and Catechisms in the Lutheran Tradition North American Lutheran Seminary Trinity School of Ministry, Ambridge, PA The Rev. Dr. Nathan Howard Yoder, STS Fall 2015 Professor’s Contact Information Email: [email protected] Phone: (828) 485-7155

Note: This document is an adaptation of the syllabus of David S. Yeago, who initially taught this course for the North American Lutheran Seminary. It has been modified with his permission.

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION An introduction to the content and structure of the Christian faith through a close study of the ecumenical Creeds and Martin Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms. Historical issues will be considered, but the central focus of the course will be the role of and catechism as summary, confession, and rule of the church’s faith, guiding and forming preaching, teaching, and biblical interpretation. FURTHER DESCRIPTION This is the first theology course in the North American Lutheran Seminary curriculum. Its purpose is to lay a foundation for future theological study and reflection. The overall aim of the course is to consider in some depth what it means to be a confessional Christian, practicing Christian life, ministry, and theology on the basis of Holy Scripture according to a definite rule of faith. The course seeks to achieve this goal through a study of the ecumenical Creeds and the Catechisms of Martin Luther. We will consider the development of the Creeds, their origin in the apostolic ministry and the mandate of Baptism, and their relationship to what the early church called “the rule of faith.” We will reflect on the relationship of the Creeds to Holy Scripture and the role of the Creeds in the interpretation of Scripture. Discussion of the Creeds will also lead us to consider the question of doctrinal authority in the church. With the help of the Catechisms, we will examine the way in which the Creeds form us in a scriptural vision of the world and of our own lives. In all this, we will be considering what it means to “follow the pattern of the sound words” which the church has received from the apostles “in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:13). EPIGRAPH “Among all the other good works that must also be practiced in the Christian community, there is no higher or more noble work or one that matters more both to God and to us human beings, than the cultivation and preservation of right Christian teaching. Where this is present, there God dwells with all His grace and it is not possible for things to turn out too badly. There one finds consolation, help, and joy, not as in the world, which lasts only for a time, but eternal consolation, eternal help, eternal joy. But where Christian teaching is either not present … or else is impure and falsified … even when there is no lack of temporal goods, what will ultimately follow is eternal misery, sorrow, and despair.” - Veit Dietrich (1506-1549), Preface to his Kinder-Postille (1546).

Course Objectives Our course will address fundamental issues in biblical interpretation and reflect on Creeds and Catechisms as summaries of and guides to “biblical theology.” It is devoted to the study of Lutheran confessional documents and examines closely the very idea of being “confessional,” which is central to historic . The course is focused on the core of the Christian message as articulated in Creed and Catechism and on the meaning of faithfulness to that core as we pursue the mission of the gospel. The Professor intends that in participating in this course, students will: 1. Understand the biblical notion of “confessing” Christ and be able to explain the rationale for public, corporate creedal and confessional statements in the church.

2. Recognize and identify the biblical theology evident in the course work.

3. Understand and be able to explain the foundational role of the apostles in and the interplay of Canon, Creed, and Catechism in preserving the apostolic legacy in the church.

4. Be able to articulate a Lutheran understanding of biblical, historical, systematic, and pastoral theology.

5. Understand the role of the Creeds in guiding the interpretation of the and the role of the Bible in filling out the creedal outline. Students will have brought this reflection to bear in exercises of theological interpretation of Scripture “according to the rule of faith.”

6. Acquire a basic historical and literary understanding of the three so-called “ecumenical creeds” and the Small and Large Catechisms of Martin Luther.

7. Be able to reflect on the way in which the Catechisms teach us to see the world and our own lives through the lens of the Creeds.

8. Be able to speak about the nature and exercise of doctrinal authority in the church and the role of the Creeds therein.

9. Show that they can discuss thoughtfully the bearing of the course material on the life of a congregation and the practice of ministry.

