IF 550 – Theology and Theological Language

This course is the prerequisite for all other theology courses.  In this course students will be introduced to the basic vocabulary, concepts, paradigms and figures central to studying and practicing theology.

Prerequisite:  None
Credit: 1.0
Instructor: Dr. Emily Askew

IF 552 – Theology of Sermons

Theology is essential for effective preaching. This is the case because the heart of every sermon is and should be a claim about the nature of God.  This theological claim has implications for how we live in community, with ourselves, our congregations, society and Earth itself.  In this course, students will learn how to identify theological claims in a sermon and make theological claims from a biblical text that can be used for the purposes of proclamation.

Prerequisite:  IF 550 and LW 550
Credit: 0.5
Instructor: Dr. Emily Askew & Dr. Leah Schade

IF 553 – Made in the Image of God:  Theological Anthropology 

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit:  1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 554 – The Nature of God:  Theology

In this course we will be considering traditional and contemporary understandings of the nature and work of God.  We will look at ideas about creation and providence, God’s dual nature as both immanent and transcendent, theodicy and the nature of God as Trinity.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor: Dr. Emily Askew

IF 555 – “One Bread, One Body”: Theology of the Church

In this course we will pay attention to the curious institution that is the church.  Most of the time we take church for granted, but when we think about its call, to be both relevant and prophetic, to be grounded in the world with eyes toward the Kingdom of God, it looks not only odd, but maybe impossible.  Yet, this is the community Christ called, so we continue to do the best we can in faith that our work will be made right by God. To think about the church, we will study the ways theologians have dealt with difficult questions of how to “be” church and we will apply those theological glimmers to a focused study of our own congregations.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Christopher Rodkey

IF 556 – Who Do You Say That I Am: Christology 

This course combines two separate but closely related theological doctrines: the study of Christ (his two natures, his works, his death, his place in the Trinity) with a study of salvation, how Christ’s death brings atonement, who is saved and the nature of heaven and hell.

Prerequisite: IF 550 + two additional IF credits
Credit:  1.0 (Offered during On-Campus Intensives)
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 557 – Theology and Pastoral Care:  Discussing Suffering and Hope

There is no easy answer to the question “Why?” when a child dies, or a house burns or cancer is diagnosed.  As preachers, teachers and care-givers, it is our responsibility to learn when and how to respond and when and how to stay silent.  In this course we will think about God’s role in suffering and in hope.  We will think about ways that we can help people (including ourselves) reflect on struggle and on the cultivation of hope.  We will by-pass any answers that only serve to make us, the care-givers, feel better and focus instead on the deep theological resource that can be brought to bear as we negotiate life.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit:  1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Wilson Dickinson

IF 558 – God Save Us:  Soteriology

The doctrine of Soteriology (salvation) integrally depends on the doctrines of Christology, Creation, Theological Anthropology, Theology, Eschatology and Ecclesiology in order to have any meaning all.  If you think about it, figuring out what it means to be saved means we have to ask these questions: “From what must we be saved?” By what mechanisms does salvation occur?” and “To what will we be saved?” The theological shortcut for these questions looks like this, “From what/through which/To what?”  It is this formula that will guide our time together, as we work together on one of the most difficult questions professional theologians, and lay theologians alike wrestle with which is: “What happened on the cross?”

Prerequisite: IF 550 + two additional IF credits
Credit:  1.0 (Offered during On-Campus Intensives)
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 560 – Living the Catholic Experience:  Sacraments I

The Sacraments sit at the center of Roman Catholic life and liturgical practice. Instituted by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Church, the Sacraments constitute an array of visible signs of an invisible grace by which God draws the Church and its members into God’s life, and empowers God’s people to carry out the Church’s mission in the world. Catholics recognize the existence of seven Sacraments: the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist), the Sacraments of Healing (Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick), and the Sacraments of Service (Marriage and Holy Orders). This course treats Catholic sacramentology in general and the Sacraments of Initiation in particular.

