Explore tools for building a theological framework for one of the most rapidly developing ethical challenges of our day: data collection and surveillance. Smartphones are everywhere, a valuable tool with thousands of uses in everyday life. But smartphones, along with many other daily-use devices, also perform regular surveillance. What happens to the data they handle? …
View course details “Smartphones, Surveillance, and Human Flourishing”
Marketplace theology is good for the soul, the body, and the workplace. But what is it? Join us as we build on the Puritan William Perkins’s definition of theology–the science of living blessedly forever–to explore a Christian vision of marketplace theology: working blessedly forever. Reflect scripturally and theologically on practical questions: Why work–remunerated or not? …
View course details “Working Blessedly: The Shape of Marketplace Theology”
Explore the historical development of Chinese Christian thought in mainland China and its growth in Asia and beyond. Examine existential debates about whether it is possible to be both Christian and Chinese, and explore theological queries related to distinctive understandings of Christ, the church, and the church’s mission in the world. Finally, consider how a …
View course details “Chinese Christian Thought”
The Book of Joshua recounts Yahweh’s fulfilment of a centuries-old promise to Abraham–the promise that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan. Historically understood as a testimony to the faithfulness and power of God, Joshua has become controversial in recent years. Is this a story about God’s gracious provision, or a record of genocide? …
View course details “The Book of Joshua”
Christian salvation is a gift, but what is the nature of that gift? The doctrine of theosis suggests that God’s best gift in salvation is, quite simply, God’s self. Theosis–also called “divinization” or “deification”–teaches that God the Father sends the Son and the Spirit so that the saints may partake of the Trinity’s own divine …
View course details “Partaking of the Divine Nature: Salvation, Holiness and the Doctrine of God”
Survey the typologies of engagement by various Christian traditions (giving particular attention to the broad evangelical tradition) with the public square, along the spectrum of disengagement, cooperation, co-optation, and confrontation. Analyze the theological assumptions and perspectives on the gospel that inform such engagement or lack thereof. Dominant evangelical paradigms of Christian engagement in the public …
View course details “When Christians Disagree: Church Unity in an Age of Division”
Join us for a deep dive into the notion of enchantment, illuminating its aesthetic and theological dimensions as well as its implications for life and faith. Explore the enchanted worldview found in primary sources ranging from medieval bestiaries to Francis Bacon’s scientific work. Read modern accounts of enchantment from authors like Max Weber, Charles Taylor, …
View course details “After Disenchantment”
The devotional poetry of the seventeenth century is famous for its impeccable artistry and devotional power. Expand your heart and mind as you contemplate works from three of this era’s best-loved devotional poets: John Donne, George Herbert, and Anne Bradstreet. Explore Puritan piety, spiritual conflict, and divine love through Donne’s “Holy Sonnets,” Herbert’s “The Temple,” …
View course details “Devotional Poetry: John Donne, George Herbert, and Anne Bradstreet”
Many studies of non-Western Christianity focus on the modern period, emphasizing the impact of Western missions and colonialism. But this approach neglects the rich traditions of African and Asian Christianity that were established long before the earliest Western colonial contact. Join us as we explore early history of the church in North and East Africa, …
View course details “The Early Church in Africa and Asia”
Christianity has been intertwined with American history, culture, and politics since the first arrival of European explorers. The close connection between faith and culture has been a double-edged sword, alternately supporting and inhibiting the growth of a vibrant and faithful church. Join us as we discuss the many ups and occasional downs of Christianity’s sojourn …
View course details “History of Religion in America”
