Course Descriptions

Orientation OR-DO

The purpose of this course is to help ensure that the student will begin his or her study program at Master’s with the basic information needed to move successfully toward graduation. For this reason, this course is mandatory of all new students.

Evidence for Biblical Inerrancy EBI-1501

The purpose of this course is too provide the graduate student with an opportunity to examine the internal evidences for the validity of the Bible as its own source of confirmation of Divine inspiration, and to challenge the student to analyze these internal evidences critically and competently.

Advanced Systematic Theology I AST-701

This advanced level course presents the doctoral student with the fundamental issues of Systematic Theology and how these relate to the Bible as a foundation source. In doing so, the course will introduce and expose the student to the study of Christian doctrine within a coherent framework; to enable the student to identify and describe key doctrinal issues; to apply that knowledge in the student's current ministry and to lead the student to analyze carefully the various theological options on key doctrinal issues; to examine those issues in light of her/his own theological stance; to relate doctrinal truths to a coherent system of thought consistent with the student's own faith tradition.

Advanced Systematic Theology II AST-702

This advanced level course presents the doctoral student with specific issues of Systematic Theology as they relate to God and the creation. In doing so, the course will introduce and expose the student to the study of Christian doctrine within a coherent framework; to enable the student to identify and describe key doctrinal issues; to apply that knowledge in the student's current ministry and to lead the student to analyze carefully the various theological options on key doctrinal issues; to examine those issues in light of her/his own theological stance; to relate doctrinal truths to a coherent system of thought consistent with the student's own faith tradition.

Comparative Beliefs CB-1500

This course is designed to introduce students to the worlds’ major religions as they are practiced globally. Study of these major religions will include the origins and teachings, devotional practices, institutions and cultural expressions. Some of the major religions to be covered will include: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Personhood from a Biblical Perspective PH-702

The purpose of this course is to direct the doctoral student to a Biblical foundation for understanding God’s idea for personal self-awareness; to lead the student through a Biblical assessment of the so-called “self-esteem” movement; to compare and analyze the prevailing secular attitude regarding self-esteem over against the Scriptural teachings related to these attitudes; to prepare the student to deal with the issue of self-esteem within a Biblical counseling regime.

The Philosophical Problem of Evil PE-701

The purpose of this course is to introduce and explain the various options in Christian understandings of the problem of evil, and to offer some suggestions for dealing with the problem so that the student will be better equipped to defend the coherence of Christian theism as a viable and tenable worldview against the skeptic's objection to theism based on evil in the world.

Application of Apologetics AAP-701

The purpose of this course is to confront the doctoral student with the requisite issues in the study of Apologetics; to enable the student to identify key terms and describe essential issues of Apologetics and to apply Apologetic methodology to contemporary challenges; to offer the student the opportunity to explore significant challenges to the Christian faith and apologetic responses to those challenges; to examine and analyze the competing truth claims of rival world views.

Biblical Apologetics from a Rabbinical Perspective BA-507 - 3 Credits

Course Purpose: Long before Christianity developed apologetic arguments, Judaism was involved in defending its own understanding of God, Man and the world. But while Christian apologetics typically presents philosophically oriented explanations like the cosmological argument for God’s existence, Jewish apologetics takes a decidedly different approach. Jewish apologetics is far more interested in how to live life under God’s sovereignty than it is in establishing reasons for believing that God exists. Jewish apologetics begins with a different set of presuppositions based not in the authority of reason but in the authority of revelation. In order to understand most of the biblical material concerned with God’s nature and will, it is important to recognize that the Bible does not share the same worldview as a Greek-based rational apologetic. Therefore, an examination of the methodology and objectives of Jewish rabbinic arguments is essential for the exegesis of the Jewish authors of the New Testament. Such an examination reveals the significant differences between our contemporary view of the defense of the faith and the view found in Scripture.

Ministry Practicum DMP-700

The Ministry Practicum presents the doctoral student with an opportunity to develop a comprehensive ministry project consistent with the student’s major area of concentration, and congruent to the ministry setting in which the student currently serves.