Prerequisite: IF 550
Credit:  1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Michael Grigoni

IF 570 – The Church and Homosexuality 

According to Rev. Cynthia Breen, “Sexuality is simply too important, too beautiful and too potentially dangerous to be ignored in a religious community.” (Gibb, 1999) At no time has this sentiment been more accurate than it is today.  Families, churches and denominations have split over issues related to homosexuality and the will of God.  It is imperative that in order to address the divides that presently exist and help to heal all those who live in pain because of these divides, that those who lead the church must become literate about all aspects of the conversation.  This is what we will do in this course.  You will leave this course supplied with information to help lead your congregations in dialogue around issues related to the church and homosexuality.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit:  1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 571 – African-American/Womanist Theology 

In this course we will examine the rise and present state of African-American theology from James Cone to Jeremiah Wright. We will also look at the theologies developed by African Americans (called ‘womanist’ theology) which black women forged in response to what they have called their “triple oppression”: being female, being black and being poor.  Neither the theologies of black men (African American theology) nor white women (feminist theology) directly addressed the blessings and burdens of being a black woman in dominantly white culture.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit:  0.5
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 572 – Special Topics in Theological Anthropology: Disabilities

In this course we will think about what it means to be made in the image of God through the lens of people with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit:  0.5
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 573 – Introduction to the Theology of Paul Tillich 

This course is an introduction to the ideas of the Christian philosopher and theologian Paul Tillich. Emphases for this introduction will be focused upon being comfortable with the theological language of Tillich’s writings and contextualizing his ideas into ministerial contexts.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Christopher Rodkey

IF 574 – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This course is an introduction to the ideas of the Christian theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Emphases for this introduction will be focused upon Bonhoeffer’s biography, Christology, Ecclesiology, Ethics, and controversial final writings. Students will contextualize these ideas in and for their own ministerial locations and identities.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Christopher Rodkey

IF 575 – H. Richard Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture

An intensive study of H. Richard Niebuhr’s enduring classic, Christ & Culture

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 0.5
Instructor:  Faculty

IF 576 – Contemporary Atheisms

This course is an introduction to the contemporary philosophical and theological issue of disbelief in God. Among subjects to be discussed are classical arguments for and against God; “God” and metaphysical models of the divine; the “New Atheism” movement; radical Christian responses to contemporary atheism; and practical application of these ideas for the purpose of missional leadership and evangelism in the local church.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Christopher Rodkey

IF 577 – Narrative Theology

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the significance and different uses of narrative theology.  The study of narrative theology is important for a number of reasons: one, there is a narrative quality to human temporality and space, including the Christian life, which demands our attention, study, and even practice; secondly, narrative is one of the chief genres of the Scripture and, therefore, warrants study; and three, it is a generative category in literary expressions, meaning that it is not only a label which we use to identify a type of literary genre but also a mode of literary production with particular outcomes.  Such rationales and others inform the course design oriented according the following topics: the logic of narrative theology, narrative Christology, and the use of narrative in political participation and the call to personhood.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Daniel Shin

IF 578 – Sallie McFague’s Environmental Theology

In this course we will closely consider the origins of theologian Sallie McFague’s environmental work by reading from her groundbreaking work The Body of God: An Ecological Theology.

Prerequisite:
Credit: 0.5
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 579 – Reinhold Niebuhr

This course is an introduction to the ideas of the Christian pastor, theologian, and political theorist Reinhold Niebuhr. Students will directly and substantively engage primary texts and learn the political and religious contexts of Reinhold Niebuhr as a major figure of Christian thought whose influence is evident within and beyond the church today. Students in this course will employ Neibuhr’s ideas and style in practical ministerial applications, such as sermons or religious education programs. Finally, course participants will reflect upon the idea of “public theology” within our own contexts of the 21^st century.

Prerequisite:
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Christopher Rodkey

IF 582 – Augustine

This course is an introduction to Augustine’s theology.   Augustine is one of the greatest theologians of the church and continues to exert influence on Christian thought and on the life of the church in a variety of ways, including the doctrines on the triune God, the human condition, the church and its sacraments, and social ethics.   During the course, we will focus on his theological method, overall theological project in relation to Neoplatonism, thoughts on grace and human will (theological anthropology) set forth during the Pelagian controversy, and homilies on love and life together (ecclesiology) preached against the Donatists.   Through readings, discussions, and lectures, we will critically and constructively examine the relevance of his work for our own theological reflection, ministry, and Christian life.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor: Faculty

IF 583 – Introduction to Process Theology

How does God act in the world? Process theology is a worldview that matches our intuitive sense of an interconnected universe with the view of a dynamic and relational God. What happens to preaching, prayer, and pastoral care when we say that God as co-creator is present in every moment of our lives? This course explores the basic ideas of process theology, some of its key figures, and practical applications to ministry.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 0.5
Instructor: Faculty

IF 584 – Food and Faith

This class explores the interaction between contemporary food systems and Christian theology. Food will serve as a lens for seeing these theological traditions in an everyday, incarnational, and contemporary light. We will grapple with issues like hunger, agribusiness, community gardens, global and local economies from the perspective of Christian wisdom. This will allow us to reflect on the role of food in worship, church meals, and service, and as an avenue to help parishioners reflect on their moral lives.

