This course examines the life and work of C.S. Lewis as a catalyst for deepening and enhancing Christian ministry in engagement with our culture. The goal is not only a better knowledge of C.S. Lewis and his influence, but also to use Lewis as a test case for better declaring and demonstrating the gospel of Jesus Christ. Readings will cover Lewis’s life story, his apologetic works, his devotional literature, occasional essays and addresses, as well as his fiction. Topics of discussion will include evangelism, apologetics, preaching and communication, cultural engagement, and the use of the imagination.

This course examines the history of science and the philosophy of science from Aristotle to the present. The narrative is selected especially as it relates directly or indirectly to the history of the church and theology and reflects/influences broader cultural movements. The course does not require scientific knowledge or training.

Scripture is central to ministry, and yet questions concerning the formation of the canon of scripture and its legitimacy are becoming more and more common. As Christians who are called to declare and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is imperative that we understand how the church received the various texts of scripture in the first place. This course examines the history and theology behind the early stages of the development of the canon of scripture by means of a detailed study of the formation of the canon (especially the NT texts) within the context of the development of orthodoxy in the early church. Central focal points of this course include key texts, figures, historical events, and the role each played in the discussions and development of textual authority. Specific attention is paid to the issues of textual and manuscript concerns and questions, orthodoxy and heresy, extra-canonical literature, and questions of inter-textual compatibility and biblical interpretation. The aim of this course is to provide students with an informed perspective from which they may engage in ministerial and cultural questions about the history, theology, and authority of scripture. In addition to course lectures students will engage with historical surveys, and primary source texts from an array of early ‘orthodox’ and ‘heretical’ writers.

This course is divided into two parts, each occupying 4 Modules. Part 1 will look at modern estimations of the formation of the canon and competing documents that were not included. Part 2 will look at the integrity, formation, and manuscript issues relating to the canon in the early church.

Works of lyric literature are timeless; they are elegiac; they are poetic. This course itself is meant to be a timeless journey through some of the best pieces of poetic literature within the lyric literary genre in Western literature. Together, we will explore the key motifs and themes in classic lyric literature spanning the period from the ancient world up to modern times. In this class, we will learn how to define a lyric piece of literature, learn how to identify key works of literature as lyric, and study the main themes present in lyric works of literature. Along the way we will see how gospel themes of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration can be seen in lyric literature ranging the ancient Greeks up to the present time.  All of this will be studied with a view to seeing how the gospel of Jesus Christ has transformed and continues to transform literature, society, and culture.

This is the second of two courses that constitute a survey of the Old Testament. The focus of this course is on the Prophets and Writings within the framework of a canonical approach to Christian Scripture. In addition to a survey of the prominent methods and developments in the history of interpretation, particular attention will be given to the redemptive-historical themes that continue in, and extend from, the Prophets and Writings through the rest of the canon.

This is the second of two courses in church history in which we will examine some of the most significant moments in the church during the Reformation and its aftermath up to the present. Beginning with the culmination of factors that provoked the Reformation, we will examine the historical and theological shifts and developments that remain visible to this day. This course will explore these chronological advances in the church through the lens of major figures, events, and various hermeneutical strategies that led to a range of theological and denominational developments.