Core Curriculum

• Core Curriculum

• THL 501: Introduction to Theological Research
• 2

This course will examine the essential methods and resources for the academic study of theology with attention given to research methods for projects that do not require an academic thesis. Procedures for identifying, proposing, researching, organizing, writing, and defending the thesis or project will be covered as students are guided in beginning their research.

• THL 504: Survey of Historical Theology
• 3

This course will give an introduction to historical theology and a survey of the development of the theological formulations of the church with an emphasis on "challenges to orthodoxy" laid upon the church at various times and the role such events played in the church's confessional responses to enhance the student's understanding of the church's theological and doctrinal tasks today.

• 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 will be discussed in this course in terms of their historical setting and theological content along with the relationship of the Confessions to Scripture and the confessional application of their teaching in the context of the 21st century.

OR

• THL 511: Creeds and Confessions
• 3

Through a study of the major confessions of the Christian church, this course will center on the Ecumenical Creeds and the Book of Concord as other confessional documents will be 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. Students seeking ministry certification in The Lutheran Church―Missouri Synod (LCMS) should take THL 510 instead of this course.

• THL 528: Seminar in Biblical Theology and Exegesis
• 3

This seminar course will cover the Canon, inspiration of Scripture, and major themes in the Old and New Testaments using appropriate exegetical methods for interpreting various literary genres within the Bible.

OR

• THL 529: Lutheran Hermeneutics and the Theology of Scripture
• 3

This course will study the Lutheran understanding of the nature of Scripture followed by an examination of its major themes with an emphasis on interpretive principles (e.g., Law and Gospel) for use in congregational ministry.

• THL 565: Christianity, Ethics and Contemporary Culture
• 3

This course will explore morality and ethics in light of scriptural teachings concerning creation and redemption as students are oriented to the main approaches, both traditional and contemporary, of non-biblical philosophical ethics and 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 as students pursue an ethics research project tailored to their overall master's program.

• THL 573: Systematic Doctrinal Theology
• 3

In this course students will pursue graduate-level study of systematic doctrinal theology from a biblical perspective through the survey of loci, i.e., the topics, of doctrinal theology, and consider the nature and task of theological reflection; responsibilities and qualities of a theologian; and key topics in theological reflection such 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.

• Choose 1 of the following emphases
• 15-45 Units

• Total Units
• 32-62 Units