Theme 1: Religious figures and sacred texts, AS

Transcription

1 A. Jesus his birth Cnsistency and credibility f the birth narratives Theme 1: Religius figures and sacred texts, AS Matthew 1:18-2:23 Luke 1:26-2:40 harmnisatin and redactin interpretatin and applicatin f the birth narratives t the dctrine f the incarnatin (substantial presence and the kentic mdel) B. Jesus his resurrectin The views f Rudlf Bultmann and N.T. Wright n the relatin f the resurrectin event t histry interpretatin and applicatin t the understanding f death, the sul, resurrected bdy and the afterlife Matthew 10:28 Jhn Crinthians 15 Philippians 1:21-24 C. The Bible as a surce f wisdm and authrity in daily life The ways in which the Bible is cnsidered authritative: as a surce f mral advice Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Luke 6:36-37 as a guide t living

2 Psalm 119:9-16 Psalm 119: as teaching n the meaning and purpse f life Genesis 1:26-28 Ecclesiastes 9:5-9 as a surce f cmfrt and encuragement Psalm 46:1-3 Matthew 6:25 Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The extent t which the birth narratives prvide insight int the dctrine f the incarnatin. The relative imprtance f redactin criticism fr understanding the biblical birth narratives. The nature f the resurrected bdy. The histrical reliability f the resurrectin. The relative value f the Bible as teaching n the meaning and purpse f life. The extent t which the Psalms studied ffer a guide t living fr Christians.

3 Theme 2: Religius cncepts and religius life, AS A. Religius cncepts the nature f Gd Is Gd male? The issue f male language abut Gd; the pastral benefits and challenges f the mdel f Father Sallie McFague and Gd as Mther Can Gd suffer? The impassibility f Gd the mdern view f a suffering Gd illustrated by Jurgen Mltmann (The Crucified Gd) B. Religius cncepts the Trinity The need fr the dctrine f the Trinity the nature and identity f Christ (issues f divinity and preexistence) and Christ s relatinship with the Father (c-equal and c-eternal) The rigin f the Hly Spirit: the filique cntrversy C. Religius cncepts the Atnement Three theries f the Atnement (which are nt mutually exclusive) 1. the death f Jesus as Christus Victr (with reference t the liberatin f humanity frm hstile pwers)

4 2. the death f Jesus as a substitutin (bth the belief that Jesus died as a substitute fr humanity, and the belief that nly the divine-human Jesus culd act as a sacrifice by Gd fr the sake f humanity) 3. the death f Jesus as a mral example (f hw t live and die) The underlying assumptins abut the need fr divine frgiveness and the cnflict between the wrath and lve f Gd in theries f the Atnement Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The validity f referring t Gd as mther. The thelgical implicatins f a suffering Gd. The mntheistic claims f the dctrine f the Trinity. Whether the dctrine f the Trinity is necessary t understand the Gd f Christianity. The extent t which the three theries f the Atnement are cntradictry. The extent t which the three theries suggest that the Christian Gd is cruel

5 D. Religius life faith and wrks Luther s arguments fr justificatin by faith alne Rmans 1:17; 5:1 Ephesians 2:8-9 Galatians 2:16 Luther s rejectin f James 2:24 the Cuncil f Trent as a respnse t Luther E. P. Sanders and the rle f wrks in justificatin E. Religius life the cmmunity f believers The New Testament cmmunity f believers as a mdel fr churches tday Acts 2:42-47 the rle f churches in prviding wrship and sacraments, religius teaching, missin, service and utreach, and fellwship fr the cmmunity f believers F. Religius life key mral principles Selected key mral principles f Christianity: the imprtance f lve f neighbur Leviticus 19:34 Luke 10:25-28 Gd s lve as a ptential mdel fr Christian behaviur Exdus 34:6-7

6 1 Jhn 4:19-21 regard fr truth 1 Samuel 12:24 Ephesians 4:25-27 the rle f cnscience 2 Crinthians 1:12 1 Timthy 1:5 and the need fr frgiveness Matthew 6:14-15 Clssians 3:12-13 Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The extent t which bth faith and wrks are aspects f justificatin. The extent t which the New Testament letters supprt arguments fr justificatin by faith alne. Whether the main rle f the church is t prvide religius teaching. The extent t which cntemprary Christian churches shuld fllw the New Testament mdel. Whether lve f neighbur is the mst imprtant mral principle in Christianity. The extent t which Gd s behaviur twards humans is the basis fr Christian mrality

7 Theme 4: Religius practices that shape religius identity, AS A. Religius identity thrugh diversity in baptism The case fr infant baptism by Augustine and Zwingli the rle f baptism in salvatin the rle and imprtance f Christian parents the case fr believer s baptism with reference t Karl Barth the example f Christ imprtance f cnsent B. Religius identity thrugh diversity in Eucharist The imprtance f the Eucharist in the life f cntemprary Christian cmmunities selected mdern Rman Cathlic theries transignificatin transfinalizatin selected Prtestant appraches cnsubstantiatin memrialism the similarities in Eucharistic practice in Christian traditins.

8 C. Religius identity thrugh diversity in festivals Christmas The similarities between the Eastern Orthdx and the Western churches' celebratin f Christmas. the fcus n incarnatin f Christ The differences between the Eastern Orthdx and the Western churches' celebratin f Christmas. date f celebratin fcus f Advent seasn Christmas services Easter The similarities between the Eastern Orthdx and the Western churches celebratin f Easter. The dctrine f the resurrectin f Christ The differences between the Eastern Orthdx and the Western churches celebratin f Easter. Date liturgical practice at Easter the diversity within each stream f traditin Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The extent t which bth infant and adult baptism are just symblic acts. The criteria fr expressing the cmmitment t be baptised. The extent t which there is any cmmn grund within cntemprary understandings f the Eucharist. The extent t which theretical beliefs abut the Eucharist affect the practice f different denminatins. Whether the different emphases and practices mean that Easter is a different celebratin in the Eastern Orthdx and Western churches. The relative imprtance f Easter and Christmas.