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Course Descriptions - Electives
Course Descriptions – Electives
OT book studies
An OT book or corpus will be offered to allow the student to engage more deeply with historical, theological, hermeneutical and pastoral issues of the specific book/section of the Old Testament that is in focus. This is designed to bring particular benefit to those preparing to teach and preach from these passages. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II; and Hebrew or Greek may be required]
Gospel of John
The course will look at the literary and theological aims of the Fourth Gospel and how John fulfils his stated purpose that ‘these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God’ (John 20:31) through his arrangement of the Gospel narrative, the use of symbolism and multi-layered language and the nuanced use of the Old Testament. We will also examine a main concern of John’s Gospel – on how spirituality is developed and sustained for believers through communion with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and living in community with one another in love. [Pre-requisites: New Testament I, II]
Romans
The course seeks to help students understand the contents of Paul’s letter to the Romans against their historical setting. This will involve primarily an exegetical study of the letter with an emphasis on working out the flow of Paul’s argument and relating it to the circumstances he might be facing. In connection with this, the important theological themes of the letter (especially the Pauline understanding of the law) and the pertinent modern scholarly debates surrounding the letter will also be discussed. [Pre-requisites: New Testament I, II]
Revelation
The course will explore the message of the book against its overarching narrative and the historical circumstances which brought about its writing. Issues of genre and interpretative approach will be dealt with, together with the delineating of its theological themes. One major concern of this course would be to study the use of OT texts, motifs and symbolism in the presentation of what may be called the climax of biblical prophecy. [Pre-requisites: New Testament I, II]
Women in the Bible
This course introduces the student to how women are depicted in biblical tradition. It involves careful reading of narratives about women, using historical and literary criticisms. The course compares different reading strategies and aims to understand the message of the text with respect to God, church, and society, especially with respect to the reader’s own cultural location. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II; and Introduction to Biblical Interpretation]
Christology
This course will examine the different assessments of the significance of Jesus Christ in Scripture and the history of Christian tradition. Building on the various portraits of Christ in the New Testament, the course seeks to probe the theological and historical impetus for the rise of Christology and trace its development to the Council of Chalcedon and beyond. Contributions of key thinkers to Christological formulation in modern theology will be explored, with special attention on the logic of the incarnation and the question of truth in the face of religious pluralism. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Contemporary Pneumatology
The course will examine some of the current issues in Pneumatology generated by the charismatic renewal, such as Spirit-baptism, prophecy, tongues, healing etc. It will seek to respond biblically and theologically to the various pneumatological beliefs and practices in the contemporary church. It will offer an appreciation of the positive contributions and a critique of Pentecostal-charismatic spirituality. The study will be undertaken within the larger context of the Bible, Church history and some major contemporary discussions of Pneumatology by non-charismatics. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Eschatology
The course will examine, from the standpoint of Scripture and tradition the theology of death, the doctrine of heaven and hell, the concept of purgatory and the ways the millennium has been understood. Key thinkers such as Barth, Moltmann and Pannenberg will be featured. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Reading the Church Fathers
This course introduces students to the key contributions the Church Fathers made to the development and growth of the Christian Church. It emphasises engagement with the primary texts, which will be read in accordance with their historical, political and social contexts. Knowledge of original languages is not required. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Reformation Theology: Its Origins, Scope and Development
This course surveys the history of Christian thought prior to, during and after the Reformation, in order to better understand the origins, scope and development of this momentous event in the history of the Church. It begins by looking at the trajectories of thought in the Middle Ages and Renaissance humanism which facilitated the dawn of Luther’s protest against the Church. It then studies the theologies of the significant magisterial, radical and Catholic reformers. It concludes with a review of post-Reformation developments like the rise of Protestant Orthodoxy and the Pietist movement. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Contemporary Theology and Its Challenges
