PhD/THS Course Offerings in Systematic Theology

Systematic Theology: Advanced Master’s/Doctoral Level

ST 7510 (721)    Survey of Contemporary Theology
Background and development of modern theological movements (The New Catholicism, Liberalism, Fundamentalism, Neoorthodoxy, and so on) and individual representatives of such (Kierkegaard, Barth, Brunner, Bultmann, R. Niebuhr, Tillich, Cullmann, Kung, Rahner, Moltmann, Schillebeeckx, Pannenberg, et al.). Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 7612 (767)    Technology and Culture
Technological innovations of the past 200 years have defined the modern world. Human inventions have left indelible marks on culture and civilization. By all accounts, the twenty-first century will be the information and biotechnology century. Historically, Christians have responded differently to technology—some repudiating it, others embracing it. This course will analyze the impact of technology on contemporary culture and the church, including the movement from papyrus to cyberspace and from pottery to cloning. Students will be equipped to think Christianly about technology. Cross-list as CC. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 7715 (738)    Political Theologies
A course designed to clarify what constitutes a “political theology” and to investigate the biblical and theological bases of representative political theologies. Discussion focuses around such systems as liberation theology, black theology, and feminist theology. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 7720 (760)    New Testament Ethics
Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 7911 (701)    Colloquium in Systematic Theology
Integrative seminar for all students majoring in theology on various topics of contemporary concern. May be repeated. Credit/No Credit. One hour, master’s or doctoral.

ST 8000 (845)    Seminar: Current Issues In Theology
Lectures or seminar in a distinctive area of biblical or systematic theology; topics chosen in relation to the special competence of resident and visiting faculty, as well as current interests and needs. Two to four hours, doctoral as posted.

ST 8030 (730)    The Problem of Evil
An examination of one of the traditional problems for Christian Theism. After initially clarifying the nature of this attack against theism, discussion turns to different defenses and theodicies offered in response to this problem. Treatment will cover the problem in both its logical and evidential forms. Cross-list as PR. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8040            Justification
Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8045            Religious Experience
Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8050 (734)    Pneumatology
A study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, including a defense of His deity and personality, his work in the Old Testament, the life of Christ, and the New Testament era, as well as discussion of contemporary issues related to this doctrine, such as tongues, divine healing, and prophecy. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8310 (752)    Theology of Augustine
Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8320 (753)    Luther
The main aspects of Luther’s thought, such as his view of the church and the ministry, the Word, the sacraments, Christian vocation, and relationship of church and state are examined. Cross-list as CH. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8330 (754)    Calvin
A survey of Calvin’s theology from the Institutes, tracts, letters, and commentaries and from recent Calvin research are examined. Cross-list as CH. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8360 (755)    Karl Barth
A critical analysis of the origins, developments, and major contours of Barth’s theology from his earliest writings to his later Church Dogmatics through a study of selected primary texts. Special attention will be given to Barth’s theological method, hermeneutics, and doctrine of the Word of God, as well as to other central theological topics (e.g., election, providence, the relation of dogmatics to ethics). Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8361 (815)    Jonathan Edwards
Cross-list as CH. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours

ST 8390 (772)    Recent and Contemporary Theologians
Lectures or seminar in the work and writing of an important theologian of the present or recent past. Theologians selected for study reflect the special competence of resident and visiting faculty. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8410 (773)    Theology in Contemporary Literature
Works by authors such as Melville, Dostoevsky, Conrad, Shaw, Beckett, Updike, Lewis, Tolkien, Eliot, Auden, Williams, Fry, Buder, Joyce, Camus, Kafka, Faulkner, Salinger, and MacDonald are read and analyzed, and their theological perspective and implications are discussed. Offered on demand. Cross-list as CH. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8610 (763)    The Teaching of Jesus
Cross-list as NT. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8620 (762)    Johannine Theology
Cross-list as NT. Two hours, master’s or doctoral.

ST 8630 (764)    Pauline Theology
Cross-list as NT. Two hours, master’s or doctoral.

ST 8640 (761)    New Testament Theology
Cross-list as NT. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8720 (766)    Postmodern Theology
A study of the postmodern situation and of the various theological responses to which it has given rise. The first part of the course examines recent attempts to distinguish the modern from the postmodern. Special attention will be given to studying eight types of theological responses to the postmodern condition. Cross-list as PR. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

ST 8730 (787)    Theology of the Spirit World
Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

Systematic Theology: Doctoral Seminars

ST 9000 (910)    Issues in Systematic Theology
Topics are chosen to reflect research interests of faculty or program participants or that explore matters of concern to systematic theology. May be repeated. One to four hours.

