What do Christians Believe? An Introduction to Theology

Adult Sunday School Class Offered by
     Trinity Episcopal Church
        509 West Pine Street
        Hattiesburg, MS 39401
        601-544-5551

What do Christians Really Believe?
An Introduction to Systematic Theology

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What Do Christians Really Believe?
An Introduction to Systematic Theology

A class assembled and taught by The Rev. Bill Stroop, Ph.D., Rector
Trinity Episcopal Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Adult Sunday School Class, February - April 2008

This is a class designed to explore some of the basic questions that all human beings ask about themselves and the universe. We will explore fundamental questions such as how do we know God exists? What are some of the models of creation? What is evil? Did God create evil? Who is Jesus? What does Jesus' death have to do with salvation? What is the resurrection? There are two goals of the class. First, to explore these basic questions of faith from a Christian perspective (Christian theology). Second, to provide tools so that as Christians we can articulate our faith to people of other denominations and faiths alike (Christian apologetics).

The class notes are Adobe *.pdf files. Additional materials, such as overheads, handouts, etc., will be provided in class. Download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader™ if you need to.

Although there is no text for this class, two books are recommended:

Daniel L. Miglore. Faith Seeking Understanding: An Instroduction of Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991.
H. Wayne House. Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House-Harper Collins Publishers, 1992.

The Class Schedule
(click on class number to view the notes):

February 24, 2008	Class 1	How do we know God exists? Can Christians proove the existence of God to a Non-Christian How can a rational person in the 21st century still believe in a divine being that created all things? How might a Christian convince a peson of such rational thought that God exists?
March 16, 2008	Class 2	The providence of God and the mystery of evil
March 23, 2008	Class 3	The Trinity What are unitarianism, Sabellianism, Tritheism? What are Ebionism, Docetism, Arianism, Nestorianism? Do these "-isms" still exist today? What can these "-isms" tell us about our own faith?
April 6, 2008	Class 4	Views of Jesus as seen from the pre-crucifixion perspective
April 13, 2008	Class 5	Jesus and the atonement. Views of Jesus as seen from the post-resurrection perspective. What does it mean to say that Jesus died for our sins?
April 20, 2008	Class 6	What exactly was/is the resurrection?
April 27, 2008	Class 7	What is "church?" What is the nature of the relationship between Christ and the church? What are the classical marks of the church? What are the sacraments and what do they mean?

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