Prerequisite:
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Wilson Dickinson

IF 587 – Theology and Domestic Violence

Think about this: if 1 out of every 3 women in your church and 1 out of every 4 men had cancer, what would the church’s response be? Now think about the fact that these statistics represent the number of women and men who live in relationships characterized by domestic violence, yet the church has been largely silent on this issue. Pastors are not trained in seminary to deal with the issues surrounding domestic violence so they simply don’t speak about it from the pulpit.  More often, we are tempted to keep our hands off other peoples’ relationships and marriages because they are ‘private,’ but domestic violence is an epidemic that thrives in silence.  The less we name it, the more it festers and too often kills.  In this course I will teach you how to break this silence and let the church be a place of honesty and healing for men and women living with domestic violence.  You will learn how Scripture and theology have been misused to keep people in abusive relationships and how it can be revisioned to help people make difficult decisions about how to deal with abuse.  We will ask hard questions about the concepts of covenant, forgiveness, grace and love.  You will learn the varieties of ways domestic violence is legally interpreted, beyond getting physically beaten. You will learn about the cycle of abuse that keeps men and women going back into abusive relationships.  You will learn about the effects of the opioid epidemic on domestic violence cases and learn to help parents who are being abused by opioid addicted adult children.  You will learn how you can help the perpetrators of domestic violence who are also your congregants.

It is my hope that by the end of the course you will feel like you have some theological, biblical and community resources with which to begin to address domestic violence in your congregations.

Prerequisite:
Credit: 0.5
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 588 – Jesus and Environmental Justice:  Christology from Below

The life and ministry of Jesus Christ mark a path of radical transformation and social change, leading us to the kingdom of God and a new creation. The Gospels tell us of the ways of a subversive teacher, prophet, messiah, and community organizer. In our times of ecological crisis and intensifying injustice, the practices of Jesus have a new and pressing relevance. This course explores the ways Jesus cultivated grassroots power through renewing convental life, teaching through parables, and transforming communities. We will consider how such efforts might be incarnated in contemporary church and social practice. While both Christology and environmental efforts often begin from above, focusing on cosmic perspectives and hierarchical power, this course will begin from below to consider how the life and ministry of Christ might shape the work of love and justice today.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Wilson Dickinson

IF 589 – Mystical Theology:  The Mystery of God and Luminous Life

Mystical Theology names a set of traditions, practices, and ways of life that integrate thinking about God, spiritual formation, and everyday discipleship. This course stages a series of conversations between mystics of the past and contemporary theologians. These dialogues across the centuries will help students think more deeply about the relationships between language, spirituality, and God, and the formative and imaginative poetry of theology and prayer. Along the way we will wrestle with the mystic traditions of darkness and theophany, divine names, love and divine union, the imitation of Christ, and letting go alongside practices of holy reading and contemplation. The mystic path leads us to a clearing where the mystery of God opens the possibility of luminous life.

Prerequisite:  IF 550
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Wilson Dickinson

IF 590 – IF Competency Exercise

*Please refer to section 7.1.6-7.1.8 of the Student Handbook*

Prerequisite:  Completion of all other IF 500 level work
Credit: 1.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 670 – Environmental Theology

In her 1993 constructive theological offering, The Body of God, environmental theologian Sallie McFague asks us to imagine how we would treat the earth differently if we understood it to be God’s body.  Now, in the face of potentially devastating global climate change, threats to sensitive ecosystems and challenges to the purity of air and water we will leave for our children, churches are acting more intentionally to care for this Sacred Body.

In this course, students will read offerings from scientists, Christian ethicists, environmental theologians and Christian environmental activists that make evident our responsibilities to the earth in the name of God. From these, students will not only leave the course with theological tools to address environmental issues, but with plans for helping their churches and agencies begin to create necessary changes.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one Competency Exercise and a minimum of 60% of IF 500 level work
Credit: 2.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 671 – Gods and Monsters

Religion and horror are inextricable bound. Monsters populate the sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity as well as run rampant in popular culture. In this course we will first consider WHY religion needs monsters. What role do monsters play in religious texts? To help answer this question we will look at Leviathan, Behemoth, Tiamat along with the Whore of Babylon and the beast with the seven heads. Then we will turn our attention to monsters in popular culture. What are the religious aspects of characters like Dracula and Frankenstein? Finally we will consider the complicated history of vampires and Christianity, the rise and fall of the power of the Cross in defeating evil and death.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one Competency Exercise and a minimum of 60% of IF 500 level work
Credit: 2.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 672 – Theology of the Border: US and Mexico