ST 9100 (980)    Advanced Theological Prolegomena
A course designed to explore the integrative character of Christian theology, focusing the contributions of the separate theological disciplines on the constructive and creative task of Systematic Theology. Students are encouraged to develop an approach that is integrative, orthodox, and creative, through the critical assessment of the theological proposals of evangelical and nonevangelical theologians. To be taken concurrently ST 9110. Offered fall. 3+1 hours.

ST 9110 (982)    The Theological Scholar
An orientation to doctoral-level scholarship, research philosophy and methodology, English writing skills, dissertation preparation, and program specifics. To be taken concurrently with ST 9100. Offered fall. A 1+1 mode course. Two hours.

ST 9150 (912)    Continuity and Discontinuity Between the Testaments
Investigation of the relation of the Old Testament to the New as foundational to theological discourse. The issue of continuity and discontinuity is treated as it relates to such topics as hermeneutics, salvation, the law of God, the people of God, kingdom promises, and a person’s overall theological system. Emphasis on various forms of continuity and discontinuity answers to the question of how the testaments relate. 3+1 hours.

ST 9222 (981)    Principles of Higher Education
A discussion of the educational process, activities, and the instructional techniques used in higher education. Offered spring. Two hours.

ST 9450 (920)    Historical Theology: The Atonement
This course examines the proclamation of the atoning work of Christ from the earliest days to the present, including the “classic” views of the patristic period, medieval interpretations, Reformation doctrine, Arminian and moral government views, and recent interpretations and distortions, including criticism of these views from a conservative evangelical perspective. 3+1 hours.

ST 9600 (923)    Philosophy and Theology
Demonstration of the integral relation between philosophy and theological studies. Treatment of the general uses of philosophy in theology as well as the specific ways philosophy and theology interface (e.g., theological discussions that incorporate philosophy and philosophical considerations of theological topics). Topics involve such philosophical fields as ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of action, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of language. 3+1 hours.

ST 9610 (928)    God, Time, and Eternity
An investigation of the biblical, theological, historical, and philosophical issues and arguments surrounding the question of divine eternity as temporal or atemporal. The topic is treated as it relates to an understanding of divine attributes of immutability, simplicity, and omniscience and to the question of how God acts in the world. 3+1 hours.

ST 9620            Models of God
3+1 hours.

ST 9710 (915)    Matters of Life and Death
This seminar develops biblical perspectives on the major bioethical issues of the day (abortion, assisted suicide, access to health care, assisted reproduction, genetic intervention, and so on) through in-depth word studies of the various Old Testament and New Testament words for “life” and “death.” Similarities and differences between biblical and other perspectives particularly influential in contemporary culture are explored. 3+1 hours.

ST 9720            Prayer and Providence
3+1 hours.

Philosophical Theology and Apologetics: Advanced Master’s/Doctoral Level

PR 7625 (741)   Analytic Philosophy
Examination of the main streams of thought arising out of Wittgenstein, including Russell, Ayer, Wisdom, Ramsey, and others as they bear on current issues in philosophy of religion. Offered alternate years. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

PR 7630 (743)   Existentialism
Comparative study of the religious thought of the principle existentialist philosophers, including Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Jaspers, Heidegger, and Sartre. Two hours, master’s or doctoral.

PR 7705 (721)   Religious Epistemology
Examination of the ways of knowing and tests for truth with special emphasis on the problems of religious knowledge and their implications for theological issues. Cross-list as CC. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

PR 7715 (722)   Theism
Study in the existence and nature of God with emphasis on theistic arguments (ontological, cosmological, teleological, and moral) and on the internal coherence of such divine attributes as necessity, omnipotence, and omniscience. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

PR 7750 (817)   Philosophical Issues in Religious Pluralism
Consideration of the major epistemological and metaphysical issues for philosophy of religion arising from the discussions on religious diversity and religious pluralism. The views of influential philosophers such as John Hick, William Alston, Keith Ward, and others are examined, as well as responses to their work. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

PR 8000 (845)   Seminar: Current Issues in Philosophy of Religion
Analyses of selected issues in philosophy of religion and their implications for Christian thought. Examples include the following: questions concerning the concept of God, the nature and possibility of the miraculous, freedom and determinism, religion and science, phenomenology, and the historicity of the resurrection of Christ. Two to four hours, doctoral as posted.

PR 8030 (730)   The Problem of Evil
Cross-list as ST. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

PR 8361 (815)   Jonathan Edwards
Cross-list as CH. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

PR 8720 (766)   Postmodern Theology
Cross-list as ST. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.

Updated to 2008-09 Catalog