Course List

REL 251: Philosophy of Religion

This course considers the philosophical basis and implications of religious belief and theological formulation. Questions about the existence of God, the problem of evil, the ...

REL 301: The Life & Teachings of Jesus

This is an examination of the historical Jesus, his public ministry, and the early church’s interpretation of his work as set forth in the synoptic ...

REL 311: The Johannine Literature

This is a study of the fourth gospel, the letters of John, and the Revelation of John, with special attention givento major themes shared by ...

REL 321: The Life & Letters of Paul

This investigation into the book of Acts and the Pauline epistles as sources for the apostle’s life and teachings emphasizes Paul’s continuing influence over Christian ...

REL 325: Introduction to Ethics

This course introduces various ethical systems and their criteria for ethical decision making. Moral conflict, implicit and explicit rules, ethical ambiguity, and areas of specific ...

REL 331: The Wisdom Literature

An examination of the wisdom writings of the Old Testament along with the poetic and apocalyptic literatureof the Hebrew people, this course gives attention to ...

REL 351: Principles of Christian Education

This is a broad investigation into the field of Christian education, history, philosophy, objectives, agencies,organizations, and trends. It examines techniques, materials, and resources useful in ...

REL 354: Spiritual Formation of the Educator

This course explores the “inner landscape” of the educator, with special emphasis on the religious educator. Looking at issues such as faith development, ethical integrity, ...

REL 361: Christian Education for Children

This study of the church’s educational ministry with children is designed to explore effective organization andintegration into the total ministry of the local congregation. It ...

REL 362: Christian Education for Youth

This study of the church’s educational and formational ministry with youth is designed to explore the goals of ministry with youth and its effective organization ...

REL 363: Christian Education & the Adult Life Cycle

This study of the church’s educational and formational ministry with young adults, mid-adults, and older adults isdesigned to explore purpose, effective organization, and integration into ...

REL 366: Christian Education - Leadership

This course explores the important role of the leader in envisioning, developing, and supporting a comprehensivesystem of Christian Education and Formation in the local congregation ...

REL 370: Christianity & Unbelief

This course comprises a study of classical atheism examining the philosophy of such thinkers as Feuerbach, Freud, Nietzsche, Russell, Sartre, and Ager. Agnosticism and the ...

REL 371: Concepts of Being Human

The course is a study of the way in which human nature has been defined through the ages from the early Greekphilosophers to modern interpretations ...

REL 372: Social Ethics

After a brief discussion of biblical ethics and moral theory, this course will focus on selected social issues such aseconomic injustice, capital punishment, sexual ethics, ...

REL 375: Faith in Popular Culture

This course will look closely at popular culture where there are images of faith. Students will look at movies and television, listen to music, read ...

REL 378: Christian Education - Teaching The Bible

This course is a study of creative ways to teach the Bible, the relationship of the Bible to Christian education andformation, and the implication and ...

REL 380: The Battle for God - Fundamentalism in Religious Life

This course seeks to understand the cause, the values, and the attraction of fundamentalism in religious life, inparticular stressing its desire to control society’s understanding ...

REL 399: Bioethics (also listed as BIO 399)

This course is designed to explore the complex ethical questions and concerns raised by the technologicaladvancements being made in medicine, genetics, and cybernetics. The role ...

REL 401: History of Christian Thought

This survey of Christian thought from the post-New Testament era through the present compares major theological systems which have emerged within the Christian church. Elements ...

REL 412: Twentieth Century Continental Philosophy

This course is an examination of selected problems in recent philosophical literature such as meaning, perception,knowledge, truth, and freedom. Readings from twentieth-century European philosophers such ...

REL 415: Introduction to Contemporary Theology

This is a study of major Christian doctrines and beliefs from the points of view of three major theological paradigms. The doctrines of Revelation, Scripture, ...

REL 421, 422: Practicum

On-site experience in a local church or church-related institution is jointly supervised by college and congregational or institutional personnel. Prerequisites: Senior status and permission of ...

REL 431: The United Methodist Church History & Beliefs

This course looks at the major historical events and theological positions of the Methodist Church from itsbeginning until the present, along with an overview of ...

REL 440: Religion in America (also listed as HIS 440)

This course is a survey of the American religious experience from the colonial period to the present that focusesupon the various historic forms of Christianity ...

REL 450: The Holocaust in Historical & Theological Perspective

This study of Nazi Germany’s program of ethnic cleansing aimed particularly at Jews from 1939-1945 considersthe causes of the tragedy and its subsequent implications for ...

REL 455: Senior Seminar in Religion and Philosophy

Each person majoring in Religion and Philosophy (not Christian Education or Church Vocations) will completea major research project during the senior year, working with a ...

REL 499: Readings in Specialized Philosophical Topic

Fourth-year students may pursue a systematic reading program, laboratory project, field study, or studio work dealing with a selected issue in the area of religion ...

SOC 211: Principles of Sociology

An introductory study of the science which attempts to describe the origin, growth, structure, and functioning of group life for a better understanding of society ...

SOC 212: Social Problems

This is a study of the nature, scope, and effects of the major social problems and some of the remedial andpreventive measures proposed to alleviate ...