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Home: / Academic Life / Academic Programs / Religion & Philosophy Program / Religion & Philosophy Courses
Many of your exams and your grades
will be in Educator at
Course Description and Objectives:
This course surveys the central theological questions in the history of Christian reflection. We will examine such basic questions as: What is theology? What is revelation? What does it mean to say scripture is authoritative? If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there evil? What does it mean to be created in God’s image? How is Jesus related to God? What is the Holy Spirit? What is the church? What are sacraments? Does God guide history to an ultimate end?
Asking such questions is sometimes challenging, even emotional, whether one is a person of faith or not. However, if we enter this course in the spirit of seeking Truth, we all have something to gain. In fact, the Bible says that the greatest commandment is to love God with all one’s heart, mind, and strength. If one is not a person of faith, asking questions to seek Truth should prove, at the very least, stimulating. In either case, for those of you who pray, I offer the following prayer, “For the Spirit of Truth,” to guide our journey in this course:
From the cowardice that dares not face new truth,
From the laziness that is contented with half truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Good Lord, deliver me. (United Methodist Hymnal #597)
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
identify and discuss the major theological questions listed above;
explain the meaning and significance of key theological concepts, including: revelation; Trinity; imago Dei (image of God); theodicy; Christology; justification; sanctification; vocation; ecclesiology; eschatology’
explain the differences between various types of theological movements such as natural theology, reformed theology, liberation theology.
Required Texts:
- Faith Seeking Understanding by Daniel Migliore
- Everyday Theology by Delwin Brown and Meridith Underwood, available at:
- http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=299
- Doubting Thomas by John B. Cobb, Jr., available at:
- http://www.religion-online.org/showbook.asp?title=1725
Requirements:
Students will turn in weekly e-mail journals of two or more paragraphs for a total of 12 journal entries for each week we are in class. These summaries must be turned in by Friday, noon, of each week or will be graded down 5 points for each day late. The journals should do two things: summarize what was covered that week and react or respond to what was covered (e.g., did this interest you or disturb you or give you a new insight or raise questions, etc.). Late e-mails will be penalized 5% for each day they are late (including weekends). Each e-mail journal entry is worth 1% of the final grade (for a total of 12%).
There will be an 6-8 page essay due near the end of the semester. The requirements for the paper can be found at http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/rph/rph130/Paperguide.htm . This paper is due noon, April 28. The paper is worth 18% of the final grade.
On-line quizzes. Students are required to take several on-line quizzes over readings prior to the class for which the reading is assigned. The quizzes are made up of short, objective questions (e.g., multiple choice and true/false) available on the college's new Course Management System (CMS) called Educator at http://online.lyon.edu . The quizzes will be timed and will expire prior to class. If a student does not take the quiz prior to its expiration time, she/he will receive a zero on the quiz, so it is important for students to check Educator each the day before every class to be sure that any new quiz has been taken.
Exams build upon previous material (on-line quizzes and exams), so in a sense each exam is cumulative. Unlike the quizzes, each exam can only be taken once. There will be an objective section to each exam and an essay section. The exams will also be on-line and will be timed and have an expiration time like the quizzes. There will be study guides posted on the course website for each exam. Exams will emphasize the material covered since the previous exams, but there may be questions from the previous exams and quizzes on the current exam.
Grades will be weighted as follows:
| E-mail Journals – | 12% |
| Term Essay – | 18% |
| On-line Quizzes – | 20% |
| Exam#1 – | 10% |
| Exam#2 – | 10% |
| Exam#3 – | 10% |
| Final Exam – | 20% |
Please note: Students seeking reasonable accommodations based on documented learning disabilities should contact the Office of Academic Services at 307-7332.
Course Outline. With the exception of the first week of the semester, students should read the assigned material by the Tuesday of the week it is assigned. [Note: this schedule is subject to revision and should be checked by students at least once a week.]
January 13-15
Read Everyday Theology by Delwin Brown and Meridith Underwood, available at:
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=299 and Chapter 1 of Migliore
January 20-22
[January 22 we will meet in the Library for a tour to help prepare for your paper]
January 27-29
Read Chapter 2 of Migliore.
On-line quiz over the readings above due by Jan.29 at noon. Go to https://online.lyon.edu and click on "Examinations" and find E-Quiz#2.
February 3-5
Read Chapter 3 of Migliore.
On-line quiz over the readings above due by Feb. 3 at noon. Go to https://online.lyon.edu and click on "Examinations" and find E-Quiz#3.
Exam #1 [click here for study guide] This exam will be found on-line at https://online.lyon.edu . The 75 minute exam must be taken by Feb. 8 at midnight. After that time, the exam will expire.
February 10-12
February 17-19
Read Chapter 5 of Migliore.
On-line quiz over the readings above due by Feb. 17 at noon. Go to https://online.lyon.edu and click on "Examinations" and find E-Quiz#5.
February 24
Discussion of Science and Religion
February 26-Mar. 3
Read Chapter 6 of Migliore.
On-line quiz over the readings above due by Feb. 26 at noon. Go to https://online.lyon.edu and click on "Examinations" and find E-Quiz#6.
Read Chapter 7 of Migliore (there will be no quiz on this material--the types of questions that would be on a quiz will be on the exam)
March 7-15 – Spring Break
Continue Chapter 7 of Migliore
Exam #2 [click
here for study guide]
Exam #3 [click
here for study guide]
April 9
Read Chapter 10 of Migliore
On-line quiz of one question due by April 10 at 11:59. Go to https://online.lyon.edu and click on "Examinations" and find E-Quiz#9.
April 14-16
Read Chapter 11 of Migliore
On-line quiz over the readings above due by April 14 at noon. Go to https://online.lyon.edu and click on "Examinations" and find E-Quiz#10.
April 21-23
Read Chapter 12 of Migliore
April 27-30
Presentation of Student Essays
Final Exam – TBA [click here for the study guide for the Final Exam]