COURSE SYLLABUS. Course Description

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1 COURSE SYLLABUS TH 501 Theology Survey I Patrick T. Smith, Course Instructor Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Fall 2011 October 31-November 4, 2011 Phone: ptsmith@gcts.edu Course Description This course is a study of theological method, revelation, inspiration, and canon of Scripture; existence and attributes of God; Trinity; creation and providence; human nature; original and actual sin. Required Course Textbooks Bediako, Kwame. Jesus and the Gospel in Africa: History and Experience. New York: Orbis Books, ISBN: Erickson, Millard J. Introducing Christian Doctrine, second edition. ed. L. Arnold Hustad, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, ISBN: Hollinger, Dennis P. Head, Heart, & Hands: Bringing Together Christian Thought, Passion and Action. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, ISBN: Oden, Thomas C. How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, ISBN: Learning Outcomes The student who successfully completes this course should have the ability: 1. To understand the importance and necessity of doctrine for Christian life and community. 2. To effectively read, understand, learn from and engage texts in theological studies. 3. To appreciate afresh the art of scripture meditation on key biblical passages that pertain to the doctrines of revelation; inspiration; the person, work, and majesty of God; human nature and the human condition. 4. To have a deeper appreciation for theology as it relates to preparation for ministry in the local church, local ministries, and in broader contemporary contexts. 1

2 Course Requirements 1. Class Attendance/ Participation Students are required to attend and participate in all class sessions for the entire meeting times. This is imperative for a class of this format. The instructor will carefully monitor the in-class participation of each student and this will factor into the student s final grade. 2. Assigned Readings some of the reading material is covered in class. However, there are elements that will not be brought out in class but are still essential to gaining an understanding of the material and successfully completing the course. Therefore, the reading provides a rich and necessary component of the learning experience. a. Textbook Reading- The students will be responsible for reading the assigned sections of the course textbooks by the assigned dates stated below. b. Reading Handouts students are also responsible for reading all handouts, essays, and articles reserved by the instructor. NOTE: Students are to indicate if they have completed the reading assignments for the course by attaching a statement to the final exam for the course. Due on Monday, December 5, Book Review Each student is to complete a book review of Dennis Hollinger s Head, Heart, & Hands: Bringing Together Christian Thought, Passion and Action. The review is to be 3-4 pages in total length (strictly enforced). In the paper provide a quick overview of the text. Then pick one issue that was particularly interesting or significant and interact with it. Conclude by highlighting what you understood to be the text s strengths and its importance for the Christian life and ministry. The papers are to be typed, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, doublespaced, neatly formatted, and free of any spelling and grammatical errors. The papers will be graded on their clarity and faithfulness to the assigned topic. This assignment is due on Monday, October 31, Final Exam each student enrolled in the course for credit is to take a final comprehensive examination over the material covered in the course. It will be a take home exam with integrative discussion questions. Each student is to write the exam using whatever resources provided by the course readings, lecture notes, class discussions, or personal resources. Be sure to properly cite any sources used, appealed to, or quoted directly in your written material. You will need to read the Oden text in preparation for your final exam as one of the questions is directly related to this material. The exam will be passed out during the last class session. The final exam along with a note indicating how much of the course reading was completed is due to the course instructor by Monday, December 5,

3 Course Grading The student s grade will be determined as follows: Participation/Attendance 10% Reading Report 10% Book Review 30% Final Exam 50% Grade Achievement Quality Points A Work of exceptional quality 4.00 A B B Work of commendable quality 3.00 B C C Work of acceptable but minimal quality 2.00 C D D Substandard and barely passing work 1.00 D F 62-below Failure 0.00 Grading Rubric: After all the requirements of the course have been completed, the instructor will use the following rubric for the assignment of grades, based on the overall performance of the class. The grades assigned will represent the instructor s interpretation of the following standard: A = Outstanding mastery of the subject: excellence is evident in preparation for and attendance in class sessions; unusual ability to retain, analyze and synthesize the material; with a positive attitude making productive contributions to the learning community in the classroom. B = Superior mastery of the subject: sincere effort in preparation for and attendance in class sessions; ability to master the essential aspects of the material; with a mostly consistent attitude in making contributions to the learning community in the classroom. C = Basic mastery of the subject: inconsistent effort in preparation for and attendance in class sessions; engagement with the material but difficulty in grasping some of its aspects; with occasional contributions to the learning community in the classroom. D = Inadequate mastery of the subject. F = Failure: course must be repeated. 3

