SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY II
LECTURE TITLES
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Week 1:
Introduction: matters relating to the study of theology.
Salvation as the outworking of the inner life of the triune God: the covenant of redemption (salvation from the covenantal participation of the persons of the Trinity)
Key biblical text: Ephesians 1:3-14
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Week 2:
Salvation as accomplished by the atoning life and death of Christ: the role of the incarnation, life and death of Christ in the atonement; the concepts of Recapitulation, Reconciliation, Sacrifice, Obedience and Theosis in the atonement. Models of the Atonement: Christus Victor, Moral Influence, Substitutionary Sacrifice (salvation through the participation of the Son in humanity and in suffering).
Pre-class reading:
Calvin’s Institutes Vol. I, Book 2, chapters XIV-XVII. pp.482-534. (Posted on Moodle);
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 11: “The Nature and Basis of Salvation,” pp. 246-274.
Irenaeus, The Scandal of the Incarnation, 53-111: student must read the first 25 pages only (pp.53-77).
Key biblical texts: Romans 3:21-26; Ephesians 2:1-10
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Week 3:
Salvation as applied:
a. to humanity—the doctrines of Justification by Christ and Sanctification by the Spirit, as the accomplishments of atoning reconciliation, flowing from union with Christ. The objectivity and subjectivity of salvation in relation to the role of the Holy Spirit as the one who applies redemption (salvation by the participation of the Christian in Christ by the Spirit)
b. to creation (the participation of creation in Christ’s reconciling work)
Pre-class reading:
Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics Vol 4: Chapter 17: The Day of the Lord; Chapter 18: Renewal of Creation (pp.691-730) (on Moodle);
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 11: “The Nature and Basis of Salvation,” pp. 275-279, and Chapter 14: “Human Nature, Sin, and Grace,” pp. 334-350
Key biblical text: Romans 5:1-5; 6:1-14
Part II. Salvation as participation in the Spirit
Week 4:
Biblical perspectives: clarifying challenges with respect to participation in the Spirit for the Christian and the church: baptism, assurance of salvation, character formation, giftedness.
Pre-class Reading:
Calvin, Institutes Vol 1, Book III, Chapters I-III, (pp. 537-621) (on Moodle);
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 12: “The Holy Spirit,” pp. 280-298.
Key biblical texts: Romans 8.
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Week 5:
Historical perspectives… towards a robust pneumatology: participation in the Spirit in History - the ancient and medieval church; the Reformation emphases; post-Reformation emphases; the Pentecostal and Charismatic emphases.
Pre-class Reading:
Basil, On the Holy Spirit: 18 pages (pp. 82-99) only need to be read;
Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Pneumatology: The Holy Spirit in Ecumenical, International, and Contextual Perspective (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2018), Chapters 2 and 3 (pp. 13-50).
Key biblical text: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
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Week 6:
Theological perspectives: the Spirit as Redeemer in triune salvation who accomplishes salvation. The themes uncovered in this session will prepare us for an understanding of the role of the Church in the application of redemption.
Pre-class reading:
Donald Bloesch, The Holy Spirit: Works and Gifts (Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 2006), Chapters 10, pp. 268-317 (On Moodle). Gregory of Nazianzus, “The Fifth Theological Oration
On the Holy Spirit,” Translated by Charles Gordon Browne and James Edward Swallow. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 7. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1894.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310231.htm
Key biblical text: Ephesians 1:13-14
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Week 7:
Lecture 1: Theological perspectives cont. The Spirit in Divine Providence: a case study. Chemical Evolution and Divine Providence: This is a discussion of the role of the Spirit in creation and especially in the providence of God. The elements of a doctrine of providence, and in particular that of Barth’s notion of asymmetric concursus, will be discussed in relation to how this might account for the dynamics of chemical or biological evolution. Barth’s doctrine of providence, and its implications for the science/theology interface was the subject of Ross Hastings’ recent publication of a chapter in Divine Action and Providence: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics (Los Angeles Theology Conference Series), Oliver Crisp and Fred Sanders, eds. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019). This discussion will help students in developing an integrative theology that includes consideration of science and a theology of science. Interaction with Amos Yong, Science for Seminaries sponsored.
Lecture 2: Formational perspectives: Participation in Christ by the Spirit in sanctification. Models of sanctification in the tradition.
Pre-class reading: Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Pneumatology: The Holy Spirit in Ecumenical, International, and Contextual Perspective, 67-146. W. Ross Hastings, “Divine and Created Agency in Asymmetric Concursus: A Barthian Option” in Oliver Crisp and Fred Sanders, eds. Divine Action and Providence (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2019), 115-136.
Key biblical text: Galatians 5:16-26
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Part III. Ecclesiology: Salvation in (but not by) participation in the church
Week 8:
Ecclesiology in light of pneumatology: the Church universal as the means by which God applies the accomplishments of redemption, particularly as the community of faith drawn together in the power of the Spirit. Salvation is not without the church, yet not by the church. Protestant and Catholic and Orthodox dialogue on the nature of the church. Unity, holiness, catholicity, apostolicity.
Pre-class reading:
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 15: “The Church,” pp. 354-380.
Key biblical passages: 1 Corinthians 12; Revelation 2-3.
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Week 9:
Participation in the Word and Sacrament and Community (discipline) of the church: Preaching, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and community structure(s). The church worships and proclaims the reality of salvation from the communal center of its union with Christ. Different ecclesiologies within the tradition and their rationale.
Pre-class reading:
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 16: “The Sacraments,” pp. 381-404;
Baptism, Eucharist, and Ministry. Faith and Order Paper, 111. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1983.
Key biblical texts: Acts 2:41-47; 6:1-7; 14:23; 20:25-28; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1, 1 Peter 5:1-7.
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Week 10:
Participation in the missio Dei: Ecclesiology in light of the Kingdom of God and the mission of God.
Pre-class reading:
David Bosch, Transforming Mission, 377-409 (on Moodle).
Key biblical texts: Matthew 16:13-20; 18:20; 28:16-20; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:6-11; 20:25.
Part IV. Salvation Actualized in the Eschaton
Week 11:
Cosmic and Ecclesial Eschatology: Realized and Future Eschatology (participation in the End, participation in Hope)
Reading:
Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline, 95-155;
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 18: “The Last Things: The Christian Hope,” pp. 426-438
Key biblical texts: 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20.
Week 12:
Personal Eschatology: (participation of the body, the whole person in Christ, in salvation)
Pre-reading:
McGrath, Christian Theology, Chapter 18: “The Last Things: The Christian Hope,” pp. 439-446.
Key biblical texts: Philippians 1:19-26; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15
Lecture 2: The relationship of the eschaton to origins of the universe and humanity. This would be a lecture on how we are to view present and future eschatology for both humanity and the cosmos in light of the two prominent scientific understanding of how the cosmos and humanity began—through the Big Bang, and through the process of evolution. We will seek to probe questions like what does the future of the cosmos look like according to Big Bang Theory? What is the telos of evolutionary development in homo sapiens? How can these be understood in light of biblical eschatology? Interaction with local astrophysicist, Joanna Woo, Simon Fraser University. Science for Seminaries Lecture.
Pre-reading: McGrath, Christian Theology, 439-446; Simon Singh, Big Bang: The Origin of the Universe (New York: Harper Perennial, 2005), chapter 1.