Cross-Divisional [CD]
CD1613 The Holy Land: Its People, Places and Prayers
An introduction to the history, cultures and peoples of Israel and Palestine. Participants in this course visit places holy to Christians, Jews, and Muslims exploring the biblical texts associated with those places and the opportunities they present for enhancing preaching and teaching. Participants also learn about current geo-political realities in the region, visiting with Palestinians and Israelis and hearing their stories, their struggles and their hopes for the future. The class will include historical and theological reading, reflection and discussion. This course will have a significant cross-cultural learning component.
Full or half course
Electives: Bible, Cross-Divisional, Cultural Context, Justice & Reconciliation
CD1622 United Methodist Polity and Doctrine
An introduction to the institutional nature and functioning of the United Methodist church, its historical development, connectional system, ordination and ministry, legislation, theological contributions and ecumenical relationships.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional
CD1625 African Methodist Episcopal Church History and Polity
An introduction to the history, culture and polity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, including its inception and development, organization and orders for ministry, lay and clergy functions, connectional system, theological history and current issues.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional
CD1626 Gospel and Culture in South Africa
Learn about the situation of the church in South Africa. Explore the working of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Examine the work of South African churches in a multicultural setting and their worship life. Encounter a pluralistic and diverse world as the context of ministry. The group will spend significant time in the Cape Town area, including sharing student housing with students from all over Africa at the University of Stellenbosch, as well as in George working with the Christian Medical Service and Relief and its ministry to those affected by poverty and HIV/Aids.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Cultural Context, Justice & Reconciliation
CD1629 The Early Church and Empire in Roman Asia
An introduction to places, societies, cultures, and commercial networks in which Christian identity was forged, tested, and reasserted during the second half of the first century. Participants in this course travel as a group to western Turkey for over a week to visit archaeological sites associated with the seven churches addressed in the book of Revelation, the ministry of Paul the Apostle, and the chapters of Acts set in the Roman province named Asia. The class also spends time in Istanbul to consider how Christianity’s origins and scriptures equipped churches to participate in imperial realities from positions ranging from powerful to subjugated. Special attention is given to ancient religious and political dynamics that shaped churches’ interactions with their neighbors and efforts to bear public witness to Christ. Learning also involves historical, biblical, and theological reading; reflection on implications for preaching and teaching; and ample discussion during the travel in Turkey. This course includes a cross-cultural learning component.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional
CD1630 Resurrection
This course examines some of the ways that New Testament texts variously portray and interpret Jesus’ resurrection and its implications for Christians, both in the present and future. It also examines the biblical promise of resurrection for us, and of renewal for all creation, in a world to come. The course attends to the literary, historical, and theological dimensions of a range of biblical (and related) texts in order to discern the particular claims they make about resurrection. It also attends to diverse theological voices concerning this central Christian hope. Special attention is given to engaging the theological and practical implications of resurrection for the church and to equipping students to teach, proclaim, and live the reality of resurrection as fundamental to Christian life and ministry.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional
CD1633 God, Evil and Suffering
An examination of ways in which the Bible and the Christian tradition consider evil and suffering and how such consideration informs the task of interpreting and confessing the gospel in the contemporary world. Special attention is given to implications for pastoral reflection.
Full course
Electives: Bible, Cross-Divisional, Justice & Reconciliation
CD1635 Trauma, Theology and Ministry
This course explores the spiritual, emotional, relational, and physiological dimensions of trauma for individuals, families, congregations, and communities. It considers historical, intergenerational, personal, individual, and relational trauma and the impact of those on ministers. It analyzes implications for faithful trauma-informed theological understandings and pastoral care practices.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Justice & Reconciliation, Systematic Theology, MDiv Leadership
CD1639 Law and Gospel
An examination of the theological, biblical and pastoral dimensions of the law-and-gospel distinction and how that distinction informs the task of interpreting and confessing Christ in a changing world. Law and gospel is introduced as a fruitful hermeneutical expectation. The theological, confessional and existential aspects of the law-and-gospel distinction are introduced and examined—including the various uses of the law and the wide range of gospel proclamation. Special attention is given to the complexities of the law/gospel distinction in relation to pastoral ministry.
Full course
Electives: Bible, Cross-Divisional, Justice & Reconciliation
CD1640 Knowing Our Neighbors: Latin America, Meso-American Culture, and the Mission of the Church
The purpose of this course is to explore and learn about the religious, cultural and social roots and background of the Latina/o communities in the US, especially those of Mexican origin, as neighbors with whom God calls us to be in community. This course is intended for learners that seek to gain a multicultural perspective by reflecting anthropologically, socially, and theologically in light of the voices of the marginalized. The course provides cross-cultural opportunities to expand a student’s worldview, theology and ecclesiology. In addition, the course challenges one’s perceptions about global justice, practices of hospitality, and understanding of the church’s mission.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Cultural Context, Ethics, Justice & Reconciliation
CD1643 The Gospel and Global Media Cultures
This course explores the emerging discussion at the intersection of biblical studies, cultural studies, theology, civic engagement and media environments. Students study how interpreting and confessing the gospel informs the narrative identities and practices of missional congregations as they engage their communities and the world as public companions with God in global civil society. Students use at least two digital tools to create their own interpretation and confession of Christian witness.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Justice & Reconciliation
CD1646 Comparative Confessions
This course focuses on doctrinal agreement and disagreement among various representatives of the Christian tradition (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Reformed) through comparison of their confessional documents. We investigate the significance of diverse theological understandings for pastoral practice in pluralistic communities and ecumenical cooperation.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Systematic Theology
CD1648 Faith, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
This course explores how the gospel of Jesus Christ brings forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing to people wherever there is sin, conflict, and suffering. Integrating biblical and theological resources with current interdisciplinary research on forgiveness, the course helps students develop a theological framework and practices for bringing to the fore the importance of forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing in their leadership of Christian communities called to witness to salvation through Jesus Christ and to serve in God’s world.
Prerequisite: SG0401 Thinking Theologically
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Systematic Theology
CD1650 Global Church Immersion: Tanzania
This course will learn about the church of the global south by spending two weeks in Tanzania, learning from and with pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). Students will prepare for the trip by reading about Christianity in sub- Saharan Africa, including issues of biblical interpretation, poverty, prosperity Gospel, evangelism, Christian-Muslim relations, and the history of missionary activity. During the trip, students will engage in regular reflection and conversation and worship with ELCT pastors and members. Students will also write a reflection paper after the trip, exploring theological, biblical, and/or leadership issues facing the church of the global south.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Cultural Context
CD1660 Global Church Immersion: Guatemala and Mexico
This course will learn about the church of the global south by spending two weeks in Mexico and Guatemala.
Full course
Electives: Cross-Divisional, Cultural Context
CD1697 Guided Reading and Research in Cross-Divisional
An independent study for qualified students under the personal supervision of a faculty member. Consult faculty.
Electives: Cross-Divisional
CD6698/8699 Guided Reading and Research in Cross-Divisional
An independent study for students in Advanced Theological Education. Consult faculty within division and Advanced Theological Education Office.
CD6930 Introduction to Research Methods-Part A
An introduction to advanced graduate level research methods commonly found in theological scholarship. Part A is a stand alone course for ThM students and the first part of a two-part course sequence for doctoral students. This course has three primary themes: research fundamentals for theological scholarship, conducting research at Luther Seminary, and contextual self-reflection in preparation for research. Topics include the self of the researcher, contexts of scholarship, professional norms, types of research methods, the research question, advanced research techniques, citation standards, and scholarship ethics. Participants will explore their own scholarly identity as it relates to self, community, the academy, and the church.
Half course