Catalogue 2008 Book - Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary

THE THEOLOGICAL-HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT
ELLEN L. BABINSKY, WHITNEY S. BODMAN, JAMES S. CURRIE,
ISMAEL GARCÍA, WILLIAM N. A. GREENWAY, DAVID H. JENSEN,
TIMOTHY D. LINCOLN, CYNTHIA L. RIGBY
The courses in this department are designed to provide grounding in Christian theology,
history, and ethics.
The courses in theology emphasize basic issues in doctrines such as the Trinity, the
person and work of Jesus Christ, human nature, law and gospel, and the authority of
Scripture. These are considered through the thought of major theologians both past
and present. Ethics courses address both fundamental matters and specifi c topics and
thinkers. The courses encourage students to bring theological and ethical insights to bear
upon contemporary moral and cultural issues and to integrate responsibly the various
disciplines of seminary study.
Courses in the history of the church acquaint students with its diverse expressions
throughout the centuries and lead them to view the contemporary church against
this historical background. This approach provides perspective on the challenges and
opportunities that confront the church today. In addition, students investigate the
origins and development of their own denominations so that they can fulfi ll informed
and constructive roles in the lives of their churches.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
TH.100 INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY: APOSTOLIC ERA TO
1650
This course surveys the development of Christianity from the earliest communities established
by the apostles through the Reformation era. Attention is given to the critical turning points
for Christianity in relation to the state, the practice of worship and piety, and institutional
development. Six credits. Ms. Babinsky; Fall
TH.104 SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY I
The fi rst in a two-course sequence, this course provides an historical, systematic, and
constructive introduction to major themes and doctrines in the Christian tradition. It
concentrates on classical expressions of Christian theology, how these expressions have been
developed by some of the pivotal theologians of the church, and the ways in which this
heritage is being critically and constructively appropriated and reshaped in the life of the
church today. It aims to assist students in developing their capacities for theological analysis
and refl ection. Ordinarily, John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559) serves as a
basic text. Six credits. Ms. Rigby; Fall
TH.118 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF MODERN CHRISTIANITY: 1650 TO
THE PRESENT
This course analyzes developments in Christianity from the dawn of the modern era to the
present and explores issues such as Christianity and the Enlightenment, the emergence of the
modern states, political and industrial revolutions, as well as the emergence of missionary and
ecumenical movements. Particular attention is given to issues surrounding developments in
Christianity in the United States as students develop their own topics for in-depth historical
research. Six credits.
TH.200 INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN ETHICS
The goals of this course are to acquaint the student with the language and concepts of
philosophical and theological ethics, the main principles of ethics, and the models of ethical
refl ection. Students consider the way ethics is used in analyzing issues, and/or the way ethics
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