Course Summary

A consideration of spirituality, beginning with its reasonableness, its connection with the sacred, and its actualization

The course is laid out as a journey with stages, organized in five modules: (1) The Concept of Spirituality, (2) A Sense of the Sacred, (3) Spirituality Actualized, (4) A Spiritual Community, and (5) The Spiritual Life.  A quest for authentic spirituality, the course objective is to inspire that longing, inquisitive, searching spirit within to look beyond the physical universe and claim the blessing that spirituality makes available.  3 semester hours of graduate credit.  May not be taken if the student has credit for BRS 16.6.

Credit is awarded following the submission multiple choice exams and certification of completion of reflection exercises.

Resources: A Bible of any translation.

The standard for receiving credit for the course shall be the attainment of the following competencies:

1. Comprehension of Old Testament content, which includes the ability to identify at least 100 Old Testament characters; the ability to identify major geographical sites, the ability to demonstrate acquaintance with the stories, events, content, and/or prophetic discourses in each OT book, and the ability of place leading characters and events in a sequential timeline. 

2. Acquaintance with major issues in the study of the Old Testament, discernment of the assumptions underlying a critical study of the Old Testament, the ability to make informed defensible decisions regarding critical issues, and understanding of how a critical study of the Bible can serve the church

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on each of 3 module examinations. Exam problems are in a multiple choice format.  Forty problems are presented the student from an exam data bank, with a limit of 40 minutes to take an exam.  In the event of a failure to attain 70 percent, the student may retake the exam, but it will present a different set of 40 problems.  A sample problem is given below:

1. The Torah was first described as "Pentateuch" by (A) David, (B) Isaiah, (C) Jesus, (D) Origen.

Resources

The only resource you will need is a Bible.  The New International Version is recommended, because of its readable translation and wide use.  Exam problems use the language and spellings found in this version.  However, if the student has some other English version, this should do fine. 

Course Summary

An introduction to the factual content of the Old Testament

Unless the student holds the B.R.S. degree from NationsUniversity, MRS 001 The Hebrew Scriptures is one of five Foundation courses required for formal admission to the M.R.S. and M.Div. degree programs. 3 semester graduate credits.

MRS 001 is organized in five modules: (1) The Torah, (2) The Former Prophets, (3) The Latter Prophets, (4) The Writings: History, and (5) The Writings: Wisdom and Worship.

Goal: Students will comprehend the message of biblical scripture.

The standard for the course is the attainment of the following competencies:

1. The ability to identify at least 100 Old Testament characters

2. The ability to identify major geographical sites

3. The ability to demonstrate acquaintance with the stories, events, content, and/or prophetic discourses in each OT book

4. The ability to place leading characters and events in a sequential timeline

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on each of 5 module examinations. All exam problems are multiple-choice or true/false. A sample question is given below:

1. A river flowed from the Garden of Eden and divided into this river: (A) Arnon, (B) Jordan, (C) Nile, (D), Tigris.

Course Summary

An introduction to the factual content of the New Testament

Unless the student holds the B.R.S. degree from NationsUniversity, MRS 006 The Greek Scriptures is one of five Foundation courses required for formal admission to the M.R.S. degree program. 3 semester graduate credits, but these may not be included in the 30-credits required for the M.R.S. MRS 001 The Hebrew Scriptures is recommended as prerequisite.

MRS 006 is organized in five modules: (1) The Gospels, (2) Acts of Apostles, (3) The Pauline Epistles, (4) General Epistles and the Apocalypse, and (5) The Epistles--Core Content.

The standard for the course is the attainment of the following competencies:

1. The ability to identify 75 personalities noted in the New Testament

2. The ability to identify major geographical sites

3. A general acquaintance with the content of each New Testament book

4. A general understanding of the overall message of the New Testament

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on each of 5 module examinations. All exam problems are multiple-choice or true/false. A sample question is given below:

1. The teaching of Jesus had its greatest appeal to the (A) Essenes, (B) general public, (C) Pharisees, (D) scribes.

Resources

Course Summary

A synopsis of biblical themes and teaching

The study deals with core Old and New Testament concepts, where God is the center and the initiator of spiritual blessings, which he brings to the world in Jesus Christ. The investigation deals with essential elements of Old and New Testament theological concepts, the relationship of the Old and New Testaments, and the manner in which a Christian can use the Old Testament today. Specific points of interest are the unifying themes relating to the Messiah, the kingdom of God, the end times, and salvation. The course goal is to comprehend the nature of God's involvement with the human family.

