Christian Thought Major (M)
The world needs leaders who have thought about the Christian faith and how best to share the Gospel with people living in an age of distraction. Christian thought is devoted to the study of the history of Christianity, Christian doctrine, Christian philosophy, apologetics, and ethics. The major and minor provide the opportunity to study the structure of Christian belief and practice. Students are equipped in mind and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and world. These programs are suitable for anyone with an interest in theology and philosophy and a sincere desire to carry out the Great Commission.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will acquire a deep understanding of what it means to pursue work as a vocation, and will be aware of the spiritual and ethical implications.
- Students will develop a mature understanding of the Christian faith informed by relevant history, philosophy, and comparative religion.
- Students will improve their ability to identify worldview assumptions, to explore their implications, and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses from a Christian perspective.
- Students will acquire critical distance from the prevailing assumptions in their culture and gain the vocabulary and analytical tools required to assess them.
- Students will understand a variety of important non-Christian perspectives and will learn how to communicate effectively with non-Christians.
- Students will become proficient in witnessing their faith and defending it within their vocation.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 45 | |
| Major Requirements | 33 | |
| Electives | 48 | |
Minor: Required (minimum 18 credits) | ||
| Total Hours | 126 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| Old Testament | ||
| Biblical Theology | ||
Any REL course with a number above 204 1 | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| HIST 208 | History of Christianity | 3 |
| HIST 475 | The Reformations | 3 |
| PHIL 334 | Christ and Culture | 3 |
| PHIL 325 | Christian Apologetics | 3 |
| REL 203 | New Testament | 3 |
| REL 310 | Religion in America Today | 3 |
| REL 376 | Christian Ethics | 3 |
| Research Methods Class | ||
| HIST 385 | Historical Methods | 3 |
| or REL 490 | Senior Seminar I | |
| Senior Thesis Class | ||
| HIST 490 | History Seminar | 3 |
| or REL 491 | Senior Seminar II | |
| Major Electives | ||
| Select a concentration of any 2 classes (300-level or 400-level) in one of the 3 relevant areas (history, theology, or philosophy) | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 33 | |
- 1
Strongly recommended: a course in historical theology, such as REL 333 A Survey of Christian Thought.