Dr. Owen Strachan Assistant Professor, Christian Theology and Church History, Boyce College Office: Carver 202F Office Telephone:

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1 STUDIES IN THEOLOGY: THE PASTOR IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE (27177 / TH 315) The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Boyce College Spring 2014 Monday, April 7-Thursday, April 10, 2014 Location: Heritage Hall/YUM Center PROFESSORS Dr. Owen Strachan Assistant Professor, Christian Theology and Church History, Boyce College Office: Carver 202F Office Telephone: COURSE SCHEDULE Monday 1-8 PM and Tuesday 9:00AM-12:00 PM: Classroom Lectures, Together for the Gospel Pre-Conference Dinner & Dialogue (Heritage Hall), and T4G Pre-Conference with CBMW Welcome to the Hot Seat: A Gospel Response to Homosexuality (Galt House Ballroom) Tuesday 1 PM Thursday 9 PM: Together for the Gospel Conference (KFC Yum Center) COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is an interdisciplinary study of biblical, theological, ecclesiological, and political issues related to pastoral ministry and its performance in a secular public square. OBJECTIVES The student who successfully completes this course will demonstrate the following competencies: 1.) The student will identify and critically analyze major issues in the biblical, historical, theological, cultural, and philosophical underpinnings of a Christian doctrine of the public square. 2.) The student will think with theological depth about major issues related to pastoral ministry in a secular culture, including preaching, evangelism, counseling, discipleship, and membership. 3.) The student will analyze competing viewpoints among major theologians and pastors of the Christian tradition on the subject of Christian involvement in society and culture.

2 4.) The student will apply insights from the course to specific issues facing the church in the modern context, including homosexuality, gender issues, politics, religious liberty, and more. 5.) The student will formulate how to lead the people of God and evangelize unsaved neighbors with courage, winsomeness, and above all, passion for the salvific gospel of Jesus Christ. CONFESSIONAL CONTEXT Your professor holds without reservation to the doctrinal commitments of the Abstract of Principles (1859) and the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) as accurately representing biblical truth. The professors understanding of the nature of Scripture is summarized in these confessional documents and in the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978). This course will be taught within the context of this set of confessional convictions as the professor gladly submits himself to the accountability of Holy Scripture and to the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention. GARRETT FELLOW Mr. Robert Jamieson REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS Augustine, City of God. Penguin Classics edition, translated by Henry Bettenson. Penguin, Hoffl, Harro. Luther and Calvin on Secular Authority. Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought. Cambridge University Press, 142. Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Thomas Nelson, James Davison Hunter, To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. Oxford University Press, COURSE REQUIRMENTS 1.) Attendance and Class Participation. Each student is expected to attend class lectures and to participate in classroom discussions, as well as attend the Together for the Gospel Pre- Conference Dinner & Dialogue, CBMW pre-conference, and Together for the Gospel Conference. Enrollment in the course will include admission to the Dinner & Dialogue, CBMW event, and conference at no additional charge to the student.

3 For more information on the dinner, see events.sbts.edu/t4g. For more information on the conference, see 2.) Reading Assignments and Reading Report. Each student is required to read the books by Harro (Luther and Calvin), Hunter, and Metaxas in their entirety, and the following selections of City of God: Book I Book III.9-10, 14 Book IV.2-4, 15 Book V.15-17, Book XIX.1-18 A reading report affirming your completion of the required reading must be uploaded to Moodle on or before June 4. The reading report should be one document in which students (1) indicate what % of each book (or selection) has been read; and (2) write a reflection (one page double-spaced maximum for each book) summarizing how they can specifically apply an idea from the book to their life and ministry. 3.) Personal Interaction Paper. Students will complete a page integration paper in which, drawing from the lectures, conference, and readings, they outline from Scripture their theology of pastoral ministry in the public square. After laying out their doctrinally-grounded convictions on this matter, students should address how they will practically implement this vision for public square involvement in pastoral ministry, drawing on biblical and historical examples, and commenting on how various traditions measure up on this point. (8-10 sources are to be used for this paper in total; class texts can be included in this total.) The integration paper must be uploaded to Moodle on or before May 21. The paper should be written in conformity with The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Style Guide. COURSE GRADING Event Attendance 10 percent Integration Paper (due May 21) 45 percent Reading Assignments and Reading Report (due June 4) 45percent The grading scale for this course is the following: A = B- = D+ = A- = C+ = D = B+ = C = D- = B = C- = F = 0-69 No late work will be accepted except in the most extreme circumstances. COURSE OUTLINE Monday, 1:00 3:15 PM: The Pastor in the Public Square: Theology 1. Greg Thornbury: Lecture First Things: On Christ, Pastors, and the Public Square 2. Owen Strachan: Lecture The Second Greatest Commandment: On Pastoral Ministry and

4 the Underappreciated Doctrine of Neighbor Love 3. Panel: Strachan, Thornbury, Mark Coppenger, Chad Brand, Steve Wellum Monday, 3:45 6 PM: The Pastor in the Public Square: Practice 1. Al Mohler: Lecture - What Should a Christian Pastor Do to Lead His Church to Be Salt and Light? 2. Eric Metaxas: Lecture Bonhoeffer Faces Down the State 3. Panel: Ligon Duncan, Mohler, Metaxas, Denny Burk, Hershael York Monday, 7:00-9:00 PM: The Pastor in the Public Square: Debate 1. After-dinner discussion: What should pastors do to engage major political, cultural, and social issues? Panel: Kevin DeYoung, Greg Gilbert, Jim Hamilton, Mark Dever, CJ Mahaney Tuesday, 9:00AM - 12:00 PM: Welcome to the Hot Seat: A Gospel Response to Homosexuality 1. Al Mohler: Lecture The State of the Cultural Divide 2. Eric Metaxas: Lecture A Call for Pastoral Courage 3. Owen Strachan: Lecture Gospel Doctrine for Homosexuality 4. Panel with Audience Q&A HONOR CODE All students are required to affirm their academic integrity when submitting all course work and assignments, with the following statement, signed by the student on the front of the course work: On my honor, I have neither given nor taken improper assistance in completing this assignment. FINAL NOTE ABOUT THE SYLLABUS The professors reserve the right at any time to alter the syllabus at their own discretion.

5 Together for the Gospel Course Schedule Monday, April 7 12:00pm-1:00pm Course Check-in (McCall Pavilion) 1:00pm-6:00pm...Lectures and panels (Heritage Hall) 6:00pm-9:00pm.. Pre-Conference Dinner & Dialogue (Heritage Hall) Tuesday, April 8 9:00am-12:00pm CBMW pre-conference (Galt House Ballroom) Together for the Gospel Conference 9:00 am Registration / Bookstore Hours 1:00 pm Conference Begins / Session 1 5:15 pm Dinner 7:30 pm Session 2 9:00 am Session 3 12:30 pm Lunch 3:00 pm Breakout Sessions 5:00 pm Dinner 7:30 pm Session 4 Wednesday, April 9 Thursday, April 10 9:00 am Session 5 11:45 am Lunch 2:00 pm Session 6 5:00 pm Conference Closed & Dinner Served