This course surveys the history of Christian thought from the Enlightenment to our present day. It does so in a broadly chronological fashion, focusing on the theologies of the major figures and events of this period. It begins by looking at the massive changes to the theological landscape wrought by the advent of the Age of Reason. It then traces the various attempts to accommodate Christianity to this Age, culminating in the height of liberal Protestantism. It moves on to analyse the reactions of various movements to this development e.g. neo-orthodox, fundamentalist and evangelical. It also considers developments in Roman Catholic theology (like Vatican II) and contemporary movements like post-liberal theology. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Third World Theologies
This course will look at the nature and development of contextual theologies in the non-Western world. Common motifs and important works by third world theologians will be examined. Special attention, however, will be given to the East Asian context. We will attempt to formulate guidelines and methodologies for constructing a contextualised Christian theology, seeking on the one hand to be faithful to the word of God, and on the other hand to take seriously the complexity of the modern world. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Foundations of Youth Ministry
This course explores the unique nature of young people, and places youth ministry within the context of ministry in general. The course provides grounding in the theology of youth ministry, studies in the formative needs of adolescents, contextual missiology, staff development, multiple-staff opportunities and responsibilities, resource development and selection, and coordinating a multidimensional youth development ministry within the context of an all-age ministry. [Pre-requisites: Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Rethinking Youth Ministry
This course will help students rethink, research, and reframe their understanding and practices for ministry with youth. Students will use practical theology method to reflect on the nature, purpose, and practice of youth ministry. Classes and coursework will focus on reflection on praxis, in conversation with theological and theoretical frameworks, for youth ministry. These frameworks include theology, history, psychology, spirituality, education, leadership, and organizational theories. Participants will learn to engage with social science data and use basic ethnography to research and re-examine youth and practices of youth ministry in their own contexts. [prior exposure to the 1st year courses or previous theological education would be helpful]
Practical Christian Leadership
This course explores the practice of leadership in the context of Christian ministry and community. Students will be introduced to several theological and theoretical frameworks for leadership. This class will help students make sense of the bewildering spectrum of leadership concepts and practices both marketed in general leadership literature and scholarship and asserted in specifically Christian literature and scholarship. This course will enable students to evaluate existing models, theories, practices, and methods, and critically reflect on and shape leadership praxis in their own contexts.
Pastoral Care in Times of Crisis
Pastors frequently encounter people who are affected by crisis experiences including traumatic incidents that can have severe impact on their lives. This course will provide an introduction to crisis theory, traumatic incidents, including post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) for understanding the consequence and impact of crisis experiences on people, their next-of-kin and the church community. Experiences of dilemmas of faith, loss and grief following a crisis or traumatic incident will be examined for developing pastoral ministry to those affected. This will be explored from a comprehensive approach, integrating psychological and theological understanding of crisis affecting lives of believers. [Pre-requisites: Pastoral Care; Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
Cultural Anthropology
This course deals with the challenges and skills of cross-cultural communication and investigates the processes of encounter, adaptation, identification and communication. The course aims to provide an introduction to methods of culture learning and understanding, and the anthropological and linguistic tools for new language acquisition as an adult learner. [Pre-requisites: Mission and Evangelism; Old Testament I, II and New Testament I, II; Church History I, II and Theology I, II]
History of Christian Mission
A song that we sang (in schools and in national service) asks “everywhere we go, people want to know – Who we are? Where we come from?” These questions help us better understand and appreciate that which distinguishes us as a people called to participate in the mission of God. A clearer understanding also helps us deal with issues of the present and possible challenges of the future in the light of our knowledge of the past. This course surveys the expansion of the Christian movement at different geographical regions at different times. It will highlight the significant events in the emergence and transmission of the Christian faith across geographical, linguistic, ethnic and cultural boundaries. The survey will give attention to the emerging factors and themes contributing to advance or decline at key historical junctures. It will also seek to assess the present state of Christianity that may point to the future development and direction of Christian mission.
The First Missionary Journey of Paul: Studies in Context and Theology
This course examines the data from Paul’s letters and the Acts of the Apostles for a critical understanding of what came to be known as Paul’s first missionary journey by setting these data against their Sitze im Leben. Students will be familiarised with the archaeology, hodology and history of the cities that are connected with this journey, and the scholarly discussions that are thereby generated. This course will be especially relevant for those who aspire to lead bible tours to Turkey and Greece.
