Systematic Theology I

This course is the first semester of a two-semester introduction to Christian theology. Beginning with the meaning of religious faith, we move into the "method" question of the relation between divine revelation and the authority of scripture, human reason and experience. From there, we investigate the meaning of "God" using ancient and contemporary Trinitarian theology; feminist theologies; African-American theology; and Asian theologies. We conclude with differing understandings of creation, and God's relationship to human suffering. Three exams (with option of substituting papers for exams).