TH 502 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 Missional Theology 1
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 theology and a consideration of the sources and methods employed in doing theology in the context of contemporary culture. Topics to be covered include: the nature, task, and purpose of theology; the contemporary setting; the role of Scripture, tradition, and culture in the work of theology; and theological methods. Attention will be given to the biblical witness, historical appropriation, and contemporary expression concerning these issues and their implications for Christian life and spiritual formation. Three hours.

TH 525 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 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. Prerequisite: TH 501, TH 521. Three hours.

TH 532 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: TH 501, TH 521, TH 531. Three hours.

TH 602 Missional Theology 2
A continuation of Missional Theology 1, this course will involve critical and constructive reflection on Christian teaching concerning the doctrines of God, Creation, and Christ. Topics to be covered include: the Trinity; the character, actions, and history of God; the created order; humanity; the nature of sin and the human condition; the covenant; Israel; and the person and work of Christ. Attention will be given to the biblical witness, historical appropriation, and contemporary expression concerning these doctrines and their implications for Christian life and spiritual formation. Prerequisite: TH 501, TH 521. Three hours.

TH 603 Missional Theology 3
A continuation of Missional Theology 1 and 2, this course will involve critical and constructive reflection on Christian teaching concerning the doctrines of the Spirit, community, and consummation. Topics to be covered include: the Holy Spirit; salvation; the church; and eschatology. Attention will be given to the biblical witness, historical appropriation, and contemporary expression concerning these doctrines and their implications for Christian life and spiritual formation. Prerequisite: TH 501, TH 521, TH 602. Three hours.

TH 612 Theology, Film, & Culture
This course is designed to critically interpret North American culture as represented in the movies, with attention to the concerns of missional Protestant theology. The course will develop along both thematic and broad chronological lines, focusing on mainstream American major motion pictures of the sound era (as opposed to foreign, special interest, art films, films from small independent studios, so-called B films). To accomplish this we spend much time with hands-on development of theological and cultural skills for exegeting movies. Lesser emphases include how American films (and other media) have interpreted and shaped evangelical Christianity and film presentations of scripture.Three hours.

TH 671 The Long Evangelical Century, 1792-1910: A Missional Perspective
This course will examine the nineteenth-century evangelical church-its theology and practice-from a missional perspective.  During the nineteenth century the evangelical church was quite active in evangelistic and missionary outreach, restoring biblical themes such as holiness and healing, and working to reshape society and church according to its own theological understanding.  At the same time the evangelical church worked within (and often accepted) a cultural milieu that propagated colonialism, slavery and racism, and what some have called a “functional Christendom.”  The aim of this course is, then, twofold: 1) to acquire a deeper knowledge of the activities and thinking of our most immediate evangelical forebearers, and 2) to evaluate them from a missonal view so that today’s evangelical church might be better informed on what it means to be missional. 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 688x The Meaning of Money
The Bible has a much to say about money and homo economicus. This course will focus on relevant texts from the Old and New Testaments and utilize them to analyze and critique the principles and practices of modern consumer culture. We will also explore ways to use “unrighteous Mammon” in a redemptive and missional manner.. Three hours.

TH 701 Issues in Soteriology: The Doctrine of Salvation
There is no more practical issue in the Christian faith than what is required for a person to gain eternal life. This course enables students to engage in exegetical and biblical-theological study of Scripture's teaching regarding the assurance of salvation, and to how to come to thoughtful, biblically based conclusions regarding many of the issues raised. Three hours.

TH 710 Issues in Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things
A study of the biblical and theological arguments for and against various positions regarding the future and end times. Historical, biblical, and theological analysis is conducted to examine the controversies between pre-, post-, and a-millennialists, and between pre-, mid-, post-, pre-wrath-, and partial rapturists. Scriptural teaching and current discussions concerning heaven, the eternal state, and hell are also addressed. Three hours.

TH 725x The Art of Reading Scripture
This is a seminar that will explore the art of reading Scripture through the examination of nine theses on the interpretation of Scripture developed by The Scripture Project associated with the Center of Theological Inquiry located in Princeton, NJ. Students will be expected to participate in class discussions, make presentations, and complete a class project. The nine theses are: 1) Scripture truthfully tells the story of God’s action of creating, judging, and saving the world. 2) Scripture is rightly understood in the light of the church’s rule of faith as a coherent dramatic narrative. 3) Faithful interpretation of Scripture requires an engagement with the entire narrative: the New Testament cannot be rightly understood apart from the Old, nor can the Old be rightly understood apart from the New. 4) Texts of Scripture do not have a single meaning limited to the intent of the original author. In accord with Jewish and Christian traditions, we affirm that Scripture has multiple complex senses given by God, the author of the whole drama. 5) The four canonical gospels narrate the truth about Jesus. 6) Faithful interpretation of Scripture invites and presupposes participation in the community brought into being by God’s redemptive action – the church. 7) The saints of the church provide guidance in how to interpret and perform Scripture. 8) Christian need to read the Bible in dialogue with diverse others outside the church. 9) We live in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of the kingdom of God; consequently, Scripture calls the church to ongoing discernment, to continually fresh rereadings of the text in light of the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in the world. Cross-listed with TH 725x. Three hours.

TH 750 Seminar in the Reformed Faith
This course examines the historical and theological aspects, tenets, and people in the theocentric theological tradition that has come to be known as "Reformed." Various topics are taken up in the individual offerings of this course such as the "five points of Calvinism;" the theology of the Westminster Standards, (American) Puritan theology, covenant theology; or prominent Reformed persons, such as Jonathan Edwards, Charles Hodge, or J. Gresham Machen. 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.

TH 780 Twentieth Century Theology
The twentieth century has witnessed an explosion of theological ideas that have had a profound effect on the church and society. This course examines the major movements and leading figures in theology during the twentieth century. Attention is given to neo-orthodoxy, liberal theology, process theology, theologies of liberation, eschatological theology, narrative theology, and developments in Catholic and evangelical theology. Three hours.