To some extent the history of Christian ethics the history of interpretation of biblical ethical teaching. An increasingly ‘moral’ reading of Scripture emerged with the privileging of the plain (or double literal) sense during the late medieval period. As one considers the bible was looked to in Franciscan moral theology in particular then one becomes …
View course details “Learning to Think Ethically with the Christian Tradition”

The Gospel of John is one of most distinguished books in the Bible. It has unique literary and theological dimensions that we will explore together in details. The book is divided into the book of signs (John 1-12) and the book of the hour (13-21). In the book of signs we discover how the coming …
View course details “Reading the Gospel of John through Palestinian Eyes”

Augustine of Hippo was involved in many debates over his lifetime. He took on Manichees, Donatists, versions of Arianism, and even some aspects of the Platonism of his day. But the most famous controversy associated with this most famous theologian (excepting only the gospel writers and Paul) is the Pelagian controversy, in which Augustine tackled …
View course details “Augustine & the Problem of Pelagius”

Many who have served in various ministry capacities (e.g., as pastors, missionaries, lay church leaders, etc…) are intimately familiar with the potential dark realities of the ministry environment. Ministry is often fraught with many difficulties and challenges, imposing significant stress upon one’s spiritual life, marital and family relationships, and upon one’s emotional and physical well-being. …
View course details “Spiritual & Emotional Formation for Christian Leadership: Research and Practice”

There is one character in the Bible that modern audiences often ignore – the Land. But the land has many secrets to tell us if we learn to listen. It challenges our assumptions and prompts fascinating questions about the Kingdom of God. In this course we will learn to see the diversity in the biblical …
View course details “Listening to the Land of the Bible”

Today’s moral and social challenges are complex, and our social discourse is often contentious. Explore how artifacts (such as hip-hop and architecture) enriches our understanding of God’s grace, culture and human flourishing, and in turn, shapes our responses to these challenges. Learn about the narrative arc of Scripture that encompasses not only our personal salvation …
View course details “The Gospel, Discipleship, & Cultural Engagement”

Despite the claims of some critics, contemplation or what some call soul recreation, is firmly grounded in Scripture and richly displayed throughout the writings of early Protestantism. Evaluate the resistance to delighting in communion with God and learn how to deepen your experience of enjoying God. Together we will explore this spiritual intimacy by recovering …
View course details “Soul Recreation: Delighting & Enjoying God”

This course will examine the nature of Paul’s spirituality—the transformative, lived experience of participating in Christ by the power of God’s Spirit—as it applies to believing communities, individual believers, and ministers in Paul’s own day and in the life of the contemporary church. The class will combine close reading of selected passages and themes with …
View course details “The Spirituality of Paul”

By virtually all accounts, the Book of Ecclesiastes is a strange book and its presence in the canon, if not anomalous, is at least in need of some discussion if not formal explanation and defense. This course proceeds through Qoheleth (the book’s Hebrew name) while considering and pursuing “Qohelutian” themes in other, biblical and extra-/non-biblical …
View course details “A Skeptic in Scripture: Ecclesiastes & Its Friends”

Christian Poetics is an exploration of literary aesthetics, delving into what defines the nature and quality of literature. While this is primarily a course in literary criticism, students of art, literature, and culture will delight in discovering the interplay between form and function in the works of classical and Christian thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, …
View course details “Christian Poetics”