Religion

Grammar of the Greek New Testament.

Grammar of the Greek New Testament.

Intermediate-level Greek grammar and reading of selected texts.

Reading of selected texts from all major divisions of the Greek New Testament.

The focus of this course is putting faith into practice in a guided context while exploring biblical, historical, and theological foundations for ministry. Through a preparation/action/reflection model of classroom (one-third of course credit) and field experience with local faith communities or non-profits (two-thirds of course credit), conceptions of the nature of ministry will be expanded. This course should aid in vocational discernment and leadership development, while informing student engagement with other ministry courses

A biblical, historical, and theological study of the forms of address employed by the church to share the Gospel. Particular attention will be given to the Gospel as narrative and biblical storytelling in the twenty-first century. Students will engage in practical projects and assignments that will help develop best practices and methods of biblical storytelling.

An introduction to the theology and practices of spiritual formation within the Christian tradition. By engaging some of the classic texts from different church traditions, students will discover resources to help them narrate their own journeys of faith and to explore practices that foster faithful discipleship. Recurrent themes include: the ways in which physical bodies matter in the Christian tradition, the role of the community in the spiritual formation of individuals, spiritual direction as a vocation, the many different ways of prayer in the Christian tradition, and the relationship between spiritual disciplines and social justice work.

A biblical, historical, and theological study of youth and family ministries. Particular attention will be given to ministering to young people and families in the twenty-first century. Students will engage in practical projects and assignments that will help develop best practices and methods for ministry.

An introduction to the key people, moments, ideas, and institutions of the Baptist movement, spanning from their beginnings in the seventeenth century to the contemporary period, providing a better understanding of the shape of Baptists today. Special attention will be given to gaining greater perspective on the diverse expressions of Baptist churches.

A survey of the content of the Gospels; attention to historical setting, basic literary problems, the history and teachings of Jesus, and the nature and interpretation of Gospel literature.

A survey of the content of Acts, the New Testament Epistles, Hebrews, and Revelation. Special attention will be devoted to the historical, cultural, and literary contexts of these texts.

A study of the content, historical and social context, literary structure, and theological value of the Old Testament books Genesis to Esther.

A study of the content, historical and social context, literary structure, and theological value of the Old Testament prophets, the poetic books, and the book of Daniel.

A survey of major events, personalities, and issues in the history of Christianity. Attention will be given to Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism in all its varieties, including Pentecostalism. The course emphasizes the connections between the various Christian “pasts” and current events and issues within Christianity.

An introduction to the study of religion and popular culture. Special attention is given to the ways in which religious and secular values interact and find expression in mass media products such as literature, film, music, and television.

An introduction to the history, beliefs, practices, and overarching worldviews of the major religions of the modern world. Emphasis is placed upon understanding the perspective of the adherents of each tradition, rather than using a comparative method to make evaluative judgments about the merits of the various traditions.

An introduction to the religious texts, traditions, rituals, and ideas of the ancient Mediterranean world and the ancient Near East. The focus will be on a comparative analysis of the varieties of religious expression, with particular attention paid to the conceptual approaches to the study of religion, as well as to the historical, social, literary, and cultural contexts of religious practices.

A survey of Christian theology, examining the central ecclesial teachings of the Christian faith with special emphasis given to their biblical foundation, historical context, and contemporary relevance.

This course is designed to introduce students to aspects of Christian ministry not covered in other courses, including newly emerging prospects and paradigms. May be taken for credit with different topics.

An exploration of the involvement of women in the Christian tradition from the time of Jesus to the present. (Same as WST341.)

The study of special areas in cultural/historical studies. Among the topics that this course might include is Christianity in the modern era.

A study of the complex relationship between religion and politics in colonial North America and in the history of the United States. Special attention is focused upon both the founding period and upon the modern context.

Advanced study in one of the world’s major religious cultures. It traces the origin of that culture and surveys its major beliefs, practices, traditions, scriptures (when applicable), values, and modern-day challenges.

The study of special areas in Christian theology. Examples might include Trinitarian theology, patristic theology, feminist theology, ecclesiology, liberation theology, or the theology of Jürgen Moltmann.

A study of individual books or areas within the New Testament with emphasis on topics of current interest in New Testament studies.

A study of individual books or areas within the Old Testament with emphasis on topics of current interest.

The study of a specific topic in Religion using the tutorial method adopted from the Oxford University humanities classes.

Students will engage in practical projects and assignments that will help develop best practices for ministry.

This course will explore and intentionally reflect on the biblical & theological foundations of Christian worship, gaining the requisite understanding to contribute to the planning of Christian liturgy.

Independent Study