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THEO 553 - History of Doctrine II

Teacher Dr. C. Stephenson
Semester Spring Duration 8 Weeks
Frequency Every three years
Credits 5 ECTS Workload 150 Hours
Module format Intensive
Applicability This Module seeks to inform the students of the historical basis and development of the major doctrines and theological loci. This provides a solid basis for further theological study and practical theology.
Course structure See module and courses
Contact time 40 Hours Self-Study 110 Hours
Participation requirement See access to the program
Evaluation
Evaluation Hours Weight
Phase 1 50 25%
Reading & Reflection paper
 50 25%
Phase 2 40 25%
Participation
 30 10%
Presentations
 10 15%
Phase 3 60 50%
Research Paper
 60 50%
Total 150 100%
Content of the Module This course intends to provide the student with a basic grasp of the contour and shape of doctrinal development from the early church to the eighteenth century, as viewed through the lenses of major theologians, controversies, or movements within each period.
Learning Objectives

A. General Learning Objectives
This course seeks to: 

  • Provide a chronological and genetic development of select doctrines through the history of Christian thought up to the twentieth century
  • Describe the philosophical and theological origins of the doctrines within the period to be studied
  • Relate theologians on their own terms from each specific historical context and the issues comprising that context
  • Explain the connections between various theologians and demonstrate how each thinker read previous theologians in light of their own concerns
  • Expose students to as many primary texts as possible 

B. Specific Behavioral Objectives
As a result of the activities and study in this course, the student should be able to:

  • Explain how certain doctrines developed through the history of the Church up to the twentieth century
  • Identify the philosophical and theological bases for each doctrine within the period to be studied
  • Demonstrate an awareness of the theological concerns expressed within each period studied
  • Compare and contrast various doctrinal perspectives with attention to how later theologians appropriated earlier ones
  • Identify and explain the basic content of primary texts covered
Outline
  • Historical Interlude I: Protestant Reformation (1517-1564)
  • Historical Interlude II: Catholic Reformation (1545-1617)
  • FIRST DOCTRINAL LOCUS: JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, PART 1
  • Historical Interlude III: Protestant Scholasticism (1564-1700)
  • Historical Interlude V: Evangelical Awakenings & Enlightenment (1700-1799)
  • SECOND DOCTRINAL LOCUS: Sanctification
  • THIRD DOCTRINAL LOCUS: Theological Anthropology
  • FOURTH DOCTRINAL LOCUS: Scripture, Revelation, Historicity, & Truth
  • FIFTH DOCTRINAL LOCUS: ECCLESIOLOGY: The Doctrine of the Church
Examination See Evaluation
Core Literature

Textbook:
Gonzalez, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought: From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century. Revised edition. Vol. 3, Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1988.

Reading List:
Martin Luther, On the Freedom of Christians
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book III, chapters 11-19
The Council of Trent on Justification
The Joint Declaration on Justification by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, 1999
Clark Pinnock, A Theology of the Holy Spirit, chapter 5, “Spirit and Union”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (see section 31, 32 “The Saints” and “The Image of Christ.”)
Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, I, chapters 1-8
A.A. Hodge, Outlines of Theology (1879); reprinted Eerdmans, 1948, pp. 66-69
F.D.E. Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith
Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics Vol l, Ch. 1
Emil Brunner, Truth as Encounter
Martin Buber, I/Thou
Rudolf Bultmann, Jesus Christ and Mythology
Karl Rahner, Foundations of the Christian Faith
J.I. Packer, God Has Spoken
Stanley Hauerwas, Why Narrative?
J.A. Dorner, History of the Development of the Doctrine of the Person of Christ
Frederich Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith secs. 88, 94
Karl Barth, The Humanity of God (an essay)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christ the Center
D.M. Baillie, God was in Christ
Jurgen Moltmann, The Crucified God
George S. Hendry, The Gospel of the Incarnation
John B. Cobb, Christ in a Pluralistic Age
Jon Sobrino, Christology at the Crossroads: A Latin American Approach
Daniel Migliore, Faith seeking Understanding (ch 9, pp 165-184)
Hodgson and King, Christian Theology: An Introduction to its Traditions and Tasks (ch 10, pp 248-273)
Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, IV/1-3
Veli-Matti Karkkainen, Pneumatology (chs 1,3,4,5,6)
James K.A. Smith, Thinking in Tongues (chs 2,3)
Frank Macchia, Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology (chs. 4,6)
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