This course explores the nature and mission of the church through its identity as people of God who are called to bear witness to the good news of God's reign. Giving priority to self and the local congregation, participants address questions asked by contextual methodologies from several disciplines, especially theological ethics and congregational studies.

This course probes several major themes in Systematic Theology with the intention of cultivating the student's ability to think deeply and carefully about their beliefs in dialogue with Christians past and present, from the Mediterranean basin to global points of view. A critical component of this exploration engages the ethical implications of Christian theology. This course will discuss major themes within the framework of two major focal points: the Trinitarian God and vision of God expressed as God's Reign. Within those two major themes, the course will discuss Scripture, the doctrine of Creation, theological anthropology, the problem of sin, and the gift of grace. In all of this, the course attends to the student's ability to think, articulate and apply beliefs and ethics clearly and cogently to life and ministry.

This course probes several major themes in Systematic Theology with the intention of cultivating the student's ability to think deeply and carefully about their beliefs in dialogue with Christians past and present, from the Mediterranean basin to global points of view. A critical component of this exploration engages the ethical implications of Christian theology. This course will discuss major themes within the framework of two major focal points: the Trinitarian God and the eschatological Reign of God as God's encompassing vision for creation. Within those two major themes, the course will examine more closely the Persons of the Trinity-the Creator as the Dabar of the Reign, Jesus Christ as the Embodiment of the Reign, and the Holy Spirit as the Ruach of the Reign-as well as the doctrines of salvation (soteriology), the church (ecclesiology), and the "last things" (eschatology). In all of this, the course attends to the student's ability to think, articulate and apply beliefs and ethics clearly and cogently to life and ministry.

This course represents the first of two summative projects required for the MTS in Theology, in which the student, with the help of a faculty member, designs a research project in the form of an independent or directed study that is relevant to the student's area of interest. The project typically produces a research paper of 30-40 pages in length. There is room for flexibility and creativity if other formats are integral to achieving the learning outcomes of the project.

This course represents the first of two summative projects required for the MTS in Theology, in which the student, with the help of a faculty member, designs a research project in the form of an independent or directed study that is relevant to the student's area of interest. The project typically produces a research paper of 30-40 pages in length. There is room for flexibility and creativity if other formats are integral to achieving the learning outcomes of the project.

The purpose of this module is to explore critically the constructive relationship between theological reflection and articulation on the one hand, and the socio-cultural contexts in which such reflection and articulation take place on the other. The fundamental questions guiding the exploration are: (1) what are the dynamics of doing theology in context; (2) in what ways are theology and context mutually influenced and determined; and (3) how do we do theology in context? The Openseminary prologue consists of 12 weeks of online readings, assignments, and dicussions in preparation for the on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.T.S. program course.

The purpose of this module is to explore critically the constructive relationship between theological reflection and articulation on the one hand, and the socio-cultural contexts in which such reflection and articulation take place on the other. The fundamental questions guiding the exploration are: (1) what are the dynamics of doing theology in context; (2) in what ways are theology and context mutually influenced and determined; and (3) how do we do theology in context? The Openseminary one-week, on-ground experience consists of full-day class sessions and engagement with teacher-practitioners in the field of study. Openseminary M.T.S. program course.

The purpose of this module is to explore critically the constructive relationship between theological reflection and articulation on the one hand, and the socio-cultural contexts in which such reflection and articulation take place on the other. The fundamental questions guiding the exploration are: (1) what are the dynamics of doing theology in context; (2) in what ways are theology and context mutually influenced and determined; and (3) how do we do theology in context? The Openseminary final project consists of 8 weeks of research and online discussions to produce a final paper/project, based on the learnings in the prologue and on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.T.S. program course.

The purpose of this module is to explore critically the constructive relationship between theological reflection and articulation on the one hand, and the socio-cultural contexts in which such reflection and articulation take place on the other. The fundamental questions guiding the exploration are: (1) what are the dynamics of doing theology in context; (2) in what ways are theology and context mutually influenced and determined; and (3) how do we do theology in context? The Openseminary prologue consists of 12 weeks of online readings, assignments, and dicussions in preparation for the on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.P.T. program course.

The purpose of this module is to explore critically the constructive relationship between theological reflection and articulation on the one hand, and the socio-cultural contexts in which such reflection and articulation take place on the other. The fundamental questions guiding the exploration are: (1) what are the dynamics of doing theology in context; (2) in what ways are theology and context mutually influenced and determined; and (3) how do we do theology in context? The Openseminary one-week, on-ground experience consists of full-day class sessions and engagement with teacher-practitioners in the field of study. Openseminary M.P.T. program course.

The purpose of this module is to explore critically the constructive relationship between theological reflection and articulation on the one hand, and the socio-cultural contexts in which such reflection and articulation take place on the other. The fundamental questions guiding the exploration are: (1) what are the dynamics of doing theology in context; (2) in what ways are theology and context mutually influenced and determined; and (3) how do we do theology in context? The Openseminary final project consists of 8 weeks of research and online discussions to produce a final paper/project, based on the learnings in the prologue and on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.P.T. program course.

The course focuses on the nature, method, and sources of theological method and reflection, helping students to understand the relationship between Christian confessions, historical influences and method. Students begin to "exegete" the theology of their context as well as beginning to identify their own theological presuppositions. This course also provides and overview of the six classical church practices. It will be offered in every Summer 2 and Spring 1 Semester.

This course introduces Christian theology as a critical discipline in the church and in relation to wider society. It serves as a basic introduction to some of the traditions and diversity of Christian understandings for students both unfamiliar and familiar with the various expressions of Christianity.

