214 PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Principles and objectives of religious education as related to curriculum, leadership training, church agencies and parochial education. Offered spring semester, even years.

220 TAKING HUMAN LIFE

This course deals with the questions of whether it is permissible to take human life and if so, what the conditions might be that warrant or limit such behavior. It examines the issues of euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment, suicide, and warfare from literary, philosophical, social scientific, and religious perspectives, mainly from the Judeo-Christian viewpoint. Meets Tier II credit for humanities.

301 TOPICS IN RELIGION: SPIRITUALITY

This course focuses on various approaches to spirituality and the practice of spiritual disciplines within the Christian tradition.   Alternating between theory and practice, students will learn about essential issues in Christian spirituality as they develop their own spiritual experiences. There are no prerequisites for the course; however some previous knowledge of the Bible or Christian theology will be helpful.

301 TOPICS IN RELIGION: CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP

The worship of God is an essential component of the Christian faith. This course provides an introduction into the persons, practice and purpose of Christian Worship. Students will explore these through the avenues of biblical scholarship, theological reflection, historical analysis and sacred rituals. This class seeks to open the hearts and mind of its participants to the relationship between God and humans through Christian worship. The course will consist of lectures, readings, group projects and participation in various Christian worship expressions.

301 TOPICS IN RELIGION: ECCLESIOLOGY - THE CHURCH PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

What is the Church and what should it do? This course probes the identity, mission, development and phenomenon of the Christian Church from Pentecost to the present particularly as it has related to western culture.  Characteristics of the contemporary western Church and recent movements in U.S. ecclesiology (the missional church, the emerging church, the ecumenical movement, evangelical neo-orthodoxy) are critically examined.  Students will seek to understand and engage with different ecclesiologies and the ways these have led Christians to incarnate their faith.

301 TOPICS IN RELIGION:  CHRISTIANITY IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

Explores historical paradigms of worldwide Christian mission and examines characteristics of the contemporary Christian church in various global contexts.  The relationship between gospel and culture is a central theme.  Theological issues in contemporary missiology (the absolute claim of Christianity, interreligious cooperation, globalization, fundamentalisms) and in practical theology (ecclesiology, changing dominance patterns of Christianity, environmental, social, and economic justice) are considered.

Emphasis is placed on the characteristics of youth, the understanding of youths problems and their implications for the work of the church. Programs, leadership, materials, trends and organization of youth work within and related to the church are thoroughly examined. Offered fall semester, odd years.

350 DEATH AND DYING

A multi-disciplinary exploration divided into three parts:

1. The awareness of the concept of death in culture and personal experience; 2. Theological and philosophical perspectives on death; 3. Practical considerations in dealing with death and dying, such as grief, care of the dying person, mourning and funeral practices, and medical and legal questions concerning definitions of death.

497  RELIGION THESIS SEMINAR

Prerequisite: REL 106 and junior or senior status.

Designed to give religion majors a guided opportunity to research and write a paper on a topic of interest in their area of concentration.

452 SEMINARY COURSE IN PRACTICAL THEOLOGY

An Ashland Theological Seminary course in Christian ministry or practical theology. May be repeated once for a different topic.