Christology
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Spring Term 123            2 Credits
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing

Course Description:  
An introduction to the theology of the Church's doctrine about Jesus Christ in the light of Christian faith, practice, and worship. Special emphasis will be given to how the Church reflects systematically on the person, being, and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.

Outcome:   
Students will have a basic understanding of Jesus' life, mission, death and resurrection. Through critical analysis of the texts students will come to appreciate the historical development of Christological beliefs and creedal statements. Each person will develop their own Christological statement that relates to their personal and ministerial context.

Texts:   
     Required:  Who is Jesus?  An Introduction to Christology by Thomas Rausch
                          Consider Jesus, Waves of Renewal in Christology by Elizabeth Johnson
     Recommended - any copy of the Bible and Catechism

Assignments:   

  1. Images of Jesus   (25 points)
  2. How they got it wrong -- heterodoxies and heresies in Christology  3-4 pages (50 points)
  3. Soteriology - Images of Salvation (25 points)
  4. My Christology --8 pages (100 points)

Method:
Classes will be composed of both lecture and discussion.  It is important that readings be completed prior to class all may enter into class discussions.  Papers will call for both some light research and personal reflection.  

Grades 
A letter grade will be assigned based on the proportion of total number of points received in the following manner:

188 -200  = A                     154 - 159 = C+
180 -187 = A-                     146 - 153 = C
174 -179 = B+                    140 - 145 = C-
166 -173 = B                      130 - 139 = D+
160 -162 = B-                     120 - 129 = D
                          119 = F

Attendance:  
Since we only meet once a week, and participation in discussions is an integral part of the learning process, attendance is crucial. Since things do come up, you will be permitted one absence without penalty. Two absences will result in the final grade being dropped by ½ letter (e.g., from B to B-); three absences, a full letter grade reduction; and more than three absences will result in failure of the course.

Calendar 
 April
        8 - Introduction (Rausch 1-22, Johnson 1-17)
      15 - Jesus' humanity & background (Johnson 19-34, Rausch 23-60) Images of Jesus Paper due
       22 - Jesus' Ministry (Rausch 61-110, Johnson 49-65)
       29 - Early Christologies (Rausch 111-146, Johnson 35-47)    Heresey paper due

May
         6 - Christology and Counciliar Developments (Rausch 147-164)  
       13 - Jesus and Salvation (Rausch 165-202)   Images of Salvation Paper due
       20 - Contemporary Concerns (Johnson 67-96)  
       27 - No class (Memorial Day)

June
         3 - Contemporary Concerns (Johnson 97-128)
       10 - Savior of the World (Johnson 129-146)  Christology Project due
       17 - Review & Catch up

Links  Some links that may be helpful in our study

SJC Library Databases login page 
Easy Bib -- will format bibliographies in MLA format for free. 
Early Christian Writings - links to a number of the apocryphal texts that we discussed in class an in our texts
Jesus Seminar Forum - information on continuing efforts of the Jesus Seminar
"Q" source - a nice table that illustrates the Q source in Matthew and Luke
Early Christian Writings--Q Source - yet another page with more extensive links to information about "Q"
"The Gospel Source "Q"" -- The original article by Prof. Wellhausen describing the "Q" source (1910)
Gospel Parallels - the three synoptic Gospels or the three synoptic Gospels and John thanks to John Marshal at University of Toronto.
The Apocryphal Writings

Some Articles of Interest  

"St. Paul and Women: A Mixed Record" By Barbara Leonhard, O.S.F. St. Anthony Messenger (July 2006)
"What are theologians saying about Christology?  (America, Sept 17, 2007)
"Human and Divine:  Did Jesus have faith?"  (Commonweal, Jan. 31, 2008)  [through INSPIRE]
 

Page updated 04/15/2013 by
T. McFarland, C.PP.S.,  Professor of Religion
Saint Joseph's College.
Questions of comments about this page -- email timm@saintjoe.edu