THEOLOGICAL ESSAYS:
For several years in the
90s I undertook an Open Theological College Degree which progressed
almost to diploma level before health problems led me to give up. As I
tell people, I'm a couple of essays short of a diploma.
These essays are some of
the work I did then, just to prove I'm not entirely incapable of
academic research, and in case any of the insights gained might be of
use to someone out there.
Of course, I would never
think for a moment that any theological students would nick the essays
and pass them off as their own work. After all, what does it profit a
man to gain a whole First and lose his soul?
|
THE CREEDS:
◊Why did the
early Church feel it was important to set out the clearly-defined
“confessions” or statements of faith, found in the early creeds?
◊The role of
creeds today
◊KEEPING THE FAITH - Making Sense of the Christian Creeds
A study guide for churches.
THE PSALMS:
◊The
Metaphor of Israel as God’s Flock in the Book of Psalms
◊How useful
is the form-critical categorisation of the psalms into ‘types’?
◊Write
your own psalm, using the poetry, form, theology and composition of Israelite
psalms.
WISDOM LITERATURE:
◊Compare the rival attractions of Lady Wisdom and Dame Folly in
Proverbs 9
◊Prepare a lecture to a conference of Christian GPs and psychologists
on the value of the Book of Job in counselling
LUKE/ACTS:
◊What
is the predominant christological concern of Luke’s Gospel?
◊Why,
according to Luke, was Jesus crucified?
|
◊'Luke
was the first Pentecostalist’. Discuss
◊For
Luke, the mission to the Jews has failed.' Give a critical explanation
and evaluation of this verdict
◊Paul's
apologetic method in Acts
THE EARLY CHURCH:
◊How and why did Christianity win the Roman
Empire?
◊How was the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity formulated?
◊Compare Anselm and Abélard on the work of Christ
◊Dissent before the Reformation
THE REFORMATION:
◊Biography of John Calvin
◊Six
key themes of the Reformation
◊Key
features and contemporary lessons of revival
MISSION:
◊The Meaning of the Kingdom of God and Mission
◊Outline the factors that make communication of the gospel difficult in
the Western context
◊What
is the role of the Church in mission? Illustrate your answer with
reference the work of David Bosch |