TH604 - Church, Sacraments and Ministry

  • 0 Standard Tuition Fee
  • 4
    Credit Points
  • 0.125 EFT 
  • 8
    AQF level
  • theologyUnit Discipline

Corequisites

8cps of foundational OT and/or NT study, plus 4cps of CH or TH.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will

A. Know and understand

In relation to the people of God

1. The relation between kingdom and church.

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

3. The nature and forms of ministry.

4. The denominations.

In relation to prayer, worship and the sacraments

5. Word and sacrament.

6. Christian initiation.

7. The Lord’s Supper.

8. Prayer.

9. Leading theologians and their interpretations of church, sacraments and ministry.

B. Be able to

1. Interpret the Bible theologically.

2. Understand the major creeds and confessions and other classical theological statements.

3. Trace the interrelationships with the major themes of Christian theology.

4. Identify the role of cultural and ecclesial contexts in the task of Christian theology.

5. Analyse the relationship between Christian doctrine and individual and corporate Christian life.

6. Present an Analytical, evidence based argument or reflection.

7. Discuss interpretations and applications of the church, sacraments and ministry.

C. Be in a position to

1. Inform their Christian thinking in both formal and informal study with perspectives about the church, sacraments and ministry.

2. Show how understanding of the church, sacraments and ministry is appropriated in personal life and the life of the Christian community.

3. Apply the doctrines of the church, sacraments and ministry to situations and issues in contemporary church and society.

4. Evaluate uses of the doctrines of the church, sacraments and ministry.

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 Textbook
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).

Recommended

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).

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

Husbands, M. and D. J. Treier (eds), The Community of the Word: Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2005).

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, rev. ed. 2006).

Newbigin, L., The Household of God, Biblica Classics Library (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2002).

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).

Wright, C. J. H., The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative (Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2006).

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).