Module information

Code

THE1403

Name

Christology, Jesus Son of God in the Spirit (Credit: 2 or 3 hours)

Average equivalent

ECTS 4 or 5

Description

The Christian faith rests entirely on a person’s confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Lord over the nations in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. This course will discuss what it has meant for Christians to confess Jesus as the Christ throughout church history, how Western philosophy and culture have impacted this confession, and what is necessary for Christians today to be faithful to that confession in their own contexts and cultures. Recent trends in theology, philosophy, biblical studies, and modern culture call for a renewed emphasis on the biblical narrative in a person’s confession that Jesus is the Son of God. This course will show how the biblical narrative determines meaning for the church’s faithful witness to Christ’s lordship, its proclamation of the gospel, and its making of other disciples.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: 1. Summarize the major Christological issues and controversies the church addressed in its history and the theological formulations it used to settle them. 2. Examine the influences of various cultures and their philosophies on the church’s views of Christology. 3. Correlate the different views of Christology with the views of salvation held by the major Christian traditions. 4. Outline the Old Testament foundation for Jesus being the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, and its historical and theological fulfillment. 5. Contrast a narrative approach with a propositional approach to Christology, and discuss the difference they make in preaching and evangelism. 6. Summarize each major passage in the New Testament that describes the nature of Christ, give the context for why the author wrote it, and describe what it meant to the intended audience. 7. Evaluate why a biblical Christology that describes Christ within God’s narrative of history is vital for understanding and preaching Christ properly today. 8. Write an explanation for his or her faith in Jesus Christ based on a biblical narrative view of Christ’s person and work in history. 9. Analyze the various ways the church has discussed the Trinity and how Trinitarian theology has influenced the church’s views of Christology. 10. Express a clear understanding of the Spirit’s work in Christ’s life and describe His same work of placing the student’s life into Christ’s life through salvation.

Mode of Study

• Lecture • Video (in progress) • Student interaction • Professor of Record Interaction • Hands on

Assessment

• 100 objective multiple choice questions • Online or pencil and paper • Project • Collateral Reading Assignment (for 3 (USA) credit courses • Student Learning Requirement • Passmark 70%