TH 330/530 CHRISTOLOGY

Summer Session Syllabus

SUMMER SESSION NUMBER AND DATE:

Session I, July 8-12

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course investigates, from within Christian faith, the identity and significance of
Jesus the Christ. We will focus in a special way on the formative period of Christology, the first
five centuries of Church history. Students will learn about the historical, philosophical and
theological problems that must be handled in order to grasp the intelligibility within this early
history.
After a discussion of some important medieval theologians, we will discuss the elements
needed for an authentic Christology today in light of this early formative period and with a
concern to transpose the permanent meaning of Christ to the various cultural situations of our
contemporary globalized situation. Finally, Christianitys relationships to other religions
constitute an important component of Christology in the contemporary context. In a discussion of
the Trinity, we will investigate a way of meeting the needs of inter-religious dialogue while
maintaining the integrity of the Chalcedonian dogma.

COURSE PREREQUISITE AND/OR MINIMAL TECHNICAL SKILLS

None

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completing this course, you should be able to do the following:

Think theologically about the person and work of Christ within the faith of the orthodox
Christian tradition.
Recognize the importance of the first five centuries for the development of Christology.
Recognize the salient elements of soteriology as they have emerged through the
centuries.
Respond to contemporary questions and challenges regarding the meaning and
significance of Jesus the Christ today.

Page 1 of 7

COURSE FORMAT
This is an accelerated one week course. You will acquire the skills outlined in the course
objectives through the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Readings from books, journal articles, and Internet sources.

Lecture notes
Written essays
Active participation

REQUIRED TEXT
A Bible (searchable NRSV and other translations are available on line at oremus.org)
Christology and The Resurrection of Jesus in Brown, Raymond E., Fitzmyer, Joseph A., and
Murphy, Roland E. Murphy. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood
Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1990. [NJBC], 1354-1359, 1373-1377. I assume you have this
already, having taken your bible courses.
Rusch, William, ed. The Trinitarian Controversy. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980.
ISBN: 9780800614102
Norris, Richard, ed. The Christological Controversy. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980.
ISBN: 9780800614119
Low, William P. From the Humanity of Christ to the Historical Jesus in Theological Studies 61
(2000), 314-331. Loewe shows that the Quests, valuable as they are, have not resulted in
a scholarly consensus regarding the historical Jesus and therefore cannot provide a
foundation for Christology. The article can be retrieved here:
http://ezproxy.sjcme.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db
=rfh&AN=ATLA0000918749&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Lonergan, Bernard. The Origins of Christian Realism in Second Collection (Philadelphia:
Westminster, 1974), pp. 239-62. Lonergan provides a philosophical basis for sorting out the
various issues that have arisen over the past 100 years regarding the early Christian entry into
Hellenistic culture. Some have claimed that the Christological dogmas that were developed in the
first five centuries are examples of Greek distortions of the New Testament witness. Lonergan
defends the early conciliar teachings by appealing to an accurate understanding of human
cognition and epistemology. An earlier version of this essay can be found here:
Lonergan et al, Philosophical and Theological Papers, 1958-1964. Toronto: University of
Toronto Press, 1996, Chapter 4. This chapter can be retrieved here:
http://ezproxy.sjcme.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db
=e000xna&AN=469439&site=ehost-live&scope=site&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_80

Page 2 of 7

If you have any questions regarding your course materials, please contact your academic
advisor and/or our book vendor EDMAP. You can reach EDMAP by phone at 1-(800)274-9104 or website at http://www.edmapbookstore.com/storefront/index/STJSP

COURSE SCHEDULE
Class Period 1
Topic: The context of contemporary Christology: The historical Jesus, the
historically reconstructed Jesus, and the interpretation of the N.T.
Required Reading Assignments:
Christology in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 1354-1359.
William P. Loewe, From the Humanity of Christ to the Historical Jesus
Class Period 2
Topic: The Easter Event
Required Reading Assignments:
The Resurrection of Jesus in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 1373-1377.
PLEASE NOTE: All graded assignments for this Day should be grouped together and
submitted using the Assignment Submission form accessed from your course homepage or
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/assignments .
Class Period 3
Topic: The dogmatic development toward Chalcedon.
Class Period 4
Topic: The Gnostic / Docetist Challenge; Tertullian and Origen
Required Reading Assignments:
Selections from Tertullian, Against Praxeas and Origen, De Principiis, (all in Norris)
PLEASE NOTE: All graded assignments for this Day should be grouped together and
submitted using the Assignment Submission form accessed from your course homepage or
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/assignments .