Please join me as we explore what immigration means first hand when we spend seven days on the US/Mexico border at Tucson/Nogales. On this intensive trip you will hear the stories of migration from those who are in the process of crossing or have been deported back, listen to faithful leaders discuss their work with migrants on both sides of the border, walk dirt migrant trails winding through dangerous desert vegetation , experience mass deportation hearings in Federal Court, interview public defenders, dance with migrant children, experience the bitter cold of the desert in winter, sleep on cement floors in migrant shelters, and push yourself emotionally, physically and spiritually in ways you never thought possible. In short you will experience for yourself the complex and painful story of what some refer to as our national wound, the US/Mexico border.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one Competency Exercise and a minimum of 60% of IF 500 level work
Credit: 2.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 673 – Theology and Disabilities

In this course we will work together to think theologically and to read the Bible through the lenses of people with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities. To do this, we will read first person accounts, contemporary theology, US history and the Bible all with an eye toward becoming a more inclusive and accessible ecclesial community.  It is my hope that through your work in this course you are moved to greater activism beyond the church environs and into the community and perhaps the world.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one Competency Exercise and a minimum of 60% of IF 500 level work
Credit: 2.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 674 – Queer Theology

“Adopting and embracing the word ‘queer’ amounts to an act of defiance and, just as significantly, an act of hope. Queer resists and defies the many cultural and political forces Western society deploys to define the normal and expected.”[1]  In this course, we will consider how the term “queer,” as defined here by Jay Emerson Johnson, applies to all Christians, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, who wish to reclaim the countercultural, disruptive faith of Jesus Christ.  Together we will look at the history of the word “queer” in the lives of LGBTQIA people and explore how it has come to be used, in recent constructive theologies, to open up the “peculiar” light of God.[2]  Along the way we will challenge the ways that Western culture has attempted to limit our expressions of identity, including the identity of what it means to be a Christian. Our course will range from the basics (“what exactly does LGBTQIA mean?!) to the deep conversations about how the insights born from the experiences of people who identify as LGBTQIA can make all of us more fearless Christians.

[1] Jay Emerson Johnson, Peculiar Faith: Queer Theology for Christian Witness, New York: Seabury, 2013, 9.
[2] “I live and love in God’s peculiar light.”  Attributed to the painter Michelangelo.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one Competency Exercise and a minimum of 60% of IF 500 level work
Credit: 2.0
Instructor:  Dr. Emily Askew

IF 675 – Holy Spirit:  Beyond Santa and Star Wars

Gregory of Nazianzus has described the Holy Spirit as the theos agraptos, the God about whom no one writes.1 Indeed, the Church has long had trouble speaking about the Third Person of the Trinity. The Western Church, in particular, has a long history of subsuming this Person behind the hidden veil of the Church’s magisterium, the First and Second Persons’ love, or the completing task of the crucified Christ, whose apparent early death did not allow for a complete work to be done. As significant historical moments—including the early Church’s Phrygian movement, the Great Awakenings at the turn of the 18thcentury, with subsequent revivalist moments in US history, and culminating in the charismatic movement that have given rise to the Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal groups that flourish world-wide—seemed to signal a watershed moment for pneumatology, an opportunity for the Christian Church to engage in profound reflection and an articulation about the Personhood of the Spirit. Each time, an opportunity was passed by as Spirit was again subsumed under the guise of Christology, soteriology and even ecclesiology. Even the Pentecostal tradition has been less inclined to explore the Person of the Spirit, and more intent on exploring the gifts the Spirit brings to the church, as well as the soteriological and eschatological implications of those gifts. This course seeks to give the student an opportunity to reflect upon the Person of the Spirit as the Third Person of the Trinity. Who is the Spirit? What is the relation of the Spirit to the Parent and to the Christ? What is the role of the Spirit in soteriology and eschatology? Is the role of the Spirit only confined to the ecclesiology or does God the Spirit have a greater global presence than the Western Church has heretofore granted the Spirit? Emphasis will be made on the role of the Spirit as Life-giver and its implications for contemporary contexts.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of one Competency Exercise and a minimum of 60% of IF 500 level work
Credit: 2.0
Instructor:  Dr. Loida Martell

♦ Updated 02/25/21