Curriculum

The Master of Arts in Theology degree is designed to stand alone for research and education or as an entry point for Ph.D. programs at other major universities or graduate schools in the United States and Europe. The Master’s degree requires 31 semester units for completion.

Throughout the program students are taught and mentored by scholar/teachers committed to the Christian Church’s Creeds, to life in Christ’s Church, and to the life of the intellect. The goal is to achieve faithful excellence in church and in society.

Core Curriculum

Ordinarily, core courses are taken as regular seminars during the semester. In some cases a course seminar requirement may be satisfied by a course substitute (including guided readings) or by transfer credit. Ordinarily no more than one core requirement can be satisfied in this way.

Emphases

The 16 units required in the Core Curriculum combine with one of the following 15-unit emphases.

Research in Theology

The Research in Theology emphasis invites students into an ongoing life of theological research and scholarship in a wide variety of theological issues and topics.

*Subject TBA; may be repeated.
**Elective courses may be chosen from Theology graduate offerings TBA in consultation with faculty advisor.

Theology and Culture

The emphasis in Theology and Culture invites students into an engagement with the diverse and rich ethnic and cultural heritages so evident in the Pacific Southwest. Students study alongside colleagues from Latino, African, Pacific Rim, Middle Eastern and Anglo cultures. The Theology and Culture curriculum also serves as part of the Pastor Certification program. This program in the Cross Cultural Ministry Center is offered in cooperation with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

Youth Ministry

Christian Education Leadership

Course Descriptions

THL 501: Introduction to Research (1): Foundational course in Masters level theological research. Examines the essential methods and resources for the academic study of theology. Attention will also be paid to research methods for projects in programs that do not require an academic thesis. Covers procedures for identifying, proposing, researching, organizing, writing, and defending the Masters thesis or project. Students will be guided in beginning their research projects.

THL 502: Ministry in Cultural Context (3): This course utilizes a sociological/anthropological framework to examine religious systems. The students will investigate the impact of social and cultural processes on the expression of faith with the goal of increasing the students’ effectiveness in ministering to people from a variety of cultures.

THL 503: Multicultural Ministry in Urban Context (3): The various methods of church planting will be examined within their biblical, cultural, denominational contexts to determine the most functional methods to use when developing a ministry in a multicultural, urban context. Factors such as urbanization, poverty, crime, education, economic stratification, etc. will be examined as they pertain to the development of an effective congregation in an urban community.

THL 504: A Survey of Historical Theology (3): An introduction to historical theology and a survey of the development of the theological formulations of the church. Special emphasis will be placed on “challenges to orthodoxy” laid upon the church at various times, and the role such events played in the church’s confessional responses. These will be examined to enhance understanding of the church’s theological and doctrinal tasks today.

THL 505: Polity, Leadership & Team Ministry (3): A detailed examination of the polity of the Lutheran church and its relationship to leadership development and team ministry in the congregational setting. Using lecture and case studies, this course will biblically examine the history of LCMS polity as well as the various models that are being utilized today in various parish situations.

THL 510: Lutheran Confessions (3): A study of the Augsburg Confession, The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Large and Small Catechisms, The Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope and the Formula of Concord in terms of their historical setting and their theological content. Explores the relationship of the Confessions to the Scripture, and the confessional application of their teaching in the 21^st century context.

THL 511: Creeds & Confessions (3): A study of major confessions of the Christian Church. This course centers on the Ecumenical Creeds and the Book of Concord. Other confessional documents are considered in relationship to these confessional statements. The historical setting and theological content of these documents will be explored along with their contemporary use and application. (Note: students seeking ministry certification in the Lutheran Church―Missouri Synod take Thl 510 instead of this class.)

THL 521: World Religions (3): A survey of the world’s major, non-Christian religions including origin and development, sacred writings, major motifs, belief patterns, ritual and worship, social patterns and ethics. Special attention will be given to the similarities and differences between these and the Christian faith, especially in the context of the multi-religious communities of 21^st century America.

THL 528: Seminar in Biblical Theology & Exegetical Method (3): A seminar covering the Canon and Inspiration of Scripture, as well as major themes which run through the Old and New Testaments. Appropriate exegetical methods for interpreting various literary genres within the Bible will also be engaged.

THL 529: Lutheran Hermeneutics and the Theology of Scripture (3): An intensive study of the Lutheran understanding of the nature of Scripture, followed by an examination of its major themes with special emphasis on interpretive principles (e.g., Law and Gospel) for use in congregational ministry.

THL 530: The Reformation Era (3): An introduction to the social, political, and intellectual context of the various sixteenth-century reformations of the church of Europe as well as the events, ideas, and implications of these reform movements. Attention will be given to both the “magisterial” and “radical” Protestant reformations as well as the Catholic reformation.