The Second Missionary Journey of Paul: Studies in Context and Theology
This course is a follow-on from an earlier course, which covered the first missionary journey of Paul. Similar to the earlier course, the present course examines the data from Paul’s letters and the Acts of the Apostles and set them against their Sitze im Leben in order to develop a holistic perspective on this critical phase of Paul’s work. Students will be familiarised with the archaeology, hodology and history of the cities that are connected with this journey, and the scholarly discussions that are thereby generated. This course will be especially relevant for those who aspire to lead bible tours to Turkey and Greece.
Biblical Intertextuality
As much as the New Testament is written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it is nonetheless indebted to its literary, historical and cultural precursors. In other words, it is not written in a vacuum (ex nihilo), but has connections to prior cultural, theological and literary contexts. Some scholars estimate that at least 10% of the New Testament is derived from the Old Testament, in the form of direct as well as indirect references. A careful study of this literary connection, in fact, would show that the importance of the Old Testament in the NT writings goes way beyond what this statistic would seem to suggest, prima facie. The relationship is often richer and far more complex than meets the eye.
Intertextuality is the study of relationship between texts. This course is an introduction to the study of the relationship between the OT and the NT writings as well as connections to the writings of the Second Temple period. It will explore the different dimensions of that relationship, and show how, by looking at these different angles, the semantic potential of a text can be more fully appreciated. We will also consider the perspective of the NT writers, in relation the prior revelation of God in Scripture. This has profound implications for those who are reading and expounding the word of God in the church today.[Prerequisite: NT2/OT2 and NT Greek II/OT Hebrew II]
Missions in East Asia (Korea & Japan)
This course surveys the mission history of Japan and Korea, from the early arrival of the Roman Catholic missionaries, the Orthodox missionary monks (in Japan) and the later arrival of the Protestant missionaries in the modern period. It aims to acquaint the students with the East Asian context in clarifying the reasons for the decline/development of Christianity in Japan and Korea. Special attention will be given to the development of Kakure Kirishitan, the revivals in Korea, the development of Minjung theology in Korea as well as the Mukyōkaishugi in Japan. The course seeks to draw relevant lessons from history, to assist in exploring the opportunities and evaluating contemporary challenges in engaging and ministering to the people of the lands of the morning calm and the rising sun.
Missions in Southeast Asia (Continental)
Southeast Asia is perhaps one of the most religiously diverse areas in the world. The challenges to mission in this part of the world are hence unique as well as urgent, in view of the increased global attention. This first part of a two-part course outlines the mission history of the various countries located in the continental part of Southeast Asia, namely the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. In understanding the history of the advent of Christian mission, we may perhaps be better informed and equipped to navigate the pluralistic (cultural, political, and religious) contexts in this part of the world.
The Imprecatory Psalms
This course will examine the theological basis for the imprecatory psalms, especially in view of the ethics of forgiveness. Some imprecatory psalms will be studied based on form, poetic analysis, and Old Testament theology. Students will also learn how to use the imprecatory psalms for counselling and preaching. [Pre-requisite: OT2 | OT Theology will be an advantage.]
Christianity and Modern Thought
This course will explore the nature and plausibility of the Christian theological worldview in critical dialogue with competing ideas and worldviews within our (post)modern and pluralistic context. It seeks (i) to introduce the concept of worldview and articulate the substance of the Christian worldview against the backdrop of a Christian approach to philosophy; (ii) to understand the factors leading up to our present modern/postmodern age; (iii) to dissect some key contemporary philosophical ideas and assumptions, particularly in terms of their ramifications for both society and Christian witness; (iv) to provide handles on thinking theologically about these ideas en route (v) to commending the rationality of the Christian worldview over against ideological strongholds that are inimical to the divine design for human life; and finally, (vi) to map a way forward for Christian cultural engagement. [Pre-requisite: completed all Year 1 courses]
Theology After the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment, or Age of Reason, has had an immense impact on Christian theology. This course traces this impact from the immediate aftermath of the Enlightenment up to the present day. It seeks to examine the major theological thinkers and movements of the modern period according to a rough chronological order: Beginning with the Deism of the 17th century and finishing with the post-liberal movement in theology in our present time. [Prerequisite: Theology 1 & 2, and History of Global Christianity 1 & 2]
Mission in the Age of Globalization
This course examines the trends and currents which are shaping emerging global culture and explores the challenges and opportunities these provide for authentic Christian witness. Various developments in economics, science and technology as well as popular culture are examined for their worldview implications and impact on Christian mission
Renewal and Revival Movements
This course provides an overview the recurring phenomenon of renewal and revival in the history of the church as a vital aspect of a biblical and contemporary ecclesiology. It will look at various renewal/revival movements in the history of the church, with particular emphasis on renewal/revival movements in the Asian context.