It shall be assumed that the student is acquainted with the general content of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The task here is to build upon factual knowledge and analyze the content of Scripture with the view toward understanding the message that these facts are meant to convey.

The course syllabus is broken into three modules: (1) Theological Inquiry, (2) The Divine Encounter, and (3) Salvation, the Church, and Last Things. 3 semester hours of graduate credit.  (Note: Students with credit for MRS 004 and 009 are exempt from this course.  If M 3 is taken after credit is given for 004 and 009, 004 and 009 will be eliminated.)  

After completing this course, the student will be able to

1. Define the nature and processes of systematic theology.

2. Demonstrate how the study of theology can serve the church.

3. Differentiate the nature of the relationship between the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.

4. Formulate the role of Israel in the fulfillment of God's redemptive intention.

5. Evaluate the assumptions underlying interpretative variations in major biblical texts.

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on each of 3 multiple-choice module examinations.

A sample exam problem is given below:

In its pure form, systematic theology is concerned (A) only with exegesis, (B) only with the teachings of the New Testament, (C) with adapting biblical doctrines to new circumstances, (D) with the content of both Old and New Testaments as well as historical interpretations of doctrine.

Resources

Three resource options are available: (1) guided personal research activities in the Bible, (2) Internet readings, and (3) textbook readings.

The research option requires a Bible in the original languages or any translation.

The Internet-sourced option requires access to the Internet, where articles are linked to the syllabus.

The textbook option requires you to obtain the following books:

Cottrell, Jack. The Faith Once for All: Bible Doctrine for Today. Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Co., 2002.

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1998.

Course Summary

The science and skill of exegeting and applying the message of Scripture

Unless the student holds the B.R.S. degree from NationsUniversity, this course is one of five Foundation courses required for formal admission to the M.R.S. degree program.  3 semester graduate credits, but these may not be included in the 30-credits required for the M.R.S.  Recommended prerequisites: MRS 001, MRS 006, and M 3.  (Note: Students with credit for MRS 005 and 010 are exempt from this course.  If M 4 is taken after credit is given for 005 and 010, 005 and 010 will be eliminated.) 

The course introduces the techniques for studying the Old and New Testaments in view of application to current life. It assumes the student has a working knowledge of the nature and content of the Old and New Testaments. The primary task is to determine how select texts of scripture should be studied in order to understand the author's original intent. The study is divided into three modules: (1) The Art of Interpretation, (2) Interpreting the Hebrew Scriptures, and (3) Interpreting the Greek Scriptures.

The standard for receiving credit for the course shall be the attainment of the following competencies:

1. The ability to exegete the biblical text

2. The ability to apply the biblical text to contemporary situations

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on 3 module examinations. Exam problems may be multiple-choice, true/false, or essay. A sample problem is given below:

1. The science of interpreting a text is known as (A) hermeneutics, (B) homiletics, (C) literary criticism, (D) textual criticism

Textbook

1. An understanding of the events that surrounded the formation of the church

2. An ability to discern the essential theological concepts contained in the documents

3. The ability to make responsible application of the content found in New Testament documents

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on each of 3 module examinations. All exam questions are multiple-choice or true/false. A sample problem is given below:

1. A unique characteristic of the God who reveals himself in the New Testament is his (A) distance from mankind, (B) identification with mankind through Jesus, (C) plurality, (D) association with a specific place.

Resources

Course Summary

Applying Critical Thinking in the Study of the Biblical Text

A capstone course, with the goal of measuring the student's ability to demonstrate critical thinking with respect to biblical content and theology through a series of essays. The essays focus on issues that pertain to the biblical text and contemporary concerns. The course is organized in three modules: (1) Authority and Tradition, (2) Text and Message, and (3) Theology and the Modern World. Prerequisites: MRS 622, 001, 006, M 3, M 4, and MRS 540. 3 semester hours of graduate credit.

Credit for the course requires a score of 80 or three sets of essays totaling 18,000 words. A sample essay topic is, "The Christian and the Old Testament."

Resources

The only resource needed is a Bible.