Areas and Courses of Study

The courses listed below are expected to be offered in 2002–2003. The letter “a” following the course number denotes the fall term and the letter “b” following the course number denotes the spring term. Unless otherwise noted, all courses are for three hours of credit each term. RLST preceding the course number indicates that the course is offered by the Department of Religious Studies.

In addition to the curricular offerings specified below, students may arrange special reading courses with individual faculty members (see Other Curricular Considerations). Courses on special topics of interest to a group of students may also be planned and approved for credit, to run for a period of weeks or for an entire term. Students are encouraged by the faculty to take courses in