History and Interpretation of Christianity. Systematic Theology
ST501. Systematic Theology
Fall and Spring. Credit, three hours. (Lösel, McDougall, McFarland, Soulen)
Survey of figures and issues in contemporary theology, including doctrines of God, Christ, holy spirit, revelation, humanity, salvation, and eschatology. Opportunities for students to do constructive theology.
ST602. Systematic Theology II
Credit, three hours. (Lösel) (Prerequisite: ST501)
This second course of a two-semester ST sequence offers an introduction into the second part of the course of Christian doctrines, including soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Prerequisite ST501.
ST604. Theology of Atonement
Credit, three hours. (Soulen)
A seminar focusing on the Christian doctrine of the atonement from the patristic period to the present, with special attention to the doctrine’s variety of forms in both traditional and contemporary contexts.
ST605. God and Evil
Credit, three hours. (Soulen)
This course allows students to consider what we may—and may not—say regarding God’s fidelity, love, and redemptive power in the face of evil, suffering, chaos, and death by examination of traditional and contemporary Christian approaches to these issues.
ST607. Doctrine of God—Women’s Voices Past and Present
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: ST501 or equivalent. (McDougall)
A biblical and theological study of the relationship of gender to the doctrine of God. Particular attention to the historical retrieval of women’s theological traditions as well as to contemporary women’s formulations of language about God, the nature of divine power and the God-world relation, and Trinitarian versus non-Trinitarian approaches to the doctrine of God. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts) (ST607CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
ST610. Redeeming the Body
Credit, three hours. (McDougall) (Instructor permission required.)
This advanced seminar (which is crosslisted as a doctoral seminar) examines Christianity’s historical attitudes to the female body in conjunction with feminist proposals for retrieving and reformulating Christian doctrines that impact the female body today. Throughout the seminar emphasis will be placed on both historical re-workings of Christian traditions as well as constructive feminist theological aims. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST618. Theology, Art and Architecture
Credit, three hours. (Lösel)
Explores theological approaches to art, architecture, and the built environment, both from historical and systematic perspectives. With the help of four recent theological monographs on art, architecture, taste, and the built environment, Christian approaches to art through the centuries is studied.
ST619. Liturgy and Architecture
Credit, three hours. (Lösel)
This course seeks to explore questions at the intersection of Christian sacramental liturgy and architecture, from historical, anthropological, and theological perspectives. We will study how Christians have understood the nature and function of their worship, how they have used architectural spaces for their liturgical purposes, and which role gender has played in this context. (ST619CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
ST623. Theology of Karl Barth
Credit, three hours. (Soulen) (Same as HC654.)
A study of Barth’s theology across the course of his career, with attention to his influence on contemporary theology.
ST625. Theology of Augustine
Credit, three hours. (Faculty) (Same as HC623.)
The development of Augustine’s thought across his life and career, with attention to contemporary issues of the church and theology.
ST626. Theology of Thomas Aquinas
Credit, three hours. (Faculty) (Same as HC625.)
Thomas’s understanding of the nature, methods, and aims of theology (sacra doctina), as explained in his Summa Theologiae. Teaching involves lectures, seminars, and close reading of primary texts.
ST627. Theology of the Church and Sacraments
Credit, three hours. (Alonso) (Same as W627.)
Biblical and theological understandings of the church, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper are discussed. Attention is also given to other traditional sacraments and to ecumenism.
ST628. Liturgical Theology
Credit, three hours. (Alonso) (Same as W628.)
This course introduces students to central texts and themes in theological reflection on Christian worship as they have coalesced into the field of liturgical theology. Through historical, theological, biblical, practical, and pastoral approaches, we will explore the ritual, symbolic, aesthetic, cultural, kinesthetic, and textual dimensions of worship and consider how they both shape and express Christian thought and practice.
ST631. Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Renewal
Credit, three hours. (E. Phillips)
Historical, theological, and pastoral study of baptism, confirmation, and renewal. This course pays special attention to twentiethcentury reforms in theology and practice. (ST631CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective.)
ST637. Asian and Asian American Theologies
Credit, three hours. (Kwok)
This course introduces students to the development and issues in Asian and Asian American theologies from a transnational perspective. Particular attention will be given to racial identity construction and development, biblical interpretation, interreligious dialogue, feminism, ecology, migration, war and reconciliation, and worship and ministry in diverse cultural contexts. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST639. The History and Theology of Eucharistic Worship
Credit, three hours. (Alonso) (Same as HC639 and W669.)
A liturgical and theological study of the origins and evolution of the Eucharist and related practices. The subject is covered in terms of the major cultural, philosophical, and historical movements which formed the background of this evolution.
