TH004-812 - Church, Sacraments and Ministry

  • 2,976 Standard Tuition Fee
  • 12
    Credit Points
  • 0.125 EFT 
  • 8
    AQF level
  • Category developing unit
    B
  • theologyUnit Discipline

Corequisites

6cps TH/CH/PE & 24cps OT/NT/BB

Exclusions

Prior to 2020, this unit content was delivered under the unit code TH604.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will

A. Know and understand

Demonstrate Advanced knowledge and understanding of the doctrines of church, sacraments and ministry.

B. Be able to

1. Examine the interrelationship of the doctrines of church, sacraments and ministry

2. Examine methodological and theological issues in the doctrines of church, sacraments and ministry

3. Present Research-Aware evidence-based perspectives on the doctrines of church, sacraments and ministry

C. Be in a position to

1. Applying perspectives from ‘Church, Sacraments and Ministry’ to contemporary Christian life and ministry practice as a reflective practitioner

Content

Students are required to cover the whole syllabus. But assessment procedures will allow for a certain amount of specialisation, so that students are not expected to study each topic in detail. 

Section A: The People of God

1. Kingdom and church.

2. The church: its nature, authority and mission.

3. Marks: notes, visibility and invisibility.

4. The nature and forms of ministry.

5. Denominations.

Section B: Prayer, Worship and Sacraments

1. Word and Sacrament: efficacy and validity, the number of sacraments.

2. Christian initiation.

3. The Lord’s Supper.

4. Christian Worship.

5. Prayer.

Teaching Aims

a. Assist candidates in gaining an integrated Christian theological perspective and methodology in areas of church life and ministry;

b. Help students to reflect on their own place in God’s work and purposes.

Set Readings

Prescribed: students should become familiar with the relevant sections of one of the following:

Erickson, M. J., Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2nd ed. 2003).

Frame, J., Salvation Belongs to the Lord: An Introduction to Systematic Theology (Phillipsburg NJ: P&R, 2006).

Grenz, S. J., Theology for the Community of God (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000).

Grudem, W., Systematic Theology (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2007).

Kärkkäinen, V.-M., The Doctrine of God: A Global Introduction (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004).

McGrath, A., Christian Theology: An Introduction (London: Wiley-Blackwell 3rd ed. 2006).

Migliore, D., Faith with Understanding (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2nd ed. 2004).

Oden, T. C., Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology (New York: Harper Collins, 2009).

 

The People of God:

Avis, P. (ed.), The Christian Church: An Introduction to the Major Traditions (London: SPCK, 2002).

Goosen, G., Bringing Churches Together (Geneva: WCC, 2001).

Guder, D. L., “Church as Missional Community”, in Husbands, Mark, and D. J. Treier (eds), The Community of the Word: Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2005).

Harper, B., and P. L.Metzger, Exploring Ecclesiology: An Evangelical and Ecumenical Introduction (Grand Rapids: Brazos/ Baker, 2009).

Kärkkäinen, V.-M., An Introduction to Ecclesiology. Ecumenical, Historical & Global Perspectives (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2003).

Kung, H., The Church, (London: Continuum, new ed. 2001).

Laniak, T., Shepherds After My Own Heart, (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2006).

Longenecker, R. N., Community Formation in the Early Church and in the Church Today (Peabody MA, Hendrickson, 2002).

McLaren, B., The Church on the Other Side: Doing Ministry in the Postmodern Matrix (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000).

Nelson, G. V., Borderland Churches: A Congregation`s Introduction to Missional Living (Chalice Press, 2008).

Snyder, H., The Community of the King, (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2004).

Stackhouse, J. G. (ed.), Evangelical Ecclesiology: Reality or Illusion? (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003).

 

Prayer, Worship and Sacraments:

Armstrong, J. H. (ed.), Understanding Four Views of Baptism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan: 2007).

Bloesch, D. G., The Church: Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2006).

Chan, S., Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshipping Community (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2006).

Goldsworthy, G., Prayer and the Knowledge of God (Leicester: IVP, 2004).

Kasper, W., Sacrament of Unity: The Eucharist and the Church (New York: Crossroad, 2004).

Peterson, D., Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship (Downers Grove IL: IVP,2002).

Vander Zee, L. J., Christ, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper: Recovering Sacraments for Evangelical Worship (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2004).

Welker, M., What Happens in Holy Communion? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000).

 

Classics:

ARCIC, The Church as Communion (London: SPCK, 1991)

Banks, R., Paul’s Idea of Community (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994).

Beasley-Murray, P., Anyone For Ordination? (Tunbridge Wells: MARC, 1993).

Dulles, A., Models of the Church (New York: Image, 1987).

Schrotenboer, P., An Evangelical Response to Baptism, Eucharist & Ministry (Carlisle: Paternoster, 1992).

Volf, M., After our Likeness: The Church as Image of the Trinity (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998).