marlin VanElderen, Introducing the World Council of Churches (Geneva: WCC Publications, 1990). Chapter 3 - "Acting in Faith (partial)" (pp. 44-50) Grading - Three Exams worth 20% of your final grade each. Exam Dates: October 12, November 21, finals week
- Two short reaction papers (3-4 pp.) worth 10% of your final grade each.
-- Strength/weakness of two church models (Christendom model, magisterial reformation, Anabaptist, modern ecumenical). DUE: September 28
-- Compare and contrast McGrath and Gonzalez on either theology proper or Christology. DUE: November 7 - Two church visits (pick two of three: Asian, Hispanic, or African-American) and written comparative report (4-5 pp.) worth 10% of your final grade. DUE: December 5
- Class attendance, preparation, and participation worth 5% of your final grade.
- Each student must complete all the above assignments and exams in order to be eligible to receive a passing grade for the course.
- Extra Credit: Theological "Destiny" Completion (+3% points to winner)
Two sentence maximum. Clean copy of text only. Hand-in any time. Multiple submissions allowed. Vote second to last week of class.
Calendar AUG 29 | Course Introduction | AUG 31 | Unit 1: Who/What is the Church Early Models McGrath, pp. 405-10 Frend (LRC) | SEP 5 | Reformation McGrath, pp. 410-17 Bainton (LRC) | SEP 7 | Modern and Ecumenical Models McGrath, pp. 417-26; Gonzalez (LRC); VanElderen (LRC); Jacobsen/Trollinger (LRC) | SEP 12 | An Hispanic Perspective Gonzalez, Chs. 1, 3-4 | SEP 14 | A Black Church Perspective Jackson (LRC) | SEP 19 | Unit II: Reflecting on Faith (Dual Track: History and Method) Intro and Patristics McGrath, Ch. 1 | SEP 21 | Medieval Theology McGrath, Ch. 2 The Bible and Theories of Reading Cotton (LRC) | SEPT 26 | Reformation Theology McGrath, Ch. 3 Reading the Bible in Spanish Gonzalez, Ch. 5 | SEP 28 | Reading Day Church Paper Due!
Modern Theologies McGrath, Ch. 4 (pp. 76-83, 92-113) Theological Idolatry Gonzalez, Ch. 6 | OCT 10 | Sources of Theology Reviewed McGrath, Ch. 6 | OCT 12 | Exam I | OCT 17 | Unit III: Central Doctrines Theology Proper McGrath, Ch. 7 | OCT 19 | The Trinity McGrath, Ch. 8 | OCT 24 | The Trinity and the Creator God: A Second Look Gonzalez, Chs. 7-8 | OCT 26 | Christology McGrath, Ch. 9 | OCT 31 | The Incarnation and the Spirit Gonzalez, Chs. 10-11 | NOV 2 | Unit IV: Human Sides of Theology Salvation in Christ McGrath, Ch. 11
Human Nature, Sin and Grace McGrath, Ch. 12 and Gonzalez, Ch. 9 Comp.-Contra. Paper Due! | NOV 9 | Sin and "Han" Park, Intro and Chs. 1-2 | NOV 14 | Sin, Han, and Justification Park, Chs. 4-5 | NOV 16 | Salvation and the Nature of God Park, Chs. 6-7 and Conclusion | NOV 21 | Exam II | NOV 23 | Thanksgiving Break | NOV 28 | Unit V: Lay and Local Theologies Intro to People's Theology Dyrness, Chs. 1-2 | NOV 30 | Guatemala and Manila Dyrness, Chs. 3-4 | DEC 4 | Africa and America Dyrness, Chs. 5-6 Chruch Visit Papers Due! | DEC 7 | Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Theological Conversation Dyrness, Ch. 7 | DEC 12 | Semester Exams |
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