2

10. Be able to effectively communicate the Christian message to a diversity of people in order to advance the mission of God. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Reading and Online Participation. You will complete the full complement of required readings outlined in the syllabus. You will also be expected to make use of the approved supplementary readings in preparing your final paper (see paper requirements). Unless otherwise specified, weekly lectures will be recorded every Monday and should be available online in Edvance by Tuesday morning. You will be expected to listen to the lecture and to post questions and commentary informed by your readings no later than Thursday evening. The professor may elect to post additional material to guide the week’s discussion. Please ask questions for clarification throughout the continuing conversation as need arises. It is not your task to decide whether your questions and concerns are “worthy” of attention. You are to take responsibility for your learning and voice your questions and concerns so they can be addressed by the class. (10 points) 3. You will write three brief (500-1000 words) theological-exegetical discussions of assigned biblical texts, relating them to the Apostles’ Creed in a format that will be set forth in a further handout (with examples). This assignment will give you an opportunity to practice interpreting Scripture “according to the rule of faith” and will further serve the integration of your theological study with exegesis and preaching. (30 points total) Due February 20, March 27, and April 17. 4. You will write a midterm reflection paper (5-7 pages) on the relationship between Scripture and the Creeds. A reflection paper does not require research or reading outside the assignments in the course. It provides an opportunity to integrate and express in your own words the ideas and perspectives you have encountered in the course. (25 points) 5. You will write a final paper (10-12 pages) on the Creeds and the Catechisms as formative of the vision and imagination of the church and the believer. In this paper, you will compare Luther’s Catechisms with at least one other significant work relevant to the Creeds. The list provided contains both ancient and modern works, and provides the opportunity to take the topic in diverse directions. (35 points) NOTE: Written work must be submitted to me by email on the specified date. In grading written work I take into account not only theological comprehension and insight but also clarity and competence in writing. The Christian ministry is a ministry of the word, and the ability to use language clearly is therefore an extremely important issue in formation for ministry. I reserve the right to require that any written assignment be rewritten. Since rewriting in such cases is the alternative to a very low grade, this provision is to your benefit. Document Formatting and Citation Style Requirements: Completed papers should be typed and in correct form, footnoted where appropriate, with a bibliography of all sources used for the study. They should be submitted in either MS-Word or PDF format. (If you use a different word processor than MSWord, please convert the file to PDF before submitting it.) Assignments should be double-spaced with 1” margins on all sides of each page, and should be printed in Times New Roman 12 point type or another font of similar size and appearance. Citations should follow Turabian style: Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 8th edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013). GRADING

3

The point values indicated above total to 100. Final letter grades will be applied with cutoffs as follows: A 95, A- 90, B+ 87, B 83, B- 80, C+ 77, C 73, D+ 67, D 63, D- 60, F below 60. A grade of A+ will be given very rarely when the student’s work is truly exceptional. Again: In arriving at a final grade, reading and class participation will constitute 10%, the final paper will constitute 35%, the midterm paper will constitute 25%, and the exegetical papers will together constitute 30%. Late work: All late work will be penalized the equivalent of one letter grade per week beyond the due date, unless arrangements are made ahead of time. Extenuating circumstances will be considered as appropriate. Work turned in later than Dec. 23 will normally require that an extension be approved by the Seminary. If you anticipate a problem, contact me as soon as possible. TEXTBOOKS Required The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Edited by Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert. Augsburg-Fortress, 2000. ISBN: 0800627407. Irenaeus of Lyons, On the Apostolic Preaching. St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1997. ISBN-13: 978-0881411744. Robert W. Jenson, Canon and Creed. Westminster John Knox, 2010. ISBN-13: 978-0-664- 23054-8 Robert W. Jenson, A Large Catechism. American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, 1991. ISBN: 9780963314208 Carl Trueman, The Creedal Imperative. Crossways, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-1433521904. D. H. Williams, Tradition, Scripture, and Interpretation: A Sourcebook of the Ancient Church. Baker Academic, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0801031649. Timothy George (ed.), Evangelicals and the Nicene Faith: Reclaiming the Apostolic Witness. Baker Academic, 2011. ISBN-13: 978-0801039263. Christopher R. Seitz, Nicene Christianity: The Future for a New . Brazos, 2001. ISBN 1-58743-021-5. Recommended Charles P. Arand, That I May Be His Own: An Overview of Luther’s Catechisms. Concordia, 2000. ISBN-13: 978-0570042624. Jaroslav Pelikan, : Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the . Yale University Press, 2003. ISBN 13: 978-0-300-10974-0. [This is the most comprehensive recent study of the phenomenon of Christian creeds, and an excellent reference work.]

