Module description
This module starts from the theology of Augustine of Hippo as that which has been formative of the Christian tradition. It explores his characterization of the will, of sin, of grace, and of freedom. The module asks how Christian debates about these topics can shape the way that contemporary societal phenomena, such as capitalism and climate change, are diagnosed and addressed. Are these examples of 'structural sin'? What sort of agency is possible within these contexts?
Assessment details
One 4,000-word essay (100%)
Educational aims & objectives
- To introduce students to key theological debates in the Christian tradition
- To familiarise students with key theological concepts, arguments, and theological texts
- In engagement with modern cultural phenomena, to understand how these theological debates can be resources for contemporary thinking
Learning outcomes
Generic skills
By the end of the module students will be able to
- engage with primary and secondary sources analytically and imaginatively
- summarise and present arguments
- articulate their own arguments in oral and written form
- research, plan and present essays to specified deadlines
Module specific skills
By the end of the module students will:
- be familiar with key debates in the Christian tradition
- understand what is at stake in those debates
- be able to articulate and critically evaluate the reasoning involved in those debates
- creatively apply this reasoning to modern cultural phenomena
Teaching pattern
10 2-hour lectures
Suggested reading list
Recommended preparatory texts are:
- Mike Higton, Christian Doctrine (London: SCM Press, 2008)
- Daniel Migliore, Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology (2nd edn; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004)
- Kathryn Tanner, Jesus, Humanity and the Trinity: A Brief Systematic Theology (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2001)