ST644. Latino/a/x/e Theologies
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course will constructively evaluate distinctive methods & approaches that have emerged from Latino/a/x theologians over the last several decades: lo cotidiano, the centrality of popular religion, liberation theologies, teología en conjunto, & mujerista theology. We will be particularly attentive to the ways in which these methods & approaches are used to critique & deepen reflection on enduring questions in systematic theology. And we will discern the practical implications, possibilities, and limitations of this work for ecclesial & academic contexts. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST645. Ecclesiology
Credit, three hours. (Lösel)
This course explores the theological nature, the structures, and the mission of the Christian Church from an explicitly ecumenical perspective. We focus on the church’s nature as rooted in the liturgy, the church’s role in God’s economy of salvation, its defining marks and structure, and how it relates to the Reign of God. Authors we engage include Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Rahner, Hans Urs von Balthasar, John Zizioulas, and Elizabeth Johnson.
ST647. Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course seeks to understand Bonhoeffer on his own terms as clearly and as fully as possible. We will investigate whether there is an “epistemological shift” between the “early Bonhoeffer” and the Bonhoeffer of Letters and Papers from Prison. The doctrines of ecclesiology, Christology, God, and reality (the world come of age) will come up for theological attention.
ST651. Theologies of Hope and Liberation
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course looks at eschatology and apocalypse in contemporary theology. Particular attention will be given to the thought of Jürgen Moltmann, Leonardo Boff, Dorotee Soelle, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and James Cone. The central question which focuses our discussion is how may we be faithful to Jesus Christ in our time and in our own historical circumstances?
ST652. Global Feminist Theologies
Credit, three hours. (McDougall)
This course introduces students to global Christian feminist theology through an indepth study of feminist/women’s theological movements from different regions of the Global South and their respective theological movements in the US. We will address key theological concerns of these Global South feminist movements, in particular theological anthropology (e.g., women’s identity, agency, and attitudes toward the body); the gendered nature of sin, suffering, and redemption; pneumatology and indigenous spiritual traditions. In addition, we will grapple with the major social and gender justice concerns of these feminist/women’s movements, in particular, gender-based violence, sex trafficking, women’s poverty, and sexist institutions and practices in the church and wider society. The class will explore these theological and ethical issues through various media: indigenous theological scholarship, liturgical resources, popular religious practices and sacred art, documentaries and in-class/Skype dialogues with guest theologians when possible. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST653. Feminist, Womanist, and Latina Approaches
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: ST501 or equivalent. (McDougall)
An ecumenical and multicultural study of contemporary women’s formulations of particular doctrines. Special attention to the intersection of doctrine with issues of race, ethnicity, and gender, and ecclesial identity. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST656. Theology of Jürgen Moltmann
Credit, three hours. (McDougall)
An in-depth study of Moltmann’s theology in dialogue with challenges confronting the contemporary church in society. Particular attention to his contributions in eschatology, political theology, and to the doctrines of the Trinity, creation, and pneumatology.
ST657. Theology of Luther
Credit, three hours. (Strom) (Same as HC657.)
An examination of Luther’s work and theology in the context of the Protestant Reformation movement and 16th-century German society.
ST658. Theology of James Cone
Credit, three hours. (McFarland)
This course is designed to provide an in-depth study of James Cone’s theology through reading the key texts written over the course of his career his career. In addition to seeking to understanding Cone’s thought in its North American context, attention will also be given to its relation to other contextualized theologies. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST659. Theology of Martin Luther King Jr.
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course seeks to examine the life, thought, and actions of Martin Luther King Jr. The class will engage in theological exposition and analysis of his primary ideas, sermons, and conceptual frames of reference. A conversation with Malcolm X, Walter Rauschenbusch, Reinhold Niebur, and the black church will ensue. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST660. Womanist Theology
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course will provide an introduction to womanist theology through the work of primarily first-generation womanist theologians in the United States. Organized systematically to address a range of topics, including theological ethics, biblical hermeneutics, Trinity, Christology, atonement, theological anthropology, sin and suffering, evil, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology, the study will employ both a deconstructive and a constructive method in an effort to interpret and enhance the faith and practice of the church. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
ST661. Theology of Friedrich Schleiermacher
Credit, three hours. (Faculty) (Same as HC661.)
A study of the genesis and development of Schleiermacher’s thought on Christ and religion from the “Speeches on Religion,” “The Christmas Eve Dialogue,” “The Solliloquies,” and “The Christian Faith.”
