Download Introduction to Christian Theology - Fall 2008 Syllabus | UFDN 3100 and more Study notes History of Education in PDF only on Docsity!
Seattle Pacific University UFDN 3100: Christian Theology Fall 2008 Class Sessions: MWF – 1:30pm to 2:50pm. Peterson 303 Professor: Jeff Keuss, PhD – Associate Professor of Christian Ministry Office: Alexander Hall 106 - 206/281-2442 keussj@spu.edu Office Hours: Tuesdays, 11:00am – 12:00pm and by appointment I. Course Goals and Objectives Seattle Pacific University Mission Statement: “As a community of learners, Seattle Pacific University seeks to educate and prepare students for service and leadership. We are committed to evangelical Christian faith and values, and to excellence in teaching and scholarship for the intellectual, personal and spiritual growth of students.” SPU School of Theology Goals: Within the broad context of these Mission Statements, SOT has established fourteen goals for its various programs, which are listed below. The five of these that pertain specifically to this course are italicized.
- Students will gain an informed and reflective faith.
- Students will gain confidence in the Christian faith.
- Students will respond respectfully to people with differing beliefs and practices.
- Students will be able to interpret Scripture with skill and grace.
- Students will shape their lives around Christian character and values. 6. Students will understand how Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience inform theological reflection.
- Students will be prepared to make a difference in a cross-cultural setting.
- Students will be prepared for successfully entering the workplace or graduate studies.
- Students will be able to nurture others in Christian faith.
- Students will enhance their service to churches.
- Students will critique different worldviews operative in the world.
- Students will cultivate personal Bible study into their lives.
- Students will identify historic and contemporary diversity in the global Christian tradition.
- Students will be more active participants in the worship and ministry
of a local congregation. Course Objectives: In order to attain these goals, the Department of Theology has established the following specific objectives for UFDN 3100.
- To sketch the basic development of Christian thought and institutions from New Testament times to the present. Both the rich diversity and the overarching unity within the Christian tradition will be emphasized. The distinctive beliefs and practices of five major branches of the Christian tradition: the Eastern Orthodox , Roman Catholic , Lutheran , Reformed , and Wesleyan branches will be highlighted.
- To delineate the central doctrines of the historic Christian church, their interrelationships, and their implications for the Christian life. Doctrines will be studied not only as truth claims, i.e., ideas that Christians affirm, but also as regulative principles, i.e., concepts by means of which Christians analyze, shape, and amend their lives.
- To demonstrate the rudiments of theological method, that is, of how fruitful theological reflection involves a dynamic and closely reasoned dialogue between Christian scripture, Christian tradition, and the full range of human experience.
- To map out some of the major religious and philosophical world views current today and to analyze their congruence or incongruence with the historic Christian faith.
- To encourage and help students to cultivate a more reflective Christian faith, that is, one integrally woven into their lives and thinking. II. Course Description General Description: 5 Credits. Prerequisites: UFDN 1000: Christian Formation and UFDN 2000 or 3001: Christian Scriptures. This course studies the basic doctrines and practices of historic Christianity, such as the being, attributes, and workings of the Triune God; the nature, fallenness, and redemption of human beings; the character and mission of the church; the disciplines and duties of personal faith; and the hope for “last things.” Attention will be given to major formative events and key persons in the history of the church that have helped to shape what Christians believe and how they live. Attributes: Foundation and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen. ( SPU Undergraduate Catalog , p. 71) III. Course Requirements and Policies
please understand that not all the material contained in these presentations will necessarily be discussed in class, and conversely that not all the material discussed in class and/or on line will necessarily be covered in the outlines. Examinations: Reviews of material covered in the readings, lectures, and class discussions. Three exams will be given during the quarter: Exam No. 1 Oct. 22nd^ Covering class sessions 1 - 9 Exam No. 2 Nov. 10th^ Covering class sessions 11 - 19 Final Exam Dec. 10th^ Cumulative, with emphasis on class sessions 20 - 30 Exam Nos. 1 and 2 will each be worth 20% of your course grade. Exam No. 3 will be worth 25% of your course grade. The exams usually have two parts. The first part consists of objective questions (i.e., multiple choice and/ or term definition) and is closed book/closed notebook. You will need to bring a Scantron form (882-E “thin green one”) and a No. 2 pencil for this. The second part for Exams 2 and 3 consist of short essays. You will need to bring a small blue book for this. The dates of Exams 1 and 2 may be revised if class progress warrants, and any students inconvenienced by such changes will be permitted to take the exams in the Library on the originally scheduled date. The date and time of the Final Exam is set by the University and cannot be changed to suit individual needs, except according to the provisions stated in SPU Time Schedule. Quizzes: Three times during the quarter I will give pop quizzes. The dates will not be announced, and make-ups will not