Spring
2008 Instructor
Catalog Description: A study of the activity of the triune God in church and world through the Holy Spirit.
The focus is on how the Spirit’s work in Word and Sacraments provides the framework for understanding the nature, ministry, and mission of the church, Christian faith and life, and the pervasive significance of eschatology for theology, life and mission. Full course. [Prerequisites: ST1415 and ST2415; or ST1410.]
The chief areas of knowledge to be pursued include:
The following abilities and skills are to be cultivated by all participants:
· The ability to read and understand writings related to the above areas of knowledge, including names of important persons and the meanings of technical terms;
· The ability to understand and appreciate differing interpretations and traditions within Christian history and contemporary theology;
· The ability to reflect carefully and critically on the truth of Christian teachings about the Holy Spirit, the church, the Christian life, and the triune God;
· The ability to be critical of one's own assumptions as well as those of the culture;
· The ability to exercise imagination and creative fidelity in engaging Christian teachings about the Holy Spirit, the church, Christian life, eschatology, and the Trinity and in their systematic presentation;
· The ability to construct a theological position concerning these matters that is faithful to the tradition, potentially credible to current understanding, and ethically responsible;
· The ability to: give and receive criticism; identify contradictions, strengths, and weaknesses; maintain a position with integrity and persuasiveness; and, if necessary, to change one’s position for good reasons; and
· Growing competence in bringing these abilities into the service of Christ’s mission.
Carl Braaten & Robert Jenson, eds., CHRISTIAN DOGMATICS, vol. 2
Ted Peters, GOD AS TRINITY, chapter 3
Various handouts and copies of things
Paul Avis, THE CHURCH IN THE
THEOLOGY OF THE REFORMERS
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, LIFE TOGETHER
Oscar Cullmann, BAPTISM IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT
Wilhelm Dantine, JUSTIFICATION OF
THE UNGODLY
Avery Dulles, MODELS OF THE CHURCH
Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, DISCIPLESHIP OF EQUALS
Gerhard Forde, JUSTIFICATION BY
FAITH: A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE
Gerhard Forde, THEOLOGY IS FOR PROCLAMATION
Eric Gritsch & Robert Jenson, LUTHERANISM
Darrell Guder, MISSIONAL CHURCH: A
VISION FOR THE SENDING OF THE CHURCH . .
Richard Jensen, Any of his writings
on the Holy Spirit
Robert Jenson, VISIBLE WORDS
Hans Küng, STRUCTURES OF THE CHURCH
Catherine Mowry LaCugna, GOD FOR US: THE TRINITY AND
CHRISTIAN LIFE
Jürgen Moltmann, THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE
SPIRIT
Jürgen Moltmann, THEOLOGY OF HOPE
Jürgen Moltmann, THE COMING OF GOD:
CHRISTIAN ESCHATOLOGY
Jürgen Moltmann, CRUCIFIED GOD
Richard J. Neuhaus, FREEDOM FOR
MINISTRY
Roger Olson and Christopher Hall,
THE TRINITY
Wolfhart Pannenberg, SYSTEMATIC
THEOLOGY, parts of volumes 1, 2, and 3
Robert Paul, THE CHURCH IN SEARCH OF
ITS SELF
Ted Peters, GOD AS TRINITY
Regin Prenter, SPIRITUS CREATOR
Letty Russell, CHURCH IN THE ROUND
Edmund Schlink, THE DOCTRINE OF
BAPTISM
Mark Silk, series editor, RELIGION
AND PUBLIC LIFE (9 volumes, by
Vilmos Vajta, LUTHER ON WORSHIP
Miroslav Volf, AFTER OUR LIKENESS:
THE CHURCH AS THE IMAGE OF THE TRINITY
H. R. Weber, SALTY CHRISTIANS
Michael Welker, GOD THE SPIRIT
Michael Welker, WHAT HAPPENS IN HOLY
COMMUNION?
Timothy Wengert and Gordon Lathrop,
CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY
Gustaf Wingren, GOSPEL AND CHURCH
Gustaf Wingren, LUTHER ON VOCATION
Gustaf Wingren, THE LIVING WORD
World Council of Churches, BAPTISM,
EUCHARIST, AND MINISTRY
Plus: Various articles and papers in a reserve
folder at the Library circulation desk, mostly on church and ministry, plus
papers and handouts distributed in class.
Tuesday
Plenaries, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Preceptorials
(BH 116) (Time & Place TBA)
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2/7
Introduction to the course:
objectives,
assignments, overview, place in
curriculum
|
2/12
The Triune God
Why “triune” (three-in-one)? What led to this doctrine? Do we still need it? Why or why not? |
2/14 Read Ted Peters, God as Trinity,
chap. 3
(required); chapters 1-2 (recommended).
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2/19 The Holy Spirit and the Triune God The “logic” of the Spirit’s work
of creating faith through the gospel and gathering and sending the church |
2/21 Read Robt. Jenson, “The Holy Spirit,” in Christian Dogmatics [CD], 2:105-64. This is tough reading; give yourself time. Know his argument.
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2/26 Justification by faith in Christ: Dying and rising with Christ |
2/28
Read G. Forde, “The Christian Life,”
in
CD 2:395-430. Tough but worth it.
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3/4 Justification and sanctification:
Dying and Rising with Christ |
3/6 Read Forde,
“The Christian Life,” in
CD 2:430-60.
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3/11
45-minutes EXAM on the reading from 2/14-3/6. 2nd hour: The triune
God and the church
|
3/13 Read Philip
Hefner, “The Church,” CD
2:183-221. Take notes to follow the many issues. |
3/18 The nature
of the
church (cont.)
