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 20-21 1 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
Psalm 119:9-16 Psalm 119:105-112 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.
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)
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
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
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
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.
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.