TH 504 SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY I Patrick T. Smith, Course Instructor Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Spring Semester 2018 Thursdays, 8:00 AM 11:00 AM Email: ptsmith@gcts.edu Phone: 978-646-7111 COURSE SYLLABUS Course Description This course is designed to be a study of theological method, general and special revelation, scripture, the existence, attributes, and triune nature of God. Course Textbooks Jones, Beth Felker. Practicing Christian Doctrine: An Introduction to Thinking and Living Theologically. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-8010-4933-0. $22.99 Course Objectives The student who successfully completes this course should be able: 1. To understand the importance and necessity of doctrine for Christian life and community. 2. To increase in their knowledge of basic theological concepts, definitions, and doctrines. 3. To effectively read, understand, learn from and engage texts in theological studies. 4. To have a deeper appreciation for theology as it relates to preparation for ministry in the context of the local church, the global church, and the broader contemporary culture. 5. To display an appropriate form of theological humility while being confident in their core Christian convictions. 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 and attendance of each student and this will factor into the student s final grade. 2. Required Readings Report some of the reading material is covered in class. However, there are elements that will not be brought out in class. Yet these 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. 1
a) Textbook Reading 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. Therefore, each student will write a 1-page (double-spaced) reflection paper prior to each class on some aspect of the assigned reading. These papers should reflect on the particular reading for the class session identified by the class instructor. Students are to raise one question that may be taken up in your small group discussion or in class along with the student s own preliminary reflections on the reading. Of the ten eligible class sessions during the semester, a maximum number of two such reflection papers may be missed. There will not be a paper due for the first week of class. Any additional missed reflection papers that are not excused by the instructor will incur a 20% total grade penalty. 3. Reading/Lecture Quizzes there will be two (2) reading and/or lecture quizzes to be taken on Sakai or as a take home assignment (to be determined by the instructor). The quizzes are to be taken over each of the two reading weeks. Students need to be familiar enough with the reading and previous lecture material to answer questions regarding its content. So class attendance and diligent note taking is essential. It is the responsibility of students to read the material carefully and take their own notes for personal study. And if needed read the assignment more than once to adequately prepare for the quizzes. It is imperative that students are disciplined in reading the assigned portions of the textbook and handouts and pay attention in class. 4. Final Exam each student enrolled in the course for credit is to take a final examination scheduled during the final exam week. The final exam will either be offered through GCTS Sakai or in the form of a written exam (take home or in-class) to be determined by the course instructor. Course Grading The course is designed in such a way that faithfulness and diligence on your part will be rewarded. The student s grade will be determined as follows: Class Attendance and Participation in Discussion Groups 15% Required Reading Reports (8) 25% Reading/Lecture Exams (2) 20% Final Exam 40% The following letter grades and their achievement equivalents are used by the instructor to reflect a student s performance in the course: Grade Achievement Quality Points A 100-96 Work of exceptional quality 4.00 A- 95-93 3.70 2
B+ 92-90 3.30 B 89-86 Work of commendable quality 3.00 B- 85-83 2.70 C+ 82-80 2.30 C 79-76 Work of acceptable but minimal quality 2.00 C- 75-73 1.70 D+ 72-70 1.30 D 69-66 Substandard and barely passing work 1.00 D- 65-63 0.70 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. Warning on Plagiarism: Helpful guidelines on plagiarism can be found on the Indiana University website http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/plagarism.html. 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. 3