What constitutes the church? Models of the church |
3/20 Maundy Thurs – Good Friday Break Thursday, 3/20, through
Tuesday, 3/25 |
3/25
EASTER BREAK
|
3/27 Read
Hefner, “Church,” CD 2:223-47.
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4/1
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4/3
Review Hefner on mission and read
several articles and handouts (to be distributed)
|
4/8 More on mission: Whose mission is it?
God’s or the church’s?
The idea of missio Dei
2nd hour: 35-min. EXAM on reading for 3/13-4/3 |
4/10
Read Jenson on “Sacraments”
in CD
2:291-314, plus some handouts
|
4/15
The Holy Spirit & the Means
of Grace
The Word; the Spirit and Christ; Law and Gospel
|
4/17
Read Jenson on “Baptism” in CD 2:315-
36 plus handout of Schlink on
baptism
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4/22 God’s Work in Baptism |
4/24 Read Jenson
on “The Supper” and “Other
Rites” in CD 2:337-75 (375-89 optional)
|
4/29 God’s Work in the Lord’s Supper 2nd hour: 35-min. EXAM on reading for 4/10-4/24 |
5/1
Read Nichol & Kolden, Called and
Ordained, chpts 1, 3, 4 (2, 5, 6, 7 optional)
|
5/6
The ministry of all
Christians and the
public office of ministry |
5/8 Read Called and
Ordained, chpts. 8, 9,
and 13 (10, 11, 12 optional)
|
There will be three short mid-course exams, each on a portion of the required readings and handouts to that point in the course. The purpose of these exams is to encourage you to read and think carefully and with understanding, because these readings and topics will be important for your ongoing theological growth as well as your future ministry.
The main point of these brief, mainly objective exams on the reading is to determine whether you understand the specifics of what each author writes about the topic. Therefore, you will need to note where authors differ from a usual interpretation or from your own position.
The exams will involve a variety of types of questions—mostly objective (true-false, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, etc.), along with some short essays. There will be some choice of questions so that you will be able to leave out those you are unsure of or don’t know (up to a point, of course).
The three exams will take from 35 to 50 minutes each.
There also will be a 1-hour take-home final exam, which will ask you to write what you think about one question related to ministry. This exam should be something that you simply can sit down and write at this point in your education. (More details later.)
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OTHER MATTERS:
Since most students in this course are Lutheran, there will be more attention paid to Lutheran theology than to that of other traditions. Nearly all of the authors of the required readings are Lutherans. Many of the Lutheran authors, however, intend to write from a self-consciously ecumenical point of view (e.g., Hefner, Jenson much of the time, Peters, Strohl), which broadens the theological content to some extent.
All students should seek to avoid caricaturing other traditions—especially those which are not represented in any primary way among the authors of the assigned readings, but also, of course, of traditions represented in the Luther student body and faculty and possibly in the course student themselves. Learning how to see and nourish actual existing Christian unity is an important part of local ministries. Therefore, it helps to understand not only what is peculiar to one’s own tradition but especially what is common to most Christian church bodies as we work together in the service of the one God whom we all know through Jesus Christ.
ATTENDANCE at all meetings of this course is expected. Thirteen weeks x 3 hours/week =
39 hours of class (26 plenary and 13 preceptorial). Missing 6-8 hours will result in a grade of
Marginal. Missing 9 hours (equivalent to
three weeks) or more will result in a Fail.
and, most likely, for the rest of your life as a Christian and as a
minister:
1. Where and when were you
baptized? How old were you? What happened
to you that day? Anything? Why is baptism often called the most
important sacrament?
2. Who is the chief actor in baptism? And what might this mean for the church’s
practice?
3. The N.T. says that faith
comes by or through hearing (Rom.
10). How do you understand that to work? Is “faith by hearing” exclusive? (that is, only by hearing?) Is this significant theologically? Practically?
Why or why not? What needs to be
heard? A sermon? Other?
4. Where does faith come in
with respect to the Lord’s Supper?
Choose one theological answer from among possible choices and say why
that is what you think.
5. A well known theologian has
said that if/when a congregation uses grape juice instead of wine at Holy
Communion those who receive grape juice do not receive Christ’s blood but only
ordinary grape juice. Why might a
theologian say that? Do you agree or
disagree? And why?
6. For a statement in the
Sunday church bulletin regarding who is invited to come to receive Holy
Communion, which (if any) of these do you think is most appropriate theologically and pastorally and why?
a. All who are practicing
Christians are welcome to receive Communion.
b. All who wish to do so are
welcome to receive Communion.
c. All who believe that our
crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ is truly present in the bread and wine
are welcome to receive Communion.
d. All who are baptized are
welcome to receive Communion.
e. All who are baptized and
have been instructed in its meaning are welcome to receive Communion.
f.
All persons who are members in good standing of the Lutheran [or
Methodist or Presbyterian, etc.] Church are welcome to receive Communion.
g. All who are sorry for their
sins and wish to receive God’s forgiveness on account of Jesus Christ as
welcome to receive Communion.
h. All persons who have
examined themselves, confessed their sins, and come with contrite and believing
hearts are welcome to receive Communion.
i.
No statement at all.
7. What is the
church? List as many serious candidates
for answering that question as you can think of . Which two or three do you think are best
theologically and pastorally and why? Do they fit well or not in relation to
human experience? What difference does
that make?
8. What is the single most
important thing that is done in or by or to or through or with the church? Why do you think that?
9. After
thinking about all of these questions, what have you learned about yourself and
where you are theologically? Any
surprises? What questions would you want
to add to this list.
10. Where do you begin in thinking about the Holy Spirit? Where does starting there get you? Ask and
answer the same two questions about the Trinity.