TH605 THEOLOGY I Course Syllabus Dr. Andy Snider

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1 TH605 THEOLOGY I Course Syllabus Dr. Andy Snider I. COURSE DESCRIPTION A study of prolegomena, dealing with the essence and source of systematic theology, and reasons for its study; bibliology, emphasizing inspiration and inerrancy, and theology proper, including revelation, trinitarianism, and God s relationship to the universe. II. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES A. The Big Picture This class is the of four systematic theology classes that from the core of the theology component in the TMS M.Div. program. As such, it is designed to play a particular role in accomplishing the mission of the Theology discipline: to advance critical engagement in theology and apologetics, critiquing and refuting non-biblical systems; and to promote biblical doctrines as a foundation for teaching and living. A number of departmental goals guide us in seeking to fulfill this mission, and the content and activities of this course are designed with these in mind: 1. Explain the role and relationship of systematic, biblical, and historical theology in the individual and corporate Christian life. 2. Describe, compare, and critique the major Christian theological systems. 3. Describe and critique the major worldviews. 4. Articulate the major doctrinal themes of Scripture with appropriate biblical support. B. Specific Course Goals Upon our mutual, diligent completion of this course of study, you will be able to: 1. Prolegomena a) Define theology and explain its role in Christian life and ministry. b) Explain and use an effective theological research method. 2. Bibliology a) Define and biblically explain inspiration, inerrancy, and clarity b) Reason carefully through other contemporary bibliological issues when you encounter them. 3. Theology Proper a) Carefully evaluate and integrate the various approaches to proving the existence of God. b) Investigate the key attributes of God and show how they are integrated in the gospel metanarrative of Scripture. c) Continue developing skill in exploring the mysteries of God, such as the Trinity and divine sovereignty. i

2 III. COURSE ASSIGNMENTS Note for DVD students and pastors: The assignments in this section are typical for a Master of Divinity class that is focused on preparing men for pastoral ministry. Therefore, they are specifically tailored to make a contribution toward that goal in the context of a graduate-level seminary educational program. If you decide that assignments are appropriate in your use of the DVD class, I encourage you to create projects that will be of most benefit to your particular group of students. The exams from this class are not available to DVD students. May God bless you as you seek to draw nearer to him through the study of theology! Andy Snider, Th.D. A. Exams 1. One exam will be administered, based on the syllabus and class lectures. This will be a "comprehensive" final exam covering selected material from the semester a study guide will be provided. 2. The exam will be written and submitted via laptop computer. Instructions will be given prior to exam day. B. Reading and Book Reviews For help writing a good review, see Dr. Swanson s primer on book reviews: 1. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, pp Be sure to follow the attached reading schedule carefully. Reading will be reported on the class attendance sheet. 2. John Feinberg, No One Like Him, pp , See schedule. 3. James White, The King James Only Controversy, 2 nd edition (2009), all 270 pp. Read the entire book and write a brief (3 pages, double spaced) review of the book. No title page, bibliography, or footnotes, please. ONLY the 2 nd edition will be allowed for this assignment please do not ask if you can read the 1 st edition instead. 4. Ware, all 230 pp. Choose either God s Lesser Glory OR God s Greater Glory Read the entire book and write a brief (3 pages, double spaced) review of the book. No title page, bibliography, or footnotes, please. 5. Article Packet #1 (available from faculty secretary) C. Writing Projects 1. Reflection Paper ii