ST664. Political Theology and Community Organizing
Credit, three hours. (Lambelet) (Same as ES664)
This course examines practices of Christian witness in the public sphere and explores how those practices both express and cultivate specific political theologies. Students will build their theological vocabulary through fundamental engagement with concepts such as politics, justice, power and movement and will test that vocabulary by applying it to the concrete practices of organizing. We will conclude by using the tools developed by the course to analyze organizing against mass incarceration in Atlanta and the Southeast United States.
ST672. Trinitarian Praxis: The Trinity, The Human Person, and the Christian Life
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: ST501 or equivalent, or instructor permission. (McDougall)
An advanced seminar on classical and contemporary approaches to the doctrine of the Trinity and its implications for theological anthropology and the shape of the life of faith. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary proposals relating the doctrine to social, ethical, and liturgical issues that are challenging churches today.
ST673. Natural Science and the Doctrine of Creation
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the Christian doctrine of creation, with particular focus on the relationship between Christian claims about the origin, character, and goal of the universe in relation to contemporary scientific theology (especially the areas of cosmology and biological evolution). Attention will be given to general questions of the logical relationship between theological language and the claims of the nature sciences.
ST676. Theological Arguments for Criminal Punishment Reform
Credit, three hours. (Lösel)
This course aims to help students understand the theological rationale for “mild” forms of punishment, which Christian theologians have developed through the ages. We engage a range of texts stemming from the intersection of theology, philosophy, sociology, postcolonial theory, and legal theory regarding the question of criminal punishment reform. Authors we engage may include Augustine of Hippo, Michel Foucault, Martha Nussbaum, James Whitman, and Timothy Gorringe.
ST677. Critical Issues in the Worldwide Anglican Communion
Credit, three hours. (Kwok)
This course explores critical issues in global Anglicanism in the postmodern and postcolonial world. Particular attention will be given to the crisis of Anglican identity, the shift of Christian demographic to the Global South, human sexuality, autonomy and interdependence, mission and partnership, economic justice, and women’s struggle for leadership.
ST678. Modern Catholicism
Credit, three hours. (Alonso, Lösel) (Same as HC672.)
This course introduces students to modern Catholicism both from a historical and a theological perspective. We trace the significant theological and ecclesiastical changes the Catholic Church has undergone from the eighteenth century through the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and in its aftermath. Along with the major documents from Vatican II, authors we engage may include Henri de Lubac, Karl Rahner, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Elizabeth Johnson, Jon Sobrino, Mark Jordan, and Cyprian Davis.
ST679. Contemporary Anglican Theology
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: ST501 or equivalent. (McDougall)
This seminar provides a survey of contemporary Anglican theology. The focus will be on theological issues that are currently sparking debate across the Anglican communion, e.g., different approaches to Scripture and Christology, the relationship of gender, spirituality and theology, and the nature of the global Anglican communion. Course readings will range across the Anglican tradition (Anglo-Catholic, liberal, and Reformed/ Evangelical), and will include authors such as Sarah Coakley, David Ford, Kathryn Tanner, Desmond Tutu, Rowan Williams.
ST681. Sin, Sex, and Salvation: The Doctrine of the Human Person
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: ST 501 or equivalent, or instructor permission. (Faculty)
This course examines some key themes in the topi of theological anthropology, with special emphasis on the diversity of ways in which Christians through the centuries have answered the question, “What does it mean to be human?” The material surveyed will pay particular attention to issues of gender identity, human sexuality, and original sin, since these topics have proven particularly important for the development of Christian reflection on human being in the Western Christian churches, but attention is also given to the ways in which questions of race, ethnic identity, disability, and class have affected Christian Understandings of personhood. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts).
ST690. Contemporary Systematic Theology
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: ST501 or equivalent (McDougall)
This course will examine contemporary issues in systematic theology and may be used as the capstone course for MDiv students in the Theology and Ethics concentration.
ST697. Cuba Travel Seminary
Credit, three hours. (Lösel)
This course seeks to explore questions of religious and ecclesial identity in the multi-religious landscape of Cuba, which includes a large atheist population, Catholics, various Protestants including Pentecostals, and members of traditional African religions, many of whom also see themselves as Catholics. We will study three themes in particular: 1) Cuban socialism and religion; 2) Afro-Cuban religions (especially Santeria); 3) Decolonial Theology
The course will be conducted as a travel seminar and participants will visit various ecclesial centers in Havana, such as the Martin Luther King Center, the Superior Ecumenical Institute of Religious Sciences (ISECRE), and the Council of Churches as well as the seminary in Matanzas.
ST698. Special Topics in Systematic Theology
Credit, variable. (Faculty)
Special topic or one-time offering courses led by Candler regular and visiting faculty. Prerequisites may be required and are noted on the course schedule when applicable.