4 Warning on Plagiarism: Helpful guidelines on plagiarism can be found on the Indiana University website This document has the official recognition of the Gordon-Conwell faculty and provides very helpful tools to guide you as you prepare for your assignments. If a student is caught plagiarizing, the student will receive the consequences of this act according to the process established by the seminary. Intellectual Property Rights: To protect the professor s intellectual property rights with regard to classroom content, students are asked to refrain from audio and video recording of classes, as well as audio, video, and written publication (including internet posting and broadcasting) or live transmission of classroom proceedings. Course Schedule Monday, October 31 Background Reading: Erickson Chapters 1-2, 4-5; Bediako Chapters 1, 4, 5 Session 1: Introduction to Theology Session 2: The Doctrine of Revelation/ Doctrine of Scripture (Part 1) Tuesday, November 1 Background Reading: Erickson Chapters 6-11 Session 3: The Doctrine of Scripture (Part 2) Session 4: The Doctrine of God (Part 1) Wednesday, November 2 Background Reading: Erickson Chapters Session 5: The Doctrine of God (Part 2) Session 6: The Doctrine of Creation and Divine Providence Thursday, November 3 Background Reading: Erickson Chapters Session 7: The Doctrine of Humanity (Part 1) (The Doctrine of Creation and Divine Providence continued) Session 8: The Doctrine of Humanity (Part 2) 4

5 Friday, November 4 Background Reading: Erickson Chapters Session 9: The Doctrine of Sin (Part 1) Session 10: The Doctrine of Sin (Part 2) NOTE: Final Exam questions will be passed out at the end of the last class session Assignments Due: IMPORTANT DATES Book Review of Hollinger, Choosing the Good Due: Monday, October 31, 2011 Oden, How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind, Completed Reading by December 5, 2011 Bediako, Jesus and the Gospel in Africa, Completed Reading of selected chapters listed under course schedule by December 5, 2011 Final Exam due on Monday, December 5, 2011 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ADDITIONAL READING Prolegomena/ Theological Method Clark, David K. To Know and Love God, Method for Theology. Wheaton: Crossway Books, ISBN: Hart, Trevor. Faith Thinking: The Dynamics of Christian Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, Lints, Richard. The Fabric of Theology: A Prolegomena to Evangelical Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Wells, David F. God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, No Place for Truth: Or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology? Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,

6 Concerning Theology Proper: Bloesch, Donald G. God the Almighty: Power Wisdom, Love. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, Feinberg, John S. No One Like Him: Doctrine of God. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, Frame, John M. The Doctrine of God. New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reform, Geisler, Norman. Systematic Theology, Volume Two: God/ Creation. Minneapolis: Bethany House, Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Helm, Paul. The Providence of God. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, Huffman, Douglas F. and Eric L. Johnson, eds. God Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Nash, Ronald. The Concept of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Packer, J. I. Knowing God. Downer Grove: InterVarsity Press, Pink, Arthur. The Attributes of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, Piper, John. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Oregon: Multnomah Books, Toon, Peter. Our Triune God: A Biblical Portrayal of the Trinity. Vancouver, B.C.: Regent College Publishing, Tozer, A. W. The Knowledge of the Holy. San Francisco: Harper Collins, Ware, Bruce A. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles and Relevance. Wheaton: Crossway Books, God s Greater Glory: The Exalted God of Scripture and the Christian Faith. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, God s Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, White, James R. The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the Heart of Christian Belief. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers,

7 Concerning Theological Anthropology and Sin: Blocher, Henri. Original Sin: Illuminating the Riddle. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,1997. Burns, J. Patout, translator. Theological Anthropology, Sources of Early Christian Thought. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, Cooper, John W. Body, Soul and Life Everlasting: Biblical Anthropology and Monism-Dualism Debate, Second Edition. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, Gestrich, Christof. The Return of Splendor in the World: The Christian Doctrine f Sin ad Forgiveness. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Hoekema, Anthony A. Created in God s Image. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Hughes, Philip Edgcumbe. The True Image: The Origin and Destiny of Man in Christ. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Jewett, Paul K. MAN as Male and Female. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Lints, Richard, Michael S. Horton, Mark R. Talbot. Personal Identity in Theological Perspective. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Menninger, Karl. Whatever Became of Sin? New York: Hawthorne Books, Peters, Ted. Sin: Radical Evil in Soul and Society. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Plantinga, Cornelius. Not the Way It s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Pyne, Robert. Humanity and Sin: The Creation, Fall, and Redemption of Humanity. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishing, Sherlock, Charles. The Doctrine of Humanity. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, Shults, F. Leron. Reforming Theological Anthropology: After the Philosophical Turn to Relationality. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Shuster, Marguerite. The Fall and Sin: What we Have Become as Sinners. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Smith, David L. With Willful Intent: A Theology of Sin. Wheaton: Bridgepoint/Victor Books,

