Penn West Academy for Ministry

Theology Course—Syllabus 2016 to 2017

Instructor: Rev. Joseph Hedden, Pastor, Emmanuel Reformed Church of the United Church of Christ, Export, PA Cell: 412-956-5252 Email: [email protected]

Course Objectives: 1. To understand and express the connection between the Bible, its interpretation, and theology. 2. To identify theological methods, such as constructive, liberation, Biblical, feminist and so on. 3. To engage in practical theological reflection, with a deeper relationship with God being the primary goal.

Texts: Dorothy & Gabriel Fackre, Christian Basics: A Primer for Pilgrims, (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 1991). Kinnaman, David and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity . . . And Why It Matters (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007). Optional: Gabriel Fackre, The Christian Story: A Narrative Interpretation of Basic Christian Doctrine, Volume 1, Third Edition (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 1996). The Christian Story deals with the same information as the first volume but in a more in depth and academic way. It is not the required text but is a good companion to it.

Year 3 of a 4 year Cycle: September 9-10 , 2016: May 11-12, 2012: Sacraments: Baptism Reading:  Christian Basics, Chapter 5: “The Church,” pages 64-89.  UCC Book of Worship, “Order for Baptism,” pages 129-144. Assignment. Due in November or March:  Continue to keep a journal. Some of your assignments for this year may come from the spiritual work in your journal but you will be keeping your journal private.  Find 5 examples of baptism (a minimum of three must be liturgies—either written or video from youtube, etc). Determine which theology of baptism, out of the 7 we 2

discussed in class is the predominant one for each of the 5 examples and give me specific instances why. The 7 theologies are: cleansing, forgiveness of sin, salvation, pouring out of the Holy Spirit, engrafting into the Body of Christ, Death and Resurrection, and putting on Christ.

October 7-8, 2016: Theology Class will be a guest speaker, Judy Chan: Missionary in Hong Kong.

March 10-11, 2017: Sacraments: Holy Communion Reading:  Christian Basics, Chapter 5: “The Church,” pages 64-89.  Joseph Hedden, “Practicing Eucharist in the Midst of Conflict,” The New Mercersburg Review, Number LIV, Spring 2016: pages 3-29. (I’ll email a copy to everybody prior to this lesson). Assignment. Due in May:  In your journal, answer and reflect on the questions that the Fackres have put at the end of chapter 5. Use these questions and your answers to do the following assignment:  Write which view of Communion (transubstantiation; consubstantiation; memorialism; OR mystical presence) most closely represents your understanding of communion and why.

May 12-13, 2017: Salvation and Christ Reading:  The Christian Story, Chapter 6: “Salvation,” pages 90-97. Assignment. Due in September 2017:  Oral Presentation for next class on how you would describe the difference between justification and sanctification in, say, a Bible Study for adults or a non-Christian friend.