Page 3 of 7

Class Period 5
Topic: Nicea (325 A.D.)
Required Reading Assignments:
Athanasius, Orations Against the Arians, Book I (in Rusch) and Book III (in Norris)
Arius, Letter to Eusebius and Letter to Alexander and Letter to Constantine (in
Rusch)
Creed of Nicea (in Rusch)
Class Period 6
Topic: The Councils of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451)
Required Reading Assignments:
Nestorius, First Sermon and Second Letter to Cyril
Cyril of Alexandria, Third Letter to Nestorius and Letter to John of Antioch
Pope Leo I, Tomus ad Flavianum of A.D. 449 (All readings to be found in Norris)
PLEASE NOTE: All graded assignments for this Day should be grouped together and
submitted using the Assignment Submission form accessed from your course homepage or
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/assignments .
Class Period 7
Topic: Salvation in Christ: From the Fathers to Anselm
Required Reading Assignments:
St. Anselm, A Meditation on Human Redemption
Class Period 8
Topic: Thomas Aquinas
Required Reading Assignments:
Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, III, q. 1, a. 1-6
PLEASE NOTE: All graded assignments for this Day should be grouped together and
submitted using the Assignment Submission form accessed from your course homepage or
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/assignments .
Class Period 9
Topic: A Contemporary Christology and Soteriology
Required Reading Assignments:
Page 4 of 7

Bernard Lonergan, Christology Today: Methodological Reflections (Your instructor

will provide you with information on how to access this reading)
William P. Loewe, Toward a Responsible Contemporary Soteriology
Class Period 10
Topic: The Spirit, Spirituality, and the Worlds Religions
Required Reading Assignments:
Lonergan, Mission and the Spirit (your instructor will provide you with information on
how to access this reading)
PLEASE NOTE: All graded assignments for this Day should be grouped together and
submitted using the Assignment Submission form accessed from your course homepage or
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/assignments .

POST-RESIDENCY ASSIGNMENT
TH 330 and TH 550
There is a post-residency take-home exam due absolutely no later than August 31.

GRADING BREAKDOWN

Class Participation
Post-Residency Assignment
TOTAL

40%
60%
100%

Page 5 of 7

RUBRICS
Score

Discussion Grading Criteria

Responses are on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of the discussion.
Responses make frequent, informed references to unit material.
Responses are clearly written.
Substantial original answers to the questions that furthers the work of the class. Typically in the 100 word range or
responses meet length requirements as posted in the classroom.
Two or more thoughtful responses per discussion question to classmates that advance the discussion.
Responses are on topic, largely original, and contribute to the quality of the discussion.
Responses make some informed references to unit material.
Responses are generally clearly written.
Substantial original answers to the questions that furthers the work of the class. Typically in the 75-100 word range or
responses meet only 80% of the length requirements as posted in the classroom.
One response per discussion question to a classmate that is thoughtful and advances the discussion.
Responses are on topic, but they lack originality and lack a significant contribution to the quality of the discussion.
Responses make vague or summary references to unit material.
Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors.
Short posting. Normally in the 50-75 word range or responses meet only 70% of the length requirements as posted in
the classroom.
Response(s) to others does not advance the discussion.
Responses are only partially on topic, lack originality, and lack a significant contribution to the quality of the
discussion.
Responses make little or no references to unit material.
Responses have several mechanical or stylistic errors.
Minimal posting. Normally in the 25-50 word range or responses meet only 60% of the length requirements as posted
in the classroom.
No responses to classmates.
If there are two questions, student did not respond to one.

Post-Residency Written Assignments

Grade

Content, Focus, Use of

Text/Research
50%
Response successfully answers
the assignment question(s);
thoroughly uses the text and
other literature.
Response answers the
assignment question(s) with only
minor digressions; sufficiently
uses the text and other literature.
Response answers the
assignment question(s) with
some digression; sufficiently
uses the text and other literature.
Response answers the
assignment question(s) but
digresses significantly;
insufficiently uses the text and
other literature.

Analysis and Critical Thinking

Writing Style, Grammar, MLA Format

30%
Response exhibits strong higherorder critical thinking and
analysis (e.g., evalua-tion).

20%
Sentences are clear, concise, and direct; tone
is appropriate. Grammatical skills are strong
with almost no errors per page. Correct use of
APA format when assigned.
Sentences are generally clear, concise, and
direct; tone is appropriate. Grammatical skills
are competent with very few errors per page.
Correct use of MLA format when assigned.
Sentences are occasionally wordy or
ambiguous; tone is too informal.
Grammatical skills are adequate with few
errors per page. Adequate use of APA format
when assigned.
Sentences are generally wordy and/or
ambiguous; tone is too informal.
Grammatical skills are inadequate, clarity and
meaning are impaired, numerous errors per
page. Inadequate use of APA format when
assigned.

Response generally exhibits

higher-order critical thinking
and analysis (e.g., true analysis).
Response exhibits limited
higher-order critical thinking
and analysis (e.g., applica-tion
of information).
Response exhibits simplistic or
reductive thinking and analysis
but does demonstrate
comprehension.

Page 6 of 7

COURSE GUIDELINES
Read, think, ask questions.

COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Current information regarding College policies affecting your course can be found on the
Resources/Policy section of the course homepage. On this page, you will find vital information,
including the following:

Current Student Handbook, outlining course-specific policies

Access to support resources, including advising and online tutorial services
Student Success Guides

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS
Please submit your Final Assignment via the Assignment Submission form.
How Do I Access Disabilities Services?
Anyone who would like information or needs access to accommodations or services related to
disabilities should contact the colleges Accommodations Office. Please contact your Academic
Advisor or refer to the Student Handbook for more information.

This course was developed by Saint Josephs College for the exclusive use of students enrolled
in the Colleges Division of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Copyright 2013 by Saint Josephs College Online - All Rights Reserved

Page 7 of 7