RELT10132 Introduction to Christian Theology

Meeting times: Spring 2006, Wednesdays 10-10.50am and Fridays 9-9.50am and 12-12.50am

Instructor: Dr. David Law, david.r.law@manchester.ac.uk, WG13

Teaching Assistant: Timothy Stanley, timothy.stanley@manchester.ac.uk, Samuel Alexander WLG5

Course requirements: assigned readings, two 2500 word essays, worth 40% of your overall grade, one two hour final exam worth 60% of your overall grade, mandatory attendance to all seminars and lectures as per university policy. 

Key texts: Each week you will receive a brief set of readings which will be discussed in the following week's seminar. For further reading on this course a brief bibliography of library texts can be found by clicking here.

Overview:  Each of the 11 weeks of this second semester course are made up of both a seminar and lecture component. The first week is made up of a lecture outlining and introducing the course as well as handing out the first seminar reading. Then, in all subsequent weeks, we will begin with a seminar discussion of the reading which was handed out in the lecture from the previous week. The seminars are in the morning on Wednesdays and go for one hour and the lectures follow on Fridays and go for two hours.

Aims and outcomes: The aims of this course are to provide you with a foundation for the study of Christian theology and to equip you with the skills necessary to interpret primary and secondary sources in Christian theology. Once you have completed this course you should have gained a critical understanding of the role of the Bible in Christian theology, as well as the principles which underlie and give rise to the formation of Christian doctrine. You will also have acquired an awareness of the theological controversies that led to the formation of the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation and which resulted in the creation of creeds.

Week by Week Guide to the Course

Introductory Lecture

• Wed, Feb 1, 10 - 10.50pm,  Lecture: What is Theology?

The Authority of the Bible

• Wed, Feb 8, 10 - 10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Feb 10, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture

The Authority of the Bible II

• Wed, Feb 15, 10 - 10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Feb 17, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture

Ancient Methods of Biblical Interpretation

• Wed, Feb 22, 10 - 10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Feb 24, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture

Modern Methods of Biblical Interpretation

• Wed, Mar 1, 10-10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Mar 2, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture

The Nature and Development of Christian Doctrine

• Wed, Mar 8, 10-10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Mar 10, 9-9.50am and 12 -12.50 Lecture

Tradition

• Wed, Mar 15, 10-10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Mar17, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture
• Fri, Mar 17, 4pm, 2500 word typed formative essay due in class.

The Nature of Creeds

• Wed, Mar 22, 10-10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Mar 24, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture

• Wed, Mar 29, 10-10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Mar 31, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture

Easter Break

• Apr 1 - 22 is a spring break period in which you will have time to catch up on reading and prepare your summative essay.

The Councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451)

• Wed, Apr 26, 10-10.50am, Seminar
• Fri, Apr 28, 9-9.50am and 12 - 12.50 Lecture
• Tue, May 9, two copies of your 2500 word typed summative essay due to Samuel Alexander A6.

Exam Period

• May 14- June 4