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.
D. The Bible as a surce f wisdm and authrity Hw the Christian biblical cann was established Theme 1: Religius figures and sacred texts, Year 2 Diverse views n the Bible as the wrd f Gd: different understandings f inspiratin (the bjective view f inspiratin; the subjective view f inspiratin; Jhn Calvin s dctrine f accmmdatin) E. The early church (in Acts f the Apstles) Its message and frmat: the kerygmata as presented by C. H. Ddd Acts 2:14-39; 3:12-26 The challenges t the kerygmata (with reference t the histrical value f the speeches in Acts and the wrk f Rudlf Bultmann) The adapting f the Christian message t suit the audience F. Tw views f Jesus A cmparisn f the wrk f tw key schlars, including their views f Jesus with reference t their different methds f studying Jesus Jhn Dminic Crssan N. T. Wright Crssan Jesus the scial revlutinary
using apcryphal gspels seeing Jesus as a prduct f his time; what the wrds f Jesus wuld have meant in Jesus time Wright Jesus the true Messiah critical realism texts as the articulatin f wrldviews seeks t find the best explanatin fr the traditins fund in the Gspels Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The extent t which the Bible can be regarded as the inspired wrd f Gd. Whether the Christian biblical cannical rders are inspired, as ppsed t just the texts they cntain. The extent t which the kerygmata (within the areas f Acts studied) are f any value fr Christians tday. Whether the speeches in Acts have any histrical value. The validity f using critical realism t understand Jesus. The validity f using apcryphal gspels t understand Jesus.
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 3: Significant scial and histrical develpments in religius thught, Year 2 A. Scial develpments in religius thught attitudes twards wealth The dangers f wealth Mark 10:17-25 Matthew 6:25-34 Luke 12:33-34 1 Timthy 6:10 apparent cntradictin between biblical teaching n stewardship and the ascetic ideal the prsperity gspel f the Wrd-Faith mvement B. Scial develpments in religius thught migratin and Christianity in the UK The challenges f Christian migratin t the UK prvisin f wrship style f wrship issues f culture
The reverse missin mvement t the UK C. The relatinship between religin and sciety: religin, equality and discriminatin Scial develpments in religius thught feminist thelgy and the changing rle f men and wmen The cntributin f Mary Daly and Rsemary Radfrd Ruether t feminist thelgy The changing rle f men and wmen with reference t the issue f the rdinatin f wmen priests and bishps; the impact n the lives f believers and cmmunities within Christianity tday Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The extent t which wealth is a sign f Gd s blessing. Whether the ascetic ideal is cmpatible with Christianity. The extent t which the UK is a mdern missin field. The relative ease f assimilatin f Christian migrants int Christian churches in the UK. Whether men and wmen are equal in Christianity. The extent t which feminist thelgy impacts mdern Christian practice.
The relatinship between religin and sciety: respect and recgnitin and the ways that religius traditins view ther religins and nn-religius wrldviews and their truth claims. D. Histrical develpments in religius thught challenges frm secularisatin The cnflicting religius and nn-religius views n Christianity in the UK the value f Christian faith schls whether the UK can be called a Christian cuntry ) beliefs cnflicting with laws f the cuntry perceived challenges t Christianity decline f rle and status f Christianity reduced impact in public life restricted religius liberty E. Histrical develpments in religius thught challenges frm science Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath s cntrasting views n the relatinship between religin and science, and the nature f prf the limits f science; the Gd f the gaps argument
F. Histrical develpments in religius thught challenges frm pluralism and diversity within a traditin Difference between religius pluralism and tlerance f religius diversity the exclusivist and inclusivist views expressed in the Christian Bible Deut 6:5 Jshua 23:16 Jhn 14:6 Acts 4:12 the cntributin f Jhn Hick and Karl Rahner t Christian inclusivism (and the difference between their psitins) the differences between Christian universalism and pluralistic universalism. Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as The effectiveness f the Christian respnse t the challenge f secularism. The extent t which the UK can be called a Christian cuntry. The extent t which a scientist must be an atheist. Whether science has reduced the rle f Gd in Christianity. The extent t which it is pssible t be bth a cmmitted Christian and a religius pluralist. The extent t which the Christian Bible prmtes exclusivism.
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.
Theme 4: Religius practices that shape religius identity, Year 2 D. Religius identity thrugh unificatin The develpment f the Ecumenical Mvement since 1910 (Wrld Missinary Cnference) the Wrld Cuncil f Churches, its ratinale, its missin and its wrk in three main areas 1. Unity 2. Missin 3. Ecumenical Relatins Public Witness and Diaknia Ecumenical Frmatin Hw develpments in beliefs and practices have, ver time, influenced and been influenced by develpments in philsphical, ethical studies f religin. E. Religius identity thrugh religius experience The develpment f the Charismatic Mvement pst-1960 main beliefs implicatins fr Christian practice in the experience f believers and Christian cmmunities philsphical challenges t charismatic experience verificatin natural explanatin
F. Religius identity thrugh respnses t pverty and injustice The basis (plitical, ethical and religius) f Suth American liberatin thelgy with reference t Gustav Gutierrez Lenard Bff Rman Cathlic Church respnses t Suth American liberatin thelgy Issues fr analysis and evaluatin will be drawn frm any aspect f the cntent abve, such as Whether the wrk f the Wrld Cuncil f Churches can be viewed as a success r a failure. The extent t which the nn-membership f the Rman Cathlic Church affects the aims f the Wrld Cuncil f Churches. The strengths and weaknesses f the Charismatic Mvement. Whether a natural explanatin fr charismatic experiences cnflicts with the religius value f the experience. Whether the plitical and ethical fundatins f liberatin thelgy are mre imprtant than any religius fundatins. The extent t which liberatin thelgy ffered a cultural challenge t the Rman Cathlic Church.