The course gives you an introduction to Christian dogmatics and ethics. The different dogmatic themes are presented separately. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating how they can be justified in the Bible. The course also explains the interrelatedness of the different dogmatic themes. Key themes are the doctrine of revelation, the teaching on God, the fall and salvation, the church and the 20 means of grace. The course also provides you with knowledge of different interpretations and denominational views on some dogmatic themes.
The course also introduces you to Christian ethics. You are going to get knowledge of the Biblical foundation for Christian ethics. Central themes are the value of man and themes related to family and society. The course also provides you with knowledge of the relation between Christian ethics and general ethics.
Teaching amounts to 48 hours of classroom instruction (24 hours in Christian dogmatics and 24 hours in Christian ethics) and is mainly given through lectures and/or seminars. The classroom experience aims to stimulate you to independent reflection.
Knowledge
The students have:
- knowledge of the core beliefs in the Christian faith and their biblical warrant /how they can be justified in the Bible.
- knowledge of how the core beliefs in the Christian faith are interrelated.
- knowledge of some of the most important interpretations of the core beliefs in the Christian faith and how these are expressed in different denominations.
- knowledge of main topics in Christian ethics.
- knowledge of opinions on the relation between general ethics and Christian ethics.
- knowledge of the ethical material in the Bible.
Skills
The students can:
- argue for their views on dogmatic and ethical issues and justify them.
- reflect critically on their understanding of the Christian faith and ethics.
- Increase their knowledge of the Christian faith and ethics.
- plan and carry out teaching sessions about the Christian faith and ethics in different contexts.
- develop ethical arguments on different issues (cases).
To be eligible for final assessment you must:
- Attend a minimum of 70 % of the lectures (cf. chap. 5.5)
Students who don’t complete the attendance requirement, must retake the course the next time it is offered.
*See the document “Attendance Regulations for Fjellhaug International University College” for more details.
All course requirements and exams are individual and are submitted digitally.
Course Requirements:
To receive final assessment, you must:
- Submit two papers – one on dogmatics and one on ethics. Deadline for submission is given at the start of the semester but notice that the requirements must be fulfilled not later than two weeks before the exam date.
Final Assessment:
| Form of assessment | Duration | Grading scale |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Exam | 15 minutes | A-F |
Final assessment is based on the written exam. The course and written exam will be graded A-E for pass and F for fail.
Some readings are available digitally on the school’s learning management system (LMS) and are marked with *.
Dogmatics:
Gregory A. Boyd, Paul R. Eddy (2009, 2nd Edition): Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, pp. 145-248. (103 pp.)
Hegstad, Harald (2018): God, the World, and Hope. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers.
Ethics:
Rae, Scott (2009): Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics (4th Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
Stott, John (2006): Issues Facing Christianity Today. (4th Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, pp. 23-70, 442-499.
