Cultural changes are impacting teens and young adults. Individual identity and mutual respect are caught in cultural cross-fire. Trust in traditional institutions is eroding. Teens today spend 4-8 hours a day on social media. Teen mental health concerns have become top priority. How does “theology” matter for the current needs of teens and young adults? Theology is literally “knowledge of God”. Theology’s most essential purpose is to help thinking believers coherently understand and beneficially interact with God, one another, and their world. For example, when Job was suffering, his friends brought him bad theology which he countered with his own theological misconceptions — and Job was not settled (or healed) until he listened to God to gain real understanding. This advanced study and discussion course is for students who want to consider our “knowledge of God” and His Word in a wider biblical, historical, and cultural context. Topics include Creation and God’s Image (individual worth); historical development of Christian theology, creeds, and confessions; evil, sin, suffering, and trauma; fellowship relationships with God and man; biblical considerations for law and politics; Christianity and other religions; and more. In all discussions, the Bible will be held as true and authoritative in its original form, with emphasis on understanding the biblical author’s intended meaning as it would have been understood by its primary audience in original context. Students will consider in historical and contemporary context what the Bible has to say about our interactions with God, one another, and our world, with the hope that the Word of God will be their authority, security, identity, redemption, and passion.
Theology - Biblical, Historical, Practical
Description
Prerequisites
Notes and Conditions
Study and Discussion Format: For the purpose of keeping focus on the Word of God, there is no textbook for the course except the Bible. Students will be provided a short set of Bible passages and broad discussion questions to prepare for each class. The passages will require independent study and external research of the passages (i.e., not just reading) and the discussion questions will be open-ended requiring original thought (i.e., not just lookup answers). Participation in each class will be mandatory on microphone (cameras optional) for every student. Students seeking a foundational Bible Survey or Apologetics course are encouraged to take the excellent TPS courses that cover those subjects before or instead of this course.
Creeds, Confessions, and Mutual Respect: The course content adheres to traditional Christian creedal beliefs (Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed) and does not favor any specific confessional (denominational) view. When it is instructive to consider distinctions, differing Trinitarian Christian denominational views will be considered with equal academic regard. In all matters, individuals present or absent who hold differing views will be treated with kindness and respect.