THL 536: Renaissance and Reformation (3): The renaissance throughout Europe and the various religious movements associated with the reformation are studied in relation to the general history of the 14^th to the 17^th centuries, including developments in science, music, art, literature and the humanities.

THL 540: Entrepreneurial Mission Planting (3): Explores business and entrepreneurial methods as they apply to church planters and new mission starts. Practical emphasis upon understanding entrepreneurial leadership, team ministry, learning from success, dealing with risk, reaching new people, developing marketing materials, financial planning and cash flow, and balancing a busy life will be presented by guest lecturers experienced in entrepreneurial church leadership.

THL 541: Mission Planning Institute & Developing Mission Planters (3): This course will provide the student with the resources and techniques for designing, writing and implementing a mission plan to be used for planting a new ministry. Students will have the opportunity to develop a mission statement, core values, vision, and strategies for a mission plant. Missiology, cross-cultural ministry, evangelistic preaching, and entrepreneurial leadership will also be explored. A detailed written mission plan for a specific ministry site will be required for completion of this course.

THL 565: Seminar in Christianity, Ethics and Contemporary Culture (3): An exploration of morality and ethics in the light of Scriptural teaching concerning both creation and redemption. Seminar participants will be oriented to the main approaches, both traditional and contemporary, of non-biblical philosophical ethics and will study how Christian faith interacts with these approaches. The significance for ethics of the Lutheran Confessional distinction between God’s left and right hand rule will be explored in depth. Seminar participants will pursue a research project in ethics tailored to the overall emphasis the student is pursuing in the M.A. program.

THL 573: Systematic Doctrinal Theology (3): Instructor and students will pursue graduate-level study of systematic doctrinal theology in biblical perspective. The course surveys the loci, i.e. the topics, of doctrinal theology. In the process we will consider the nature and task of theological reflection; the responsibilities and qualities of a theologian; and such key topics in theological reflection as the Person and Work of Christ, Justification, Law and Gospel, the Trinity, Creation, the Word of God, the Last Things, Christian Vocation, and the life of the Christian Church. Special attention will be given to recognizing and characterizing the church-related context in which and for which theology is undertaken. Our exciting and demanding task is to focus in every class session on theology that will serve the Church, the Body of Christ.

THL 590: Guided Readings (3): The objectives for this course are determined by the student and a faculty mentor in light of the student’s overall background and particular plans for research in theology. Under the direction of the mentor the student develops a bibliography and reading list for guided independent reading in theology. The student demonstrates significant progress in acquaintance with and understanding of the literature. (May be repeated.)

THL 591: Colloquium in Theology (3): Seminar course in advanced theological research. Topics addressed will vary, and may include subjects from various theological disciplines (Exegetical, Systematic, Historical, and Practical Theology) and various time periods. Students will actively participate in determining the direction of this course as they research and present theological topics under the guidance of the instructor. (May be repeated.)

THL 595: Thesis I (3): The student develops a research project or thesis under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

THL 596: Thesis II (3): The student works toward completion of the research project or thesis under the guidance of a faculty mentor. (Can be repeated once if needed.)

TEXO 507: Old Testament Isagogics (3): Introductory treatment of the Torah, the Prophets, the Historical Books and the Writings. The history of Israel is surveyed and each book studied in the light of this historical background. Emphasis is placed on the content, form and composition, theological motifs, and relevance of the materials contained in the same.

TEXO 510: Old Testament Book Option (3): A major Old Testament book is studied in detail to uncover sermonic and Bible study concepts for communication.

TEXN 508: Paul’s Prison Epistles, the Pastoral Epistles, General Epistles, and Hebrews (3): The course offers a comprehensive overview of all isagogical information concerning Paul’s Prison Epistles, the Pastoral Epistles, the General Epistles, and Hebrews. Individual books will also be selected for in-depth translation and application. Particular attention will be paid to the pastoral and church related issues proclaimed in the epistles towards a practical competency of leading a congregation in the ethnic, multi-cultural context of modern pastoral mission work.

TEXN 510: The Synoptic Gospels and Acts (3): The course offers a comprehensive overview of all isagogical information concerning the Synoptic Gospels and Acts. An individual Gospel will also be selected and translated in the course. Focus will be on the theological meaning and emphasis of a particular Gospel and its modern application.

TEXN 520: The Pauline Epistles (3): The course offers a comprehensive overview of the Pauline corpus (excluding the Prison Epistles and the Pastorals) as well as an in-depth study of correspondence with one of the congregations. Inspection of the literary, cultural and structural issues of this correspondence will be a major feature of the course. Major attention will be paid to the theological content and meaning of this correspondence with suggested applications for contemporary issues.

TEXN 532: The Johannine Corpus (3): The course offers a comprehensive overview of the Johannine Corpus as well as an in-depth study of one of the books. Literary genre, exegetical and interpretational issues will be examined as to how they enhance one’s understanding of the book.