LEAD501U Missional Church (Urban LEAD)
Christians in the 21st century U.S. culture find themselves in a new, post-Christendom world. Such a world represents both new challenges and new opportunities for the ministry of the church; new models of ministry are called for. This course serves as an introduction to the theological curriculum at Biblical Seminary. Groundwork is laid for understanding the current context and for lighting a passion in the student for ministering effectively to people needing the message of Christ, whether inside or outside the walls of the traditional “church.” Three hours.

TH 502/LEAD521 Introduction to the Christian Tradition
An introduction to basic Christianity, this course introduces students to core elements of Biblical Christian faith from a generously orthodox perspective. The course will explore historic Christian formulas such as those found in the classic creeds and catechisms, and assess theological questions from the great traditions of the church. The course will expose students to diverse theological perspectives, encouraging a balanced recognition of their particular vantage points in the larger theological enterprise. ctively to people needing the message of Christ, whether inside or outside the walls of the traditional “church.” Three hours.

TH 521/LEAD611/U Missional Theology 1: Introduction, God, & Creation
Missional theology involves continual intellectual and imaginative reflection on the interaction between the Gospel and culture and the creative outworking of this activity in socially embodied forms of communal life. From this perspective this course provides an introduction to the discipline of missional theology along with critical and constructive reflection on Christian teaching concerning the doctrines of God and Creation. Topics to be covered include: the nature, task, and purpose of theology; Scripture and its relationship to tradition and culture; the Trinity; the character and actions of God; the created order; humanity; the nature of sin; and the human condition. Attention will be given to the biblical witness, historical appropriation, and contemporary expression of these doctrines and their implications for missional Christian life and witness. Three hours.

TH 525/LEAD525U Pursuing Authentic Biblical Interpretation
Knowing what the Bible says, what it means, and how it can be applied to life is a challenge for every serious student of the Scriptures. This course seeks to develop a respect for proper biblical interpretation, a confidence in the student's ability to understand and apply Scripture, both to their own lives and to the lives of those among whom they minister. Three hours.

TH 531/LEAD525/U World Christian History 1
This course explores the formation and expansion of the church from the beginning of the second century to the eve of the Reformation. This course is designed to examine and reflect upon the theology, worship and missional practices of the major Christian traditions prior to the Reformation. The goal of this course is for each student to acquire a critical appreciation for a period of church history that has been long neglected and much maligned, but has nourished the souls of millions of Christians throughout the ages. Three hours.

TH 532/LEAD526/U World Christian History 2
Church History 2 explores the formation of new church traditions, as well as the renewal of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions, from the time of the Reformation to the present. This course is designed to examine and reflect upon the theology, worship and missional practices of the major Christian traditions after the 16th century. As a part of the course we will also explore how God has used his people to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. The end result is a diverse global church made up of many ethnic groups, cultures and languages, who as one people of God bend the knee and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Prerequisite: WCH1. Three hours.

TH 602/LEAD711/U Missional Theology 2: Reconciliation & Redemption
A continuation of Missional Theology 1, this course will involve critical and constructive reflection on Christian teaching concerning the doctrines of reconciliation and redemption. Topics to be covered include: the covenant; Israel; and the person and work of Christ; the Holy Spirit; salvation; the church; and eschatology. Attention will be given to the biblical witness, historical appropriation, and contemporary expression of these doctrines and their implications for missional Christian life and witness. Prerequisite: MT1. Three hours.

TH 605/LEAD715/U Theology, Ethnicity, & Gender
The practice of theology is an inherently contextual enterprise. It always bears the marks of the social conditions from which it emerges and these conditions serve to differentiate various theological perspectives including those that share a common commitment to the authority of scripture. This course will examine the significance of ethnicity and gender in the task of theology and its implications for the life and witness of the church in the contemporary setting. Topics to be covered include: the mission of God; the relationship between theology, culture, and experience; the plurality of scripture; the plurality of the Christian tradition; Black theology; Asian American theology; feminist and womanist theology; and the significance of these theologies for the church local and catholic. Three hours.

TH 606/LEAD716/U Christianity & World Religions
The course deals with topics such as Hinduism, Islam, primal religion, secular religions, American popular spirituality, and New Age. Other issues include: theology of religion, globalization and Jihad, political religions, and modern myth. Three hours.

TH 675 Karl Barth, Postmodernity, & Evangelical Theology
Karl Barth is often referred to as the most significant theologian of the twentieth century and his thought continues to be widely discussed and highly influential in the discipline of theology. His theology has increasingly been connected to postmodern themes by those who believe that his thought provides a significant resource for the construction of a postmodern theology while other leading Barth scholars dispute this connection. At the same time interest in Barth is growing among many evangelicals while others remain deeply critical and suspicious of Barth’s influence. In this seminar style course, we will examine Barth’s theology through his presentation of the doctrine of the word of God in the first volume of the Church Dogmatics. In this context we will consider the interpretation of Barth’s theology in relationship to postmodernity and evangelical theology for the purpose of gaining clarity concerning the basic issues being discussed and also in order to foster constructive theological engagement with postmodern thought from an evangelical perspective. Three hours.

TH 760 Issues in Dispensationalism & Covenant Theology
In the 1930s-1940s, a controversy erupted between exponents of these two Bible-believing, American evangelical systems of theology. Since that time, the points at issue between these two camps have often dominated intra-evangelical agendas and discussions. This course explores both the history and the issues involved and encourages students to be peacemakers in the controversy as they develop their own conclusions on the specific issues in contention. Three hours.

TH 770 American Evangelicalism & Fundamentalism
A study of the history and issues that have largely shaped Bible-believing churches and Christian fellowships throughout the 20th century. The confrontations with "liberalism" and "modernism" are given special attention. This course enables the student to recognize specific ways in which the great struggles of the recent past have affected our present-day Bible-believing Christian testimony and mission, positively and negatively. Attention is also given to how our agenda may be influenced by the principles and dynamics surfaced in this study. Three hours.