Congregational Life & Leadership: Theological Models & Practices
The identity and practices of the church should inform and shape Christian leadership. This course explores several theological models or ways of viewing the church and congregational life in conversation with a biblical construction of Christian leadership. Students will consider models and practices of congregational life as communities of hospitality, discipleship, worship, learning, and mission. This course will investigate the Christian congregation as a contrast society in how life and leadership is shared, the anthropological challenge of production and phygital realities in a digital age and hyperconnected world, and also Asian theological perspectives. Students will engage in constructing a biblical theology of Christian leadership that is attentive to models and practices of congregational life.
Christian Social Concern
Christians have long been concerned with the welfare of others in society. Much of this stems from the Biblical commandment to love God and to love our neighbours. Over the course of the Church’s history, this concern has expressed itself from providing simple meals to the needy to big social services agencies. This course hopes to explore this impulse of Christian social concern. We will look briefly at the biblical basis for this concern and some landmark historical expressions of it. The main component of this course will then study the relevant principles or themes such as the dignity of the human person, common humanity, social order, etc.
Faithful Citizenship: Church, State and Society
Does Christ have anything to do with Caesar? Should our faith and flag mix? Questions regarding the relationship between the Church and the state have been around for a long time. Yet, these questions seek fresh reflections and answers whenever they encounter new contexts. This has given rise to a variety of answer to the question of Church and state relationship. This course seeks to explore these answers, that is, the various Christian theological approaches to the state and civil society. Attention will be given to Scriptural, historical, and contemporary perspectives. This includes the Biblical approach to the state, early and classical ideas of it, the Reformation, and early modern disputes. Some modern issues will also be discussed, including secularism, religious pluralism, and the role of public reason. While Western ideas are inevitably discussed in the historical component of this course, due emphasis will be given to the Asian context we are in, and especially Singapore.
Developing a Rule of Life
Without a holistic rule of life, any, and everything else seeks to rule us in life.
But many have unfortunately coupled rule with negative connotations—linking them with prohibitions and expectations that robs us of life.
On the contrary, ‘a rule of life allows us to clarify our deepest values, our most important relationships, our most authentic hopes and dreams, our most meaningful work, [and] our highest priorities. It allows us to live with intention and purpose in the present moment.’ (Macchia, Crafting, 14).
Significantly, a ‘personal rule of life is a holistic description of the Spirit-empowered rhythms and relationships that create, redeem, sustain, and transform the life God invites you to humbly fulfil for Christ’s glory.’ (Macchia, Crafting, 14).
This course serves to help you to develop such a rule of life—one that is centered in the triune God, his community, and his mission. It will retrieve biblical, historical, ecclesial, and personal dimensions for the development of a rule.
Christian Sexual Ethics
Sexual mores have been contested since the earliest days of the nascent Christian movement. The same is true today, where Christian sexual morality is routinely characterised, both within and without, as cruel, hateful and even immoral. This course seeks to examine human sexuality from the broad perspective of Christian tradition. Through an investigation of core principles and teachings about human sexuality and related issues such as bodily life, marriage, family life, celibacy, contraception, biomedical issues, gender and sexual desire, we seek to elucidate a positive answer to the question: does creedal orthodoxy still require traditional sexual ethics?