Foundational Courses Descriptions
Orientation OR-MA
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.
Biblical Inspiration Translation & Hermeneutics ITH-1510
Course Purpose: To introduce and expose the student to the basic elements of biblical inspiration, translation and hermeneutics; to encourage the student to identify and describe some of the primary shortcomings in many modern English translations; to extend the student’s ability to exegete carefully and accurately any passage of Scripture the Lord may lead him or her to minister from, and to suggest certain helps to make the process more successful; to help the student to apply such knowledge to his or her current ministry.
Old Testament Synthesis OT-501
The purpose of this course is to present and expose the student to deeper study of the Old Testament as a whole; to enable the student to recognize and interpret individual characters, the purpose and theme of each Old Testament book and the relation of the Old Testament to the New Testament; to apply that knowledge in the student’s ministry and to lead the student to examine carefully the various interpretive options in Old Testament studies.
New Testament Synthesis NT-501
The purpose of this course is to present and expose the student to deeper study of the New Testament as a whole; to enable the student to recognize and interpret individual characters, the purpose and theme of each New Testament book and the relation of the Old Testament to the New Testament; to apply that knowledge in the student’s ministry and to lead the student to examine carefully the various interpretive options in New Testament studies.
Biblical Apologetics BA-501
Course Purpose: The purpose of this course is to develop the student’s understanding of 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.
Systematic Theology I STH-501
This advanced level course presents the student with the fundamental issues of Systematic Theology and how these relate to the Bible as a foundational source.
Systematic Theology II STH-501
This advanced level course presents the student with specific issues of Systematic Theology as they relate to God and the creation.
Creation Concentration Course Descriptions
Biblical Truth and Worldview Conflicts BTWC-1510
Course Purpose: This multidisciplinary apologetics course considers how our big-picture "worldview" concepts of ultimate realities, including God, the world, life, death, our own origins and destinies, and concepts of meaning and value (truth vs. falsity, right vs. wrong, good vs. bad, valuable vs. worthless) are tied to our beliefs about which information is foundationally true and reliable. Various worldview elements are examined, theistic vs. atheistic, creationist vs. evolutionary, Biblical vs. humanist, and eternal perspectives vs. temporal perspectives. Critical issues regarding cosmic and human origins are specially analyzed, based upon Scripture-provided truth (especially Genesis), including the age of the earth, the original and renewed Dominion Mandate, and the laws of life and death. The crucial and unique authority of the Holy Bible is emphasized, with attention to how the Scriptures.
Basic Studies in Biblical Beginnings BSBB-1520
Course Purpose: This multidisciplinary apologetics course examines an overview of Biblical beginnings, including Creation Week (with special attention to the creation of Adam and Eve), mankind's temptation and fall in the Garden of Eden, conditions in the world before the Flood, highlights of the worldwide Flood and its aftermath, the early history of Noah's family and their descendants after the Flood (including the division of languages at Babel), and God's program of redemptive grace (or judgment) for fallen humanity. The importance of natural and special revelation, provided by God, is carefully investigated, with attention to the theological importance of human life and death. This course specially emphasizes the Biblical model of Earth's creation and its catastrophic past, in contrast to evolutionary and uniformitarian myths used to explain Earth’s origins.
Basic Apologetics of Heaven and Earth BAHE-1530
Course Purpose: This multidisciplinary apologetics course considers our physical world and its elements, as well as the majestic heavens beyond. Special attention is given to how observation-based data, analyzed by astronomy, physics, and the geosciences (geology, ocean science, meteorology, climatology, and the like) provide Bible-corroborating natural revelation, declaring the glory of God. The multifaceted evidence of God's providential care for mankind (the so-called anthropic principle) is examined as a proof of God’s creatorship and providence, clearly seen in God's continuing care for mankind's physical needs, being facilitated by features of the sun, moon, and physical processes on the earth (such as the water cycle). When analyzing the heavens and the earth (including its past history), special attention is given to the value of logic, the forensic nature of historic origins, the fossil record, evidences of the global Flood, common assumptions used to measure the unobservable past (such as radiometric dating assumptions), and to why the evolutionary Big Bang theory is false.
Basic Apologetics of Living Creatures BALC-1540
Course Purpose: This multidisciplinary apologetics course considers the amazing origins and diversity of life on earth, including mankind, animals, plants, and microorganisms. The Bible’s distinction between creatures with or without a nephesh is clarified, especially as this relates to how there was no death before Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. The purposeful design and activities of living things (humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms) are analyzed, including the proof of providential programming in DNA, RNA, and other biomolecules used by the informational systems inherent in all living creatures. The Scriptural categorization of created “kinds” (defined by genetic potential for breedability) is contrasted with evolutionary taxonomy concepts (such as “missing links” and “species”) defined apart from breedability. The indispensable elements and dynamics of biochemical information transfer, as well as kind-limited reproduction, found in all living creatures, are analyzed. Attention is given to how the Scriptures compare the Bible’s own textual information and transmission with the informational and reproductive traits of living seeds (including the seeds of humans, animals, and plants). "Natural selection", an evolutionist phrase, is shown to be an example of "bait and switch" terminology that both bluffs (as if "nature" was a substitute for God the Creator) and confuses (because inanimate "nature" cannot "select").
Mankind’s Social Dynamics After Eden MSDE-1550
Course Purpose: This multidisciplinary apologetics course considers Biblical stewardship obligations that mankind has been charged with, especially as those have been particularized after the Flood. Various social relationships, obligations, and dynamics are examined, with special attention to the social aspects of education, investigation of creation (including scientific discovery and research), technology, commerce, political systems, and legal enforcement of social obligations. The social dichotomy between believer and unbeliever is analyzed, including the historic pattern of religious persecution (of believers by unbelievers), beginning with the example of Cain murdering Abel. The contrast between the rule of law and arbitrary political power is analyzed, with special attention to how the theory of evolution has impacted legal education and legal process. This course also investigates the historic interplay between politics relevant to the Genesis Mandate, and politics relevant to the Great Commission. True education is defined as the careful transmission of God-provided truth to learners. Biblical principles and practices of education are examined, using key Scriptures in the Old and New Testaments.