christian spirituality

Is it an oxymoron (contradiction) to claim that Jesus is both human and divine?  How do we make sense of Jesus’ death on the cross?  Is the resurrection something that can be believed in this modern scientific era?  These are the sort of questions addressed in this unit, which intends to provide students with the opportunity to explore central elements of Christian faith.  It explores what has traditionally been labelled the “person” and “work” of Jesus, i.e. who is he and what did he do for us?  In answering these questions, students are encouraged to reflect on both the ancient traditions of the bible and early church and, further, to discuss the significance of Jesus Christ for contemporary Christian life and thought.

Unit Content

Outcomes

  1. Examine the development of early Christology through to the Chalcedonian definition;
  2. Assess the meaning of personal participation in Christ’s atonement;
  3. Critically analyse the primary theories and metaphors of atonement;
  4. Interpret the contributions to Christology of key theologians.

Subject Content

  • Biblical Foundations for Christology
  • The Quests for the Historical Christ
  • Christologies from above and below
  • Christology and the Early Period
  • From Nicea to Chalcedon
  • Atonement Metaphors
  • Justification: Luther, Calvin and Other Perspectives
  • The Final Destiny of the Unevangelised
  • Barth & Bonhoeffer
  • Kenotic Christology and Moltmann
  • Spirit Christology
  • Feminist and Liberation Theology Christologies
  • The Ongoing Priesthood of Christ

Prescribed Text

  • Primary readings provided

Quick Info

  • Course code: THE202
  • Credit points: 10

Prerequisites

  • Christian Worldview

Assessment Methods

  • Forums (20%)
  • Major Essay (50%)
  • Field Report (30%)