3 a) You will write a short paper reflecting on the role of theology and doctrine in the Christian life. You will write from the perspective of a pastor ministering in postmodern, pluralistic Western culture I expect that this perspective will be dominant in the paper. b) Questions for Reflection: your essay should give evidence of careful and substantive thought on the following questions (1) What are theology and doctrine? (2) Why does a pastor need to do theology? (3) What should the pastor be trying to accomplish in the life of his congregation with regard to their participation in theology? In other words, why does every Christian need to do theology? c) Length requirement is 7-9 pages, excluding front and back matter (title page and bibliography, both of which are required; table of contents is optional). No appendixes are permitted for this essay. d) Format: Turabian 7 th edition, as modified by any TMS addendum currently published on the TMS website. e) Research: this is not a formal research project. The primary basis for this project is Article Packet #1 and class discussions on prolegomena. However, you are required to enrich this basis with reading from at least five other sources as well. Of course, plagiarism policy still applies quotes and borrowed ideas must be properly cited. f) Grading Criteria (1) Quality of reflective writing. You may compose this essay in first person ( I, me, we, us ). Remember, second person address is never acceptable. This is not a sermon, it is a reflective meditation. (2) Integration of biblical insight and clear worldview-level thinking that addresses the questions for reflection above. (3) A definite pastoral tone that speaks to the Body of Christ in its Western, postmodern, pluralistic situation. 2. Research Paper a) One of the most significant learning opportunities in this class is your research project, covering a selected topic in bibliology or theology proper. A list of topic ideas appears below. If you have any doubts at all, please discuss your topic with me in order to ensure the topic is well-conceived for a successful project. b) The goals of this assignment are: (1) To help you cultivate a deeper love and understanding of God and his Word. (2) To make you aware of the major theological writings on a particular topic and give you the opportunity to evaluate them carefully. iii

4 (3) To develop your theological research skills so that when a question arises during study you are able to locate the needed resources to inform your understanding of the issue. (4) To develop your ability to comprehend, evaluate, formulate, and present theological argumentation. (5) To incorporate your exegetical skills into the process of systematic theological argumentation. (6) To increase your knowledge of a chosen topic in order to enhance your future ministry. c) Length requirement is pages, excluding front and back matter (title page, table of contents, and bibliography, all of which are required for this assignment). Appendixes are included in the page count. d) Format: Turabian 7 th edition, as modified by any TMS addendum currently published on the TMS website. Note: do not use chapter divisions in a brief paper like this. e) Bibliography: the credibility of your research will depend in part on your bibliography. This is a "Works Consulted" bibliography, meaning that an item is included if it contributed significantly to your understanding of the research topic. Thus, you may include a source even if it is not footnoted in the text of the paper. The bibliography must include a minimum of twenty sources, including an appropriate balance of systematic theologies, journal articles, theological specialty books and/or reference works (including dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.), and commentaries. f) Grade for paper will be based on the following: (1) Evidence of extensive scholarly research, including works whose view opposes yours. (2) Logical, persuasive presentation your paper should be carefully thought out and outlined BEFORE you begin writing it! Don't do an information dump present a carefully reasoned argument that leads the reader along to the proposed conclusion. (3) Appropriate headings and subheadings reflecting the organization of the outline (4) Substantive interaction with opposing sources (5) Literary excellence (you may write in first person if you wish) (6) Adherence to TMS/Turabian form. Please serve your fellow students and professor by aspiring to master this form. (7) Inclusion of properly formatted title page, table of contents, and bibliography g) List of Topic Ideas The following are only suggestions you may choose another topic or do a narrowed-down version of a topic on this list. iv

5 (1) The Biblical Concept of Truth Vs. a Postmodern Concept of Truth (2) The Importance of the Internal Testimony of the Holy Spirit for Scriptural Authority (3) Are Copies of the Autographs Inspired? (Derived Inspiration) (4) The Problem of Non-apostolic Authored New Testament Books (5) A Critique of The Authority of Scripture in Openness Theology (or Karl Barth, or Clark Pinnock, or G. C. Berkouwer, or Contemporary Roman Catholicism, etc.) (6) Augustine s Doctrine of Immutability (or Foreknowledge) (7) Open Theism and Divine Impassibility (8) Open Theism and Divine Immutability (9) Open Theism and Divine Repentance (10) Open Theism and Divine Ignorance (11) Open Theism and Divine Foreknowledge (12) Open Theism and Divine Prophecy (13) Open Theism and the Problem of Evil (14) God and Time (15) Eternal Generation and the Trinity (16) Does the Decree of God Make God the Author of Sin? (17) A Pastoral Response to the Problem of Evil (18) Old Earth Creationism among Evangelicals v