Online Courses for the 2012 Summer Session

This introductory course examines how the early to mid-nineteenth-century Transcendentalist movement in the United States influenced contemporary religious, social, and literary thought through the lives and writings of prominent New England literati such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller. As well, to better understand the origins of the American Transcendentalist movement we will survey Transcendentalist thought in late eighteenth-century and early nineteenth-century England, Germany, and France. Two short research summaries submitted online (40%), participation (20%), final exam submitted online (40%).

This online course provides an introduction to the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible and its three main canonical divisions with an emphasis on theological interpretation. Students will be familiarized with the biblical books and their historical context. The course also explores the history of biblical interpretation with an application to Old Testament texts. Lectures, readings, online participation, written assignments, final paper.

This introductory course surveys the history of atheism and secularization from the mid-eighteenth-century Western European Enlightenment to the present. We will not only read selections from some of the most important English, Scottish, German, and American atheists, agnostics, and rationalists of the period, but also examine and discuss how contemporary political and social thought contributed to the rise of secular thought and gradual decline in theological orthodoxy. The course will demonstrate how the writings of atheists and theological rationalists have always been predicated on significant intellectual and emotional tensions between orthodox Christianity and contemporary culture. Participation, research summary, book report, online final exam.

An introduction to the major theological interests of Reform movements in the pre-modern and Reformation-era Church, covering the figures of Francis, Wycliffe, Tyndale, Latimer, Luther, Calvin, Trent, Radical Reformers, and Hooker. This is a course that focuses on theology, not church history, but will seek to identify formative strands of thinking about the Gospel and the work of Christ among these Christian thinkers as they sought to re-shape the witness of the Church in their time.  The nature of ecclesial “re-formation” will be a sub-theme of the course. Online lectures and discussions. Evaluation: participation in online discussions (70%), two synthesis papers (30%).

Is it legitimate to use technology to communicate the gospel? Explores the function and use of the tools of technology in the varied ministry of the church. Asks critical questions about technology and its use. In the context of addressing issues such as virtual community, media arts and worship, internet-based ministry, Christian education and youth ministry, and spirituality online, the course seeks to equip students with skills in this new area of ministry. Discussion forums, online projects, reflections paper.