8 Representative Systematic Theologies 1 Aquinas, St. Thomas. The Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas. Five volumes. English Dominicans, translators. Ave Maria Press, (Medieval Scholastic) Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley and others. Four volumes. T. & T. Clark, (Neo-Orthodox) Bavink, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics. Four volumes. Baker Academic, (Dutch Reformed) Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. New edition containing the full text of Systematic Theology and the original Introductory Volume to Systematic Theology. Eerdmans, 1996.(Reformed)* Bloesch, Donald G. Essentials of Evangelical Theology. Hendrickson, (Evangelical)* Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion (The Library of Christian Classics, vols. XX XXI). Ed. by John T. McNeill. Trans. by Ford Lewis Battles. Westminster Press, (Reformed)* Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Systematic Theology. Eight Volumes. Dallas Seminary Press, Abridged edition. Ed. by John F. Walvoord, Donald K. Campbell, and Roy B. Zuck (Dispensational) Chan, Simon. Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life. IVP, (Protestant Spiritual)* Christian Dogmatics. Two volumes. Edited by Carl E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson. Fortress Press, (Lutheran) Christian Theology: An Introduction to its Traditions and Tasks. Edited by Peter C. Hodgson and Robert H. King. Fortress Press, (Protestant Liberal)* Finney, Charles G. Finney s Lectures on Systematic Theology. Edited by J. H. Fairchild. Eerdmans, Reprint of 1878 edition. (Revivalist) The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth. Edited by R. A. Torrey and A. C. Dixon. Baker Books (re-issue), (Christian Fundamentalist)* Grenz, Stanley J. A Theology for the Community of God. Broadman/Holman, (Neo- Evangelical)* 1 (* = Introductory. I am indebted to Professor Peter Anders for the categorization scheme.) 8

9 Heppe, Heinrich. Reformed Dogmatics: Set Out and Illustrated from the Sources. Foreword by Karl Barth. Rev. and ed. by Ernst Bizer. Trans. by G. T. Thomson. Baker, (Reformed Scholastic) Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology. 3 volumes. n.p.: Charles Scribner, 1871; reprint, Eerdmans, (Old Princeton Reformed) Horton, Stanley M. Systematic Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective. Logion Press, (Pentecostal) Kuyper, Abraham. Principles of Sacred Theology. Baker, (Dutch Reformed) McGrath, Alister. Christian Theology: An Introduction. Blackwell, (Evangelical)* Miley, John. Systematic Theology. 3 vols., Hendriksen, 1989 (reprint). (Arminian) Oden, Thomas C. John Wesley s Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine. Zondervan, (Wesleyan) Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology. Three volumes. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Eerdmans, (Protestant Liberal) Preus, Robert. The Theology of Post-Reformation Lutheranism. Concordia, (Lutheran Scholastic) Rahner, Karl. Foundations of Christian Faith: An Introduction to the Idea of Christianity. Translated by William V. Dych. Crossroad Publishing, (Roman Catholic)* Reconstructing Christian Theology. Edited by Rebecca S. Chopp and Mark Lewis Taylor. Fortress Press, (Revisionist) Schleiermacher, Friedrich. The Christian Faith. English Translation from the Second German Ed. Edited by H. R. Mackintosh and J. S. Stewart. T. & T. Clark, (Classical Protestant Liberal) Shedd, William G. T. Dogmatic Theology. Third edition. Edited by Alan W. Gomes. Presbyterian and Reformed, (Reformed) Systematic Theology: Roman Catholic Perspectives. Two volumes. Edited by Francis Schüssler Fiorenza and John P. Galvin. Fortress Press, (Roman Catholic) Tillich, Paul. Systematic Theology. Three Volumes. University of Chicago Press, 1951, 1957, (Neo-Orthodox) 9