Course syllabus

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Welcome to the Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion

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RT2319 Reformation Theology
Welcome to the course!  On this homepage, you can find general information about the course, such as syllabus and reading list.

Note: In accordance with government and university recommendations, all work for this course will be done online. 

 

CLASS AND READING SCHEDULE

Week 1 (begins 23 March) -- Introduction

Introduce yourself in the course discussion forum entitled 'Week 1 -- Introductions'.  Watch introductory lecture, posted under ’Files’ by Wednesday 25 March.  Complete the required reading and the writing assignment for week 3 seminar.  Your reading response assignment for the week 3 seminar is to be posted in the discussion forum in Canvas by midnight on Sunday, 5 April. 

                     

Week 3 (begins 6 April) – Justification

Readings:

(1) Catholic perspective:

Aquinas, Summa Theologia, IaIIae, questions 109 and 113

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2109.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2113.htm 

Council of Trent, Session 6: Decree on justification

https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/trent/sixth-session.htm

(2) Lutheran perspective:

Luther, ’Two Kinds of Righteousness’, posted in Canvas under ’Files’ 

Augsburg Confession, Article IV, Of Justification — Defense

http://bookofconcord.org/defense_4_justification.php#article4

(3) Reformed perspective:

Calvin, Institutes, Book Three, chapters 11, 13, 14 — pdf posted under ’Files’, open source from ccel.org

Westminster Confession, Chapter 11, Of Justification

https://opc.org/wcf.html#Chapter_11

Assignment: Post reading response assignment in the discussion forum on Canvas by midnight on Sunday, 5 April. Complete seminar discussion by posting *at least* four comments engaging with other students by midnight on Sunday 19 April.

 

Week 5 (begins 20 April) – Faith

Readings:

(1) Catholic perspective:

Aquinas, Summa Theologia, IIaIIae, questions 2, 6 and 7

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3002.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3006.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3007.htm

(2) Lutheran perspective:

Luther, Excerpt from Commentary on Galatians, posted in Canvas under ’Files’

Formula of Concord, Epitome and Solid Declaration, Article 3 — The Righteousness of Faith

http://bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#III.%20The%20Righteousness%20of%20Faith%20Before%20God.

http://bookofconcord.org/sd-righteousness.php

(3) Reformed perspective:

Calvin, Institutes, Book 3, Chapter 2

Westminster Confession, Chapter 14, Of Saving Faith

https://opc.org/wcf.html#Chapter_14

Assignment: Post reading response assignment in the discussion forum on Canvas by midnight on Sunday, 19 April.  Complete seminar discussion by posting *at least* four comments engaging with other students by midnight on Sunday, 3 May.

 

Week 7 (begins 4 May) – Law and works

Reading:

(1) Catholic perspective:

Aquinas, Summa Theologia, questions 91, 98, 106, 107

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2091.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2098.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2106.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2107.htm

(2) Lutheran Perspective:

Luther, Excerpt from Commentary on Galatians, posted in Canvas under ’Files’ 

Formula of Concord, Epitome and Solid Declaration, articles 4-6, Good Works, Law and Gospel, Third Use of the law

http://bookofconcord.org/fc-ep.php#IV.%20Good%20Works. — scroll down for articles 5 and 6

http://bookofconcord.org/sd-goodworks.php

http://bookofconcord.org/sd-lawandgospel.php

http://bookofconcord.org/sd-thirduse.php

(3) Reformed Perspective:

Calvin, Institutes, Book 2, Chapter 7, Sections 12-13; Book 3, Chapters 18, 19.

Westminster Confession, Chapters 13, 16, and 19

https://opc.org/wcf.html#Chapter_13 — and then scroll down for chapters 16 and 19

Assignment: Post reading response assignment in the discussion forum on Canvas by midnight on Sunday, 3 May. Complete seminar discussion by posting *at least* four comments engaging with other students by midnight on Sunday, 17 May.

 

Week 8 (begins 18 May) – Love

Reading:

(1) Catholic perspective:

Aquinas, Summa Theologia, IIaIIae, questions 23 and 24

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3023.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3024.htm

(2) Lutheran perspective:

Luther, ’The Freedom of a Christian’, posted in Canvas under ’Files’

Defense of the Augsburg Confession, Article 3, ’Of Love and the Fulfilling of the Law’

http://bookofconcord.org/defense_5_love.php

(3) Reformed perspective:

Calvin, Institutes, Book 2, chapter 8, sections 53-57

Assignment: Post reading response assignment in the discussion forum on Canvas by midnight on Sunday, 17 May.  Complete seminar discussion by posting *at least* four comments engaging with other students by midnight on Sunday 7 June.

 

Week 10 (begins 1 June) — Final essays

Assignment: Final essay due Friday 5 June.

 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Course assessment involves two assignment elements:

(1) Preparation for and participation in seminar sessions.  Students are required to prepare for and participate in each seminar session.  

Preparation: every student is required to prepare for seminar sessions by writing a 700 word assignment that summarizes key elements and contrasts from the reading for the week (think about what the key points of emphasis for each tradition are, and where contrasts emerge between these points of emphasis), and raises a couple of questions for discussion.  Every student is also responsible for leading one seminar session.  Leading the seminar means giving a presentation that treats the material for the week at greater length, offers some critical reflections on the merits of the different positions, and offers questions for discussion.  This presentation is posted in written form in Canvas, and should be 1200-1500 wordslong.  Students who are leading the session do not need to prepare a 700 word response assignment.

Participation: every student is required to participate in seminar sessions by engaging in discussion of the text and topic for the week.  Seminar discussions are conducted through the discussion forum in that is found on the course's Canvas page.  Each student is required to post their 700 word assignment in the discussion forum by midnight on the Sunday before the seminar week begins (so, e.g., the assignment is to be posted by midnight on Sunday 5 April for the text that will be discussed during week 3 of the course).  The seminar leader for the week is responsible for posting a written introduction by this same deadline.  Each student is then required to participate in the seminar by making *at least* four comments engaging with other students, beginning with a comment in response to the seminar leader's introduction.  Comments are due before the next seminar begins.

If you are unable to participate in a particular session, email the instructor and arrange an alternate assignment.  Seminar participation is graded only with a 'G' or a 'U'.  Participation in every seminar is required in order to receive a 'G'. 

(2) Final essay.  Final essays for both campus and online students are due by midnight on Friday 5 June.  Essays are to be submitted by email to martin.westerholm@lir.gu.se.  They are to be approximately 2000 words, and are to address a topic that is relevant to questions and material covered in the course.  Students are welcome to formulate their own essay topics; but sample questions will be provided during the course with which students may work if they wish.

Further Information 

When you are a registered student you will have access to further information related to the course.

Registration information

Student Portal

You will find information about the Department of Literature, History of Ideas, and Religion on our web site www.lir.gu.se

Course summary:

Date Details Due