Christianity's Big Ideas (CT8009P)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

This unit introduces Christianity’s doctrinal tradition, both generally and specifically. It will offer a general overview of the relationships between faith, belief, theology, confessions, creeds, doctrine and the disciplines of systematic theology. Specifically, it will explore the doctrines of God, creation, humanity, Jesus Christ, salvation, church and hope. It will explore the role of scripture, tradition, reason and context in shaping these doctrines. Particular attention will be paid to the impact on specific doctrines of modern and post-modern thought in the West whilst also exploring the appropriation of the doctrinal tradition in contemporary non-Western Christianity. Against this background the roles of doctrine in shaping the imagination of the church and of particular and local Churches will be noted.

Unit code: CT8009P

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Systematic Theology

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Describe the relationship between faith, belief and doctrine
2.

Outline the main doctrines of the Christian faith
3.

Evaluate the ways scripture, tradition, reason and context shape doctrinal development
4.

Analyse some of the ways doctrine functions in the church
5.

Formulate proposals for doctrinal development in particular contexts

Pedagogy

Online guided reading materials, tutorial forums.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Anon. Creeds and Catechisms: Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, The Heidelberg Catechism, The Canons of Dort, The Belgic Confession, and the Theological Declaration of Barmen. Unknown place of publication: Benediction Classics, 2011.
  • Barth, Karl. Evangelical Theology: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.
  • Chan, Simon. Grassroots Asian Theology: Thinking the Faith from the Ground Up. Leciester: IVP, 2014.
  • Coakley, Sarah. “Is there a future for gender and theology? On gender, contemplation and the systematic task”. * Criterion 47, no. 1 (2009): 2-11.
  • Gonzalez, Justo L., and Zaida Maldonado Perez. A*n Introduction to Christian Theology*. Nashville: Abingdon, 2002.
  • Gunton, Colin E., and Stephen R. Holmes and Murray A. Rae. The Practice of Theology: A Reader. London: SCM, 2001.
  • Higton, Mike. Christian Doctrine. London: SCM, 2006.
  • Holmes, Stephen R. and Shawn Bawulski. Christian Theology: The Classics. London: Routledge, 2014.
  • Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti, Christ and Reconciliation. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2013.
  • LaCugna, Catherina Mowry. (ed). Freeing Theology: The Essentials of Theology in Feminist Perspective. SanFrancisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.
  • McGrath, Alister E. Christian Theology: An Introduction. Fifth Edition. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Migliore, Daniel. Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. Third Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014.
  • Parratt, John (ed). An Introduction to Third World Theologies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
  • Towey, Anthony. An Introduction to Christian Theology: Biblical, Classical, Contemporary: London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013. (recommended for purchase)

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

Essay of 2500 words on either the roles of scripture, tradition reason and context in a particular doctrine or the roles of doctrine in the church.

 0 50.0
Essay

Essay of 1200 words on the relationship between faith, belief and doctrine

 0 20.0
Learning Resource

Learning resource of 1500 words introducing one Christian doctrine to a designated contemporary Christian or non-Christian audience.

 0 30.0
Written examination under timed conditions conducted online

Online Participation (800 words)

 0 10.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 19 Oct, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2022-10-04 09:57:31 +1100