This course introduces Christian theology as a critical discipline in the church and in relation to wider society. It serves as a basic introduction to some of the traditions and diversity of Christian understandings for students both unfamiliar and familiar with the various expressions of Christianity.

A theological/biblical analysis of the problems involved in moving from biblical revelation and theological concepts to concrete public policy proposals. This is a required course for the M.T.S. concentration in Christian Faith and Public Policy and is a prerequisite for other courses in that concentration.

This course is designed to provide theological and ethical reflection on political thought and action. Representative doctrines for the Christian faith will be discussed with their implications for responding to government and politics. Participants will explore classical and contemporary formulations of the relationship between the church and the socio-political order. Biblical, historical and philosophical resources will be examined and interrogated. In addition, students will be asked to question two divergent yet related schools of thought: political theology and public theology. Our chief objective will be to consider sound theological-ethical options for Christians as they participate in the political order. This is a required course for the M.T.S. concentration in Christian Faith and Public Policy.

An introduction to ethical discourse, this class will survey the field of theological ethics so that Christians may engage the ethical issues of the common life, shape the institutions of society, and aid persons in forming faithful and objective moral judgments about public matters. Special attention will be given to the relationship between Christian faith and economics, politics and law. A sub-theme will be ecclesiology, a critical examination of the mission and purpose of the Church.

The goal of this course is to explore ethical and philosophical dimensions of projects of social and political transformation. The category of "vision" will be developed and deployed metaphorically; used as a trope to describe how moral actors receive, review and relate messages to their constituencies. Attention will be paid to how specific moral actors were "educated" by these messages, how specific moments and stages in their lives were formative for their emotional, intellectual and "spiritual" maturation and how this maturation impacted broader social dramas. An attempt will be made to probe the critical interplay between the individual moral subject and the social dramas and currents that shaped their eras. Selected historical personages will be viewed as religiousis homoiousios, as prismatic figures embodying certain constitutive features of their time, people or civilization.

This class will identify, explore and interrogate strategies by which local faith communities enact moral and aesthetic resources to create cultures of compassion and technologies of concern. The class rests upon the assumption that compassion is a central feature of our discipleship and an inexpungeable dimension of Christian ethics. In a world in which many of our differences are settled in a theatre of violence - military, legal, economic, political, religious or domestic - how does the church serve as a healing agent, as community of reconciliation? What does a compassionate church look like? What does a compassionate disciple look like?

The word 'love' is used in imprecise ways in present American culture. This fact becomes uniquely problematic when speaking imprecisely about the love of God. With what kind(s) of love does God love us? With what kind(s) of love ought we to love God, and one another? This course will examine one approach to answering these questions by placing the interpretation of the Song of Songs and related texts in biblical and historical theological perspective. It is anticipated that we will find that there is a lively biblical "theology of romantic love"; and that an exploration of this theme may serve as a corrective on the one hand to stoic and on the other hand to sentimental understandings of divine-human and inter-human relationships. In essence, this course will be an exploration of covenant theology in its most intimate expression.

The daily news is filled with reports that may provoke questions about the goodness of God. If God is good, then why does God allow people to do evil things? If God is good, then why does God allow so much suffering? People in professional ministry are regularly faced with these and related questions arising both from our personal experiences and the personal experiences of those whom we serve. The purpose of this course is to equip the participants and those they serve in ministry to persevere in hope in the face of personal encounters with evil and suffering.

The purpose of this course is to periodically examine different theological doctrines that have been deemed difficult to teach and preach in our churches. The course will begin by reviewing effective teaching strategies that can be applied in church environments. Students will learn how to prepare lesson plans, with emphasis on creative teaching methods. A major doctrinal topic will be reviewed. Students will then develop a lesson plan for this topic and present a short sample of it in class.

This class will examine the theological and philosophical foundations of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Attention will be paid to King's understanding of God, Christ, the Church and humanity, and how the interplay of these themes informed his quest to critique, contest and transform North American civilization and the emerging global order. Students will be asked to probe into King's identity as a minister of the gospel, explore his role and significance in the history of the Church, and examine his international theological legacy. Finally, students will be invited to discover the implications of King's work for contemporary ministry.

This is an elective course exploring the writing of extraordinary church leaders during the past two thousand years. It offers students an opportunity to interact with the writings of Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, and Bonhoeffer in their context and also in our contemporary contexts. The class will collectively study the four leaders, but the students will have an opportunity to focus on one leader for their major paper. We will listen to speakers who have written on these four leaders, watch how they are portrayed in videos and movies and see how our individual lives and denominational thinking has been affected by them.

An independent study course for advanced students who desire to undertake intensive, independent research in one or several theological issues. By permission and agreement with an appropriate instructor.

An independent study course for advanced students who desire to undertake intensive, independent research in issues related to Christian Faith and Public Policy. By permission and agreement with an appropriate instructor.

The Presidents of six Southern Baptist Seminaries issued a statement affirming, "Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality and any version of Critical Theory is incompatible.with the denominations core beliefs." Unfortunately, race and Christian theology have been linked since the late 15th century. Race and Christian Theology is an investigation of racial architecture within Christian life and theology, as well as a study at the intersection of the theological and the "political." This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to probe the connection between Western Christian theology and the emergence of race and its persistence in the late-modern West.

On earth as it is in heaven means that theos is reflected in anthropos. James Wm. McClendon Jr., in his book Biography as Theology, traces this concept in the lives of politicians, diplomats, Bible scholars and artists. We will use this textbook and others to analyze how in the 21st century we can live theologically, how much the kingdom of God and his will can be reflected in our lives, our families and our churches. The reading list includes Paul Johnson's The Intellectuals, Paul Rusbagina's An Ordinary Man, and Tom Holland's Dominion, the Making of the Western Mind.