Internet Usage: Students are asked to refrain from accessing the Internet at any point during class sessions, unless otherwise instructed by the professor. Surfing the web, checking email, and other internet-based activities are distracting to other students and to the professor, and prevent the student from fully participating in the class session. Course Schedule Date Topic Reading/Assignments Week 1 February 1, 2018 Week 2 February 8, 2018 Studying Theology Studying Theology Beth Felker Jones, Introduction, To Practice Christian Doctrine, Practicing Christian Doctrine, pp. 1-10. Beth Felker Jones, Chapter 1, Speaking of God: Theology and the Christian Life, Practicing Christian Doctrine, pp. 11-29. Richard Lints, Thinking Systematically about Theology, Modern Reformation. David K. Clark, The Spiritual Purposes of Theology, To Know and Love God Miroslav Volf, Theology for a Way of Life, Captive to the Word of God Week 3 February 15, 2018 (Trinitarian Theology) Allan Coppedge, The Biblical Frame for the Trinity, The God Who is Triune, pp. 53-78. Timothy Ward, The Trinity and Scripture: A Theological Outline, Words of Life, pp. 49-95. Beth Felker Jones, Part of Chapter 2, Knowing God: Doctrines of Revelation and Scripture, Practicing Christian Doctrine, pp. 40-53. Reading Week #1 February 19-23, 2018 REQUIRED READING ASSIGNMENT: Tennent, Ch. 1, The Emergence of a Global Theological Discourse in Theology in Context of World Christianity. Tennent, Ch.10, The Emerging Contours of Global Theology in Theology in Context of World Christianity. ASSIGNMENT DUE: Lecture / Reading Quiz #1 4
Week 4 March 1, 2018 (Trinitarian Theology) Beth Felker Jones, Chapter 3, The God We Worship: Doctrine of the Trinity, Practicing Christian Doctrine, pp. 55-76. Boyer and Hall, The Mystery of the Trinity, The Mystery of God: Theology for Knowing the Unknowable, pp. 99-122. Week 5 March 8, 2018 (Trinitarian Theology) Janet Martin Soskice, Calling God Father, The Kindness of God: Metaphor, Gender, and Religious Language, pp. 66-83. Justo L. Gonzales, The One Who Lives as Three, Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective, pp. 101-116. Week 6 March 15, 2018 (Attributes) Michael F. Bird, What is God Like? Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction, pp. 126-139. John Swinton, Ch. 1, The Problem with the Problem of Evil: Pastoral Perspectives, in Raging with Compassion: Pastoral Response to the Problem of Evil, pp. 9-29. Week 7 March 22, 2018 Reading Week #2 March 26 30, 2018 (Attributes) John Swinton, Ch. 3 and Ch. 4 in Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship, pp. 57-83. Harold A. Netland, Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God? Clarifying Some Issues, Occasional Bulletin, Special Edition 2016, pp. 22-24. REQUIRED READING ASSIGNMENT: Veli-Matti Karkkainen, God in Asian Theologies, and Reflections on Non-Western God Talk, The : A Global Introduction, pp. 279-302. Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Native American Theologies, The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction. Veli-Matti Karkkainen, God in African Theologies, The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction, pp. 245-263. Read Ahead for Week 8 ASSIGNMENT DUE: Lecture / Reading Quiz #2 5
Week 8 April 5, 2018 (Scripture) Richard Lints, Thinking Clearly About the Clarity of Scripture, Modern Reformation. David K. Clark, Scripture and the Principle of Authority, To Know and Love God, pp. 59-87. (Stop at page 87) David Clark, Beyond Inerrancy: Speech Acts and an Evangelical View of Scripture, in For Faith and Clarity, pp. 113-131. Week 9 April 12, 2018 (Scripture) Tennent, Ch. 3, Biblology in Theology in Context of World Christianity. Harold A. Netland, Ch. 8, Living with Religious Diversity as Jesus s Disciples, Christianity and Religious Diversity: Clarifying Christian Commitments in a Globalization Age, pp. 229-254. Week 10 April 19, 2018 (General Revelation) Beth Felker Jones, Part of Chapter 2, Knowing God: Doctrines of Revelation and Scripture, Practicing Christian Doctrine, pp. 31-39. Michael Sudduth, The Contribution of Religious Experience to Dogmatic Theology, Analytic Theology, pp. 214-232. Powery and Sadler, Ch. 4, The Origins of Whiteness and the Black Biblical Imagination The Genesis of Liberation, pp. 83-111. Allen Dwight Callahan, The Talking Book: African Americans and the Bible, pp. 1-40. Week 11 April 26, 2018 (General Revelation) Kirsten Birkett, Science and Scripture, The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures, pp. 948-986. William C. Davis, Theistic Arguments, Reason for the Hope Within, pp. 20-46 Justo L. Gonzales, Let the Dead Gods Bury Their Dead, Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective, pp. 89-100. MAY 7, 2018 FINAL ASSIGNMENT TO BE COMPLETED BY THE LAST DAY TO SUBMIT WRITTEN WORK MAY 7, 2018 6