be permitted. Each of the three grades will be worth 5% of your course grade. The quizzes will take about 10 minutes to complete. All will be closed book/closed notebook, because the purpose of these exercises is to test how carefully and thoughtfully you have read the daily reading assignments. Study Tips for Exams & Quizzes: In the examinations, you will be held responsible for all of the following: all the reading assignments listed in this syllabus, all the material discussed in class and on line, and all the material on the Power Point presentations (PPs). In particular: Know the definitions of technical terms, including those in Greek, Latin, or Hebrew that are printed on the PPs. Know everything on the numbered or bulleted lists found in the PPs. Memorize the dates of events and historical epochs listed in the PPs and in the 1–2 page articles in Christian History “The 100 Most Important Events.”
Know the names of the theologians, artists, and poets associated with the various doctrines we study (e.g., Rublev with respect to the doctrine of the Trinity, or Calvin and Pelagius with respect to the doctrine of predestination). Understanding of the Guthrie text can be enriched by writing out or discussing with classmates the answers to the study questions at the end of each chapter. Understanding of the Ware text can be enriched by asking yourself why each of the quotations at the beginning and end of each chapter has been selected. Course Engagement Grade: What you get out of this course - both in terms of your grade and in terms of the course’s personal value for you - will depend on what you put into it. When I assess the degree to which you have invested yourself in this course, I will look at the following factors: $ Class attendance $ Active participation in classroom discussions $ Active participation in on-line discussions of course material $ Private conversations with me about course material $ Self-evaluation and Banner Course Evaluation (see below) The course engagement grade will be worth 15% of your final grade. In calculating it, I will weigh your attendance against the other four factors taken together. If you do not miss a single class session, but give no other evidence of engagement with you material, you will get an 80 (C+). Every unexcused absence from class will lower this grade by two points. On the other hand, if you participate regularly and thoughtfully in discussions and/ or demonstrate your interest in and command of the material in the other above-mentioned ways, you will be rewarded accordingly. Valid excuses for missing class include illnesses, personal or family emergencies, SPU athletic competitions, theatrical performances, and academic field trips or retreats for which I receive a note signed by the faculty member in charge. Absences and tardiness due to on-campus practices and rehearsals are not excused. Please understand that it is not my policy to excuse students from class for church-related activities (e.g., mission trips or conferences), work- related activities (e.g., overtime hours or emergency fill-ins for other employees) or non-emergency activities with family or friends (e.g., weddings or vacations). However, by regularly participating in class discussion, most students can effectively restore the two points they will lose from their CEG for each class session missed. In short, faithful attendance and careful preparation for class are expected.
Classroom Etiquette: Our class time should be relaxed and informal. Still, a degree of dignity and decorum is necessary for the academic enterprise. I would therefore ask you to observe the following classroom courtesies: $ Please arrive on time, if possible. (However, do not skip a class entirely simply because you are going to be late.) $ I open some class sessions with a reading from scripture and prayer. Even if you are not one who prays, please respect the reverence of those who do by keeping silent. $ Please bring your copies of the assigned readings for the day, and, if possible, your Bible, to class. Careful examination of the readings will be a common feature of lectures, full-class discussions, small-group exercises, and class presentations. $ Please do not bring food to class, unless you have enough to share with everyone. Beverages are okay. $ During class discussions, please give your full attention to whoever has the floor and refrain from side conversations and activities irrelevant to the course. $ Please refrain from asking me questions about class issues, grades, assignments, personal matters just before class, when I am trying to collect my thoughts and organize my materials. I will usually be available to answer such questions immediately after class and during my regularly scheduled office hours. Or you may email me at keussj@spu.edu $ Please refrain from verbal abuse of those whose views you disagree with, whether members of the class or authors whom we are studying. In theological inquiry, vigorous critique of ideas must stop short of personal attacks or eschatological condemnations. $ Please switch off your cell phones and beepers during class, unless you have a valid reason for keeping them on (e.g., a sick child at home). If you must make or take a call during class, please step outside the classroom. Cell phones that ring during exams will result in a 20% grade reduction for the student who owns the phone. $ No sleeping in class! Occasional bouts of drowsiness will be overlooked, but persons who habitually violate this rule will be dismissed from class or given a failing grade. $ Please do not leave class early unless you let me know at the beginning of class that you must do so. If you must leave early, please sit near the door to minimize disruption. $ If you must miss a class session, please inform me to that effect beforehand if possible, preferably by voice-mail or e-mail.
$ Guests are welcome in class, but should be introduced personally to me before class begins and to the entire group at the beginning of class. For additional information about classroom behavior and other protocols of academic life, see The SPU Student Handbook. Grading Scale: Number Grade Letter Grade Grade Point 100-95 A 4.0 - 3. 94-92 A- 3.7 - 3. 91-90 B+ 3.3 - 3. 89-85 B 3.0 - 2. 84-82 B- 2.7 - 2. 81-80 C+ 2.3 - 2. 79-75 C 2.0 - 1. 74-72 C- 1.7 - 1. 71-70 D+ 1.3 - 1. 69-65 D 1.0 - 0. 64-0 E 0.7 - 0. Summary of Graded Assignments: Exam No. 1 20% Exam No. 2 20% Quizzes 15% 3 grades of quizzes (5% each) Course Engagement Grade 5% El Mozote Paper 10% Great Divorce Paper 5% Final Examination 25% Total 100% IV. Other Information Inclusive Language Policy: It is the policy of the School of Theology that gender-inclusive language be used in classroom discourse and writing assignments. By this we mean that in referring to human beings, we will make every effort either to use gender-neutral terms and/or to alternate our use of masculine and feminine personal pronouns. For example, we should use gender-neutral plural terms such as “persons,” “people” or “human beings” rather than “men,” or gender-neutral singular terms such as “a
Instructor’s General Approach: Two quotes frame much of “why” I do theology – both as a theologian and as a pastor. Firstly, I could do no better than repeat the words of Lady Study, the wife of Intelligence, when she directs the Dreamer to her cousin Learning in William Langland’s story of Piers the Ploughman : ‘Theology has always caused me a lot of trouble. The more I ponder and delve into it, the darker and mistier it seems to me to be. It is certainly no science for subtle invention, and without love it would be no good at all. But I love it because it values love above all else; and grace is never lacking where love comes first.’ Secondly, as a ‘practical’ theologian, I continue to reflect upon the following quote from Jürgen Habermas, the famous social theorist and philosopher: 'Philosophy, even in its postmetaphysical form, will be able neither to replace nor to repress religion so long as religious language bears semantic content that is inspiring and even indispensable, because this content eludes (for the time being?) the explanatory force of philosophical language and continues to resist translation into reasoning discourses.' (Jürgen Habermas, Postmetaphysical Thinking ) In short I do theology partly because I think Jürgen Habermas is partly right. Habermas is well-known for being the rejecter of the metaphysical, the insistent atheist, the sceptic about tradition. Yet this same Habermas acknowledges as openly as can be that philosophy cannot replace theology. Why? Because theology is about hope and prayer, and until hope and prayer cannot only be explained but replaced by what he calls 'reasoning discourses', theology will continue to occupy a central role in cultural life. On the other hand, I do theology partly because I think Habermas is wrong. I think he's wrong to say that theological thought only eludes philosophy 'for the time being'. I suspect that the time being may turn out to be a very long time. Those who are familiar with the end of Durkheim's Elementary Forms will know why: 'A philosophy can very well be worked out in the silence of inward meditation, but not a faith. A faith above all is warmth, life, enthusiasm, enhancement of all mental activity, uplift of the individual above himself. Except by reading outside himself, how could the individual add to the energies he possesses? How could he transcend himself by his own strength?'
