REL 232 SURVEY OF COMPARATIVE RELIGIONS
This course will be a comparative study of religions of the world, focusing on their basic concepts, rites, and geographical distribution. (3)
REL 233 OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY
This course is an introduction to the history, culture, and thought of the ancient Near East as a context for understanding the Old Testament with emphasis on the history of Israel. This study will give the students and overview and working knowledge of the thirty-nine books included in the Old Testament canon. (3)
REL 234 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY
In this course we will consider a survey of the history, life, and thought in the Greco-Roman world as a context for understanding the New Testament. This course will give the students an overview of the twenty seven books of the New Testament canon, and provide an understanding of the background of the various authors and their areas of focus in their writings. (3)
REL 235 SURVEY OF CHURCH HISTORY
A study of the development of Christianity from the Apostolic days to the Reformation, covering 33 AD, 1600 AD in the first half of the semester and an overview of Christianity from the Reformation to the 20 th Century in the second part of the semester. (3)
REL 222 HERMANEUTICS
Hermeneutics is the study of the principles of proper interpretation of the Biblical text. Focusing on issues such as historical setting, date of the writing, information about both the author and the audience are essential in finding out what was the authors intent in writing and what did it mean to the hearers of that day. (3)
REL 332 CHRISTIAN ETHICS
The term ethics fundamentally means what we “ought” to do or what we “ought not” do. The Christian worldview has a distinctive perspective on the rightness or wrongness of an act based on the teaching of the Scriptures. This course will explore modern ethical issues through the lenses of the Bible. (3)
REL 231 ORIGINS OF BELIEFS
This course provides a historical and systematic investigation into the roots of faith with special emphasis on the Judeo/Christian belief system. Students will explore how faith develops and in what ways a persons beliefs may impact their behavior. (3)
REL 240 CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
This is a creative study that will deal with the orthodox beliefs of the Christian faith as well as investigate contemporary theological issues of the twenty-first century. Guest lecturers representing a variety of church traditions will also be a part of the learning process. (3)
REL 241 AFRICAN AMERICAN THEOLOGY
A study in Christian Theology from an African and African-American perspective. A focus on the rich contributions of people of African heritage to the development of the Bible and throughout Church History will be highlighted. (3)
REL 242 THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN SCRIPTURE AND CHURCH HISTORY
A systematic study of the contribution and influence that women have made in the development of the Judeo/Christian literature found in Scripture. Students will also explore the rich contribution over the course of Church History and in modern times. (3)REL 343 FUNDAMENTALS OF COUNSELING
This course will assist students to develop some basic counseling skills such as active listening, rapport, and building of relationship with people one might be seeking to assist. This course is particularly important for students who will be involved in careers that require a helping component with the community. Religious insights on helping hurting people will be shared, but will not be the dominating theme of the course. (3)
REL 344 FUNDAMENTALS OF LEADERSHIP
A key to the success of any organization is the quality of leadership displayed at the top. This course will help students to be exposed to a number of principles and models of leadership, both religious and secular, that will equip them not only to be members of quality teams, but also to fulfill leadership roles in their chosen field. (3)
REL 346 HOMILETICS I
This course is the introduction to the study of the art and science of preaching. In this first of a two part course, students will study the background of preaching. They will learn of the various types of introductions, conclusions, the effective use of illustrations and the various distinctive types of sermon and their usage. (3)
REL 421 HOMILETICS II
The second in a two part course in the art and science of preaching will assist students in both the development of sermon outlines and also the opportunity to present in class various types of sermons. Students will be graded on a number of key factors necessary for good communication including eye contact, voice fluctuation, natural movement, and clarity of thought. (3)
REL 422 FIELD EXPERIENCE I
The Field Experience I course is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to interact in the local church community and to learn by observation, interaction, reading, and the development of a portfolio. The student will observe the function of the local church at its various levels including ministry to children, youth, men, women, and the elderly. Learning about church structure and board governance will also be required. At the end of the course they will also have had opportunity to apply their skills in a supervised setting by either a teaching or preaching presentation. The student must document 80 hours of involvement in this experience. (6)
REL 423 FIELD EXPERIENCE II
The Field Experience II course is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to apply some of the skills they have been learning in previous classes. These skills will include teaching a Bible study, preaching a sermon, counseling a person in need, and being a part of a church committee meeting. The students must document 80 hours of involvement in this experience. (6)
REL 345 CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
This course is designed to introduce church workers to the basic principles related to the nature, structure and function of the church and to teach them the practical knowledge and skills necessary for the local church to effectively carry out its roles in the areas of ministry, administration, and education. (3)
REL 333 WORLD MISSIONS
This course will investigate the history and motivation for Christian mission worldwide. It will investigate the fact that some people regard missions as the imposition of Western culture and the extension of North American denominationalism. Others view missions as a religious cover for the spread of political influence or as a massive welfare program for developing nations. Still another group equates missions with "civilizing" primitive peoples, a carry-over from a colonial concept which assumed Western ways were best for everyone. Students will examine these in search of the truth.
Department of Philosophy and Religion
