History, Theology and Ethics (Spring 2012)

History of Theology: Early 16th to Mid-20th Century (HTE504)

Three hours — John Rempel
This course examines Christian thought from the Reformation to the twentieth century. Students will be exposed to the various theological traditions that emerged during this period, with a view to gaining a better understanding of the similarities and differences of major theological and denominational traditions in our time. The course may fulfill a history or theology requirement and does not have a prerequisite.

Hard Questions of Faith and Theology Colloquium (HTE513) - Cancelled

One hour — John Rempel
This colloquium makes space for hard questions-those which challenge faith and traditional theology.  Participants will address questions that have unsettled them, such as the relationship of God and suffering, belief in God in a scientific age, miracles and medicine, faith and social construction or reality, what it means to pry, the experience/denial of death, postmodernism and faith, the church as a stumbling block.  Topic will be determined by student interest.

Peace Colloquium (INT511)

One hour — Ted Koontz
This colloquium is for MAPS and other students interested in peace and justice issues. It provides a setting for sharing information and concerns; for encouraging the integration of action, reflection, and prayer; and for nurturing a corporate identity. Meetings are primarily presentations and discussions of interest to participants. The colloquium serves as a forum for the research projects of advanced MAPS students. It may run jointly with the Mission Colloquium.

Thinking Ethically (HTE541)

Three hours — Joe Kotva
How should Christians respond to violence, health care, and creation care issues? What choices face us regarding sexuality and systemic racism? To deepen ability to think ethically, students will examine major approaches to the moral life and decision making that draw upon the resources of Christian faith and theology, especially the role of Scripture, Jesus, and the church in ethics.

Nonviolence and Christian Faith (HTE608)

Three hours — Walter Sawatsky
The nonviolent transformations in Eastern Europe that ended the Cold War are compared to Asia (Philippines vs. China), South Africa, Liberationist movements in Central and South America, and the Civil Rights movement in North America. How, after the bloodiest century, could masses of people demand an end to their oppression and the resignation of despotic leaders? Why was a politics of nonviolence so hard to sustain and why did America’s belief in redemptive violence persist?

Theology and Religious Pluralism (HTE624) - Cancelled

Three hours — Gayle Gerber Koontz
How should Christians respond to those who have other religious faiths? How should we assess the theological view known as “religious pluralism”? In addition to exploring one contemporary religious stance divergent from their own, students will seek to develop a theology of religions that takes Christian revelation and other religious experience seriously and that provides a basis for encounters with people whose beliefs and commitments are different from their own.

Christian Theology II (HTE528)

Three hours — Gayle Gerber Koontz
The course will examine how Christians have understood the experience and role of the Holy Spirit in relation to tradition; the nature, purpose and practices of the church inducing a missional understanding of the church in relation to the world, and eschatology – convictions about the destiny of human life and the world in which it is embedded. Prerequisite: Christian Theology 1 or equivalent.

Christian Attitudes Toward War, Peace, and Revolution (HTE644)

Three hours — Ted Koontz
A historical survey of the variety of ways of perceiving God’s will concerning war from the biblical times to the present. Special attention is given to common logical attitudes recurring in diverse cultural settings, to pacifist groups, and to the originality and implications of Jesus’ ministry.

Christian Spirituality and Peacemaking (HTE652)

Three hours — Ted Koontz    Cross-listed with CHM608
This course assumes an intrinsic and positive relationship between spirituality and active peacemaking. This relationship will be explored through encounters with people who have connected spirituality with social engagement, through theological reflection and discussion, and through the practice of spiritual disciplines.

Peace and Justice Practicum (HTE680)

Three hours — Daniel Schipani
Private service agencies, prisons, and local congregations are among the settings for student involvement in peace and justice ministries in the larger community. The objective of the practicum is to integrate field experience and academic study through individual and, when possible, peer group supervision. For students in the dual-degree MAPS and MSW program, the practicum is combined with the MSW field placement