This course will introduce students to the life, writings, and theological contributions of St. Augustine of Hippo. The course will approach Augustine's theological, political, and literary context and will be focused on discussion and analysis of a number of Augustine's most influential theological texts and letters. Along the way, students will be encouraged to interact with Augustine's contributions to such fields as literature, ethics, political theology, trinitarian theology, heresiology, and pastoral theology. All of this will be done with a view to developing a greater appreciation for this most important figure in the history of the Christian Church.


In this course students will study the origins and development of Western civilization from the ancient Greeks to the early Middle Ages. They will be introduced to the contributions made by the Greeks, the Romans, the Jews and the early Christians, all of whom contributed to the synthesis that was in place by AD 600 and that continues to form the basis of our culture today. Particular attention will be paid to features that distinguished each of these traditions and whose interaction (and conflict) transformed the ancient world into a Christian society. The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution, and the rise and developments of modern attitudes about the self, society, and culture will also be explored.

An independent/directed study on New Testament Textual Criticism.

The Supervised Ministry Internship (SMI) is a field-based experience of ministry under supervision of a qualified mentor in a student’s own local context. Students must first be approved by the MDiv Director for their internship location (e.g., a student’s local church, a parachurch ministry, or chaplaincy) and for their prospective mentor. The internship must be at least nine consecutive months of supervised ministry in which student and mentor meet bi-weekly for one-on-one meetings. The goal is an apprenticeship where students “shadow” their mentors to grow in the practice of Christian ministry. The SMI gives students an opportunity to engage in practical, hands-on ministry experience and to reflect upon that experience with a mature Christian leader.


The three courses of the Preaching Practicum focus on gaining valuable feedback and direction in the experience of preaching. Each practicum consists of two preached sermons with evaluation and a book review from a book on preaching.

This course can be done in a student's own local ministry context. It can be done at any point during the academic term (i.e., it doesn’t follow the normal beginning and end of the academic schedule of courses), but students must be approved beforehand by the M.Div Director.
*** Knox does not allow “backdating” of sermons preached in the past. *** A student is approved for a sermon that will be preached, recorded, and then sent to the professor for evaluation. The practicum also requires feedback from an in-person witness to the sermon.

Prerequisite: AT502 (Introduction to Homiletics)