Christian Theology and Religion

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/G_BATRSPC121

Course Objective

After finishing this course, the student:
- has gained insight into the specific nature and classification of Christian theology as a collection of disciplines;
- is aware of the strong interaction between theory and practice, doctrine and life ("learned and lived faith");
- can enter into dialogue with and from different Christian traditions and denominations;
- can interpret own theological development and profiling in the light of the developed reconstructions during the lectures.

Course Content

In this course students become acquainted with the field of Christian theology (encyclopedia) and with the denominations (present at VU University Amsterdam) trough key persons, texts and practices. Theological subfields are explored and provided with their own face and profile. This allows students to discover the relevance of various disciplines and perspectives for reading and understanding christian texts, lives and traditions.

Teaching Methods

Lectures based on texts that can be read in advance. During the lectures, a theme from Christian theology is always discussed with by a teacher from that specific discipline. During the preparation, students formulate questions that contribute to the formation of their essay.

Method of Assessment

During the course, students work on assignments that lead to theological questions. These assignments lead to an essay (100%).

Literature

College 1 Theological Encyclopedia I:Theology as biography Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Widerstand und Ergebung, letters 30 April 1944, 5 May 1944, considerations at the baptism of Dietrich Bethge in May 1944, 8 June 1944, 30 June 1944, 8 July 1944, 16 July 1944, 18 July 1944, 21 July 1944, 3 August 1944 and notes July/August 1944. College 2 Biblical Studies I: OT Eep Talstra, “The Spirit as Critical Biblical Scholar”, in: G. van den Brink, E. van Staalduine-Sulman and M. Wisse (eds.), The Spirit Is Moving: New Pathways in Pneumatology (Studies in Reformed Theology 38), pp. 25-35. Eep Talstra, “Text, Tradition, Theology. The Example of the Book of Joel” in: E. Van der Borght and P. van Geest (eds.), Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth. Essays in Honour of Abraham van de Beek (Leiden: Brill, 2011), 309–327. Cursory reading: Wido van Peursen, ‘“This is What Was Spoken by the Prophet Joel”. The Latter Rain in Joel’s Prophecies and in Dutch Pentecostalism’, in M. Klaver, S. Paas and E. van Staalduine-Sulman (eds.), Evangelicals and Sources of Authority (Amsterdam Studies in Theology and Religion 6; Amsterdam: VU University Press, 2016), 271–285. As preparation for this class, students are also requested to read the biblical book of Joel (in a Bible translation of their own choice). College 3 Biblical Studies II: NT L.T. Johnson, The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: OUP, 2010) (also available as e-book). College 4 Historical Theology I: Church and mission in the West Stefan Paas, “Leadership in Mission: The Reformed System of Church Governance in an Age of Mission,” in: Calvin Theological Journal 50/1 (2015), 106-121 Leon van den Broeke and Joost Schokkenbroek, “Quo patet orbis Dei: Dutch Deputies for maritime affairs and their global network in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.” International Journal of Maritime History. vol. 31.1 (2019), 19-33; DOI: 10.1177/0843871418824964. College 5 Historical Theology II Herinneren en vergeten, Augustinus, Cluny, James Joyce Augustinus, Confessiones bk X; ebook: Loeb Library, vol II, 2016 James Joyce, Dubliners, the Dead. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2814 College 6 Practical Theology Miranda Klaver, This Is My Desire, a Semiotic Perspective on Conversion in an Evangelical Seeker Church and a Pentecostal Church in the Netherlands. (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press 2011), 187-232. College 7 Systematic Theology I Herman Bavinck, The Certainty of Faith, translated by Harry der Nederlanden (St. Catharines: Paideia Press, 1980), 7-30, 51-97, see https://sources.neocalvinism.org/37/0. The critical Dutch edition: Herman Bavinck, Geloofszekerheid, Henk van den Belt (red.), (Soesterberg: Aspekt, 2016). College 8 Systematic Theology II C. van der Kooi & G van den Brink, Christian Dogmatics (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018), 1-74 (passages in small case can be skipped). By way of preparation, please answer the questions noted in the “Making connections” sections on p.1-2 and p.34. College 9 Denominations: Mennonite Church Fernando Enns, Ökumene und Frieden. Bewährungsfelder ökumenischer Theologie. Theologische Anstöße Bd.4 (Neukirchen: Neukirchener, 2012): C. Theologie aus der Perspektive einer Friedenskirche, 263-272, 323-355. (The text can also be provided in English, if necessary). College 10 Denominations: Baptists http://www.centerforbaptiststudies.org/pamphlets/style/turningpoints.htm whole text (7p.) https://www.wmcarey.edu/carey/enquiry/anenquiry.pdf, p. 1-13 https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html (10p.) The class will be a combination of introductory lecture and close reading of the second and third text. The first text is a general introduction, read it carefully. The second text needs to be studied more intensively. First try to find out more about the person of Carey and his context. Now study the text and write down what you notice, related to this context. The same for the third text. Make sure you know more about M.L. King and the context in which this letter was written. Now study the text and write down what you notice, related to this context. You need to be able to give a short introduction to Carey and his time and to King and his time. College 11 Denominations: Restored Reformed Churches In this class we study Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a leader in the Great Awakening. We read from his famous Religious Affections (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1959), 93-124. There are other editions as well. We discuss part I of Religious Affections, ‘Concerning the Nature of the Affections, and Their Importance in Religion’. College 12 Theological Encyclopedia II: Theology as practice Read and study the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed and search and read 30 pages in dogma-historical works about the catholicity of the church/ecclesia.

Target Audience

This course is primarily aimed at students of the bachelor's in theology at VU University Amsterdam, but is also accessible as a secondary subject for students from outside the VU University Amsterdam and as an extracurricular course for VU students.

Additional Information

This module provides an overview of the theological encyclopedia ofChristianity from a historical and current perspective.