4

COURSE SCHEDULE September 15: Confessing the Faith in Holy Scripture Trueman, Creedal Imperative, 12-50 September 22: The Apostolic Legacy Williams, Tradition, 15-52 Trueman, Creedal Imperative, 51-80

• Recommended: Pelikan, The Creedal and Confessional Imperative, 35-63 September 29: Scripture and the Rule of Faith in the Early Church Jenson, Canon and Creed, 1-76 Williams, Tradition, 53-79, 163-183 Frank Thielman, The Road to Nicea: The New Testament (George, 34-44)

• Recommended: Pelikan, 123-157 October 6: Interpreting the Rule in the Early Church Irenaeus, On the Apostolic Preaching, 1-101.

• Recommended: Pelikan, 158-185 October 13: No Lecture Jenson, Canon and Creed, 79-121 First Exegetical Paper due October 15 October 20: The Rule of Faith and the Interpretation of Scripture Williams, Tradition, 119-147 Mark S. Gignilliat, “The Gospel Promised by the Prophets” (George, 20-33) October 27: Creeds, Councils, and After “The Three Ecumenical Creeds,” Book of Concord Williams, Tradition, 81-118 Trueman, Creedal Imperative, 81-133 Gerald R. Bray, “Whosoever Will Be Saved” (George, 45-60) November 2: Creeds, Confessions, and Authority in the Church Trueman, Creedal Imperative, 156-189 Seitz, 119-132

• Recommended: Pelikan, The Authority of Creeds and Confessions, 245-277

5

• Recommended: Arand, Introduction – Chapter 2

November 9: No Lecture The Small Catechism, Book of Concord Midterm Reflection Paper Due November 11 November 16: The Creed in the Context of Luther’s Catechisms The Large Catechism, Book of Concord, Preface – Part I (The Ten Commandments) Robert Jenson, A Large Catechism, 5-14

• Recommended: Arand, Chapters 3-5 November 24: Confessing God the Father Large Catechism, Part II, Book of Concord – Part II.1 (The First Article) Robert Jenson, A Large Catechism, 15-24, 33-42 Seitz, 19-34 Second Exegetical Paper due November 26 November 24: Confessing God the Son Large Catechism, Book of Concord – Part II.2 (The Second Article), III (The Lord’s Prayer) Robert Jenson, A Large Catechism, 24-27, 33-40 Seitz, 35-118 December 1: Confessing God the Holy Spirit Large Catechism, Book of Concord – Part II.3 (The Third Article), IV–V (Baptism and Holy Communion) Robert Jenson, A Large Catechism, 28-30, 43-62 Seitz, 149- 176 December 8: Creed, Catechism, and Christian Formation Williams, Tradition, 149-162 Trueman, Creedal Imperative, 135-158 Seitz, 177-188

• Recommended: Pelikan, 486-516 Third Exegetical Paper due December 10 Final Paper due December 23

6

Suggested Books for the Final Paper and Supplementary Reading Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline. Harper, 1959. ISBN-10: 006130056X Benedict XVI, Credo for Today: What Christians Believe. Ignatius, 2009. ISBN-10: 1586172476 Paul Claudel, I Believe in God: A Meditation on the Apostles’ Creed. Ignatius, 2002. ISBN-10: 0898708567. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures. [The 19th century translation is easily available but see the more recent translation in The Works of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, translated by Leo P. McCauley and Anthony A. Stephenson. CUA Press, 1969-1970. Two Volumes.]. Austin Farrer, Lord I Believe: Suggestions on Turning the Creed into Prayer. Cowley, 1989. ISBN-10: 0936384700 Thomas M. Finn, ed., Quodvultdeus of Carthage: The Creedal Homilies. Ancient Christian Writers. Paulist, 2004. ISBN-10: 0809105721 William Harmless, Augustine and the Catechumenate. Pueblo, 1995. ISBN: 0814661327 Maxwell Johnson, Praying and Believing in Early Christianity: The Interplay between Doctrine and Worship. Michael Glazier, 2014. ISBN-10: 0814682596. J. I. Packer and Gary A. Parrett, Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old-Fashioned Way. Baker, 2010. ISBN-10: 080106838X. Rufinus, Commentary on the Apostles’ Creed. Ancient Christian Writers. Paulist, 1978. ISBN-10: 0809102579.

7