Doctrine: The Shape of the Course

I. Prologue
  • In pairs for the sake of time, answer the following questions:
    • Briefly, what are you grateful for?
    • Briefly, what are you struggling with?
    • Read 2 Peter 1:2–12 together.
    • Try to summarize its main point.
    • What does it teach us about God, God's qualities, and God's purpose?
    • What does it teach us about people, including ourselves?
    • What concrete action will you take before our next class meeting to obey (observe, apply, practice) what you have learned?
    • With whom specifically will you share what you've learned? (or) Whom will you bless because of what you learned?
  • Prayer
II. Application
  • 2 Peter 1 points to key findings and features of Christian doctrine:
    • "The saying is worthy" (1 Tim 1:15, 4:9): All valid theology comes from knowing God, so we will prioritize that.
    • What God is doing aligns again and again with what God has done, shown in the scriptures of Israel (the Old Testament) and Jesus' apostolic church (the New Testament). So we will practice relying on scripture to know God and ourselves and to test and guide church teachings.
  • Typical course structures reflect a traditional model of learnéd Christian life and thought that is struggling.
  • Fruitful movements across the world are 'fresh wineskins' for theology, so our structure adopts key features (Paul Hueghebaert):
    • mission clarity
      (God's will drives mission drives disciple-making drives movement drives theology),
    • spiritual breathing rather than acquiring mere knowledge
      (hearing and doing the Word),
    • growing relationship with God in radical dependence on the Holy Spirit rather than 'flesh'
      (so multiplying extraordinary prayer, etc.),
    • discovery in scripture as the main curriculum (supplemented by theological milestones),
    • relational learning: disciple-makers make disciple-makers by MAWLing
      (so squads & leaders, duckling discipleship, five-fingers people, people of peace, new groups, and more), and
    • structural multiplication rather than growth by addition
      (rabbits before elephants).
III. Structure
  • Our online syllabus sketches a trail, but also a route through basic skills for theological formation:
    • We work primarily through scripture, often in squads (Eccl 4:9–12), in and out of class, and you act on what you learn. Discipline yourselves and one another!
    • We share what we learn to bless others. Be a giver, not a hoarder!
    • We mentor others as fellow 'duckling disciples' and groups that multiply. Be bold, not timid!
    • The course honors your freedom to choose written exercises, an additional book, longer lectures, and even scripture 'story sets' best suited to you. Take initiative and personalize the course!
  • Our class time features active learning and concluding mini-lectures on mature theological topics.
  • 'Homework' alone and with others is critical, processing the raw material for class time.
    • Key practices include prayer, SOAPS Bible study (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer, Sharing) and Discovery Bible Studies (DBSs) on key passages, and duckling discipleship. Make these lasting habits and pass them on!
    • Patrick Robertson's and David Watson's The Father Glorified: True Stories of God's Power through Ordinary People shows how millions of people are meeting God and learning 'theology' in the Global South and USA through the practices we're learning.
    • Lesslie Newbigin's Walk through the Bible introduces the OT and NT theological narrative, and refreshes memories for those who took one course or both.
    • Choose from recorded lectures on mature theological topics on YouTube to see how the church's thinking developed in earlier contexts (speed them up, and block ads!).
  • Why stress basic skills? FDNY firefighter Kevin Shea (WTC 1993): "when you master the basic moves, they become advanced."
  • Grading reflects (I hope) your overall performance and strengths, rather than your ability to "hack bad tests." Put grades in their rightful place in 'the collegiate value paradox.' (More on that later this week.)
    • (Canvas will just be for announcements, files such as shorter readings, and submitting written exercises, not for calculating your grades.)
  • Our schedule plots out the course's various tasks.
    • Feel free to schedule an office hour visit (one-on-one or as a group).
    • All take a graded midterm and final.
  • All of this aims to guide and encourage you along 'the Way,' or at least show it to you, so you can guide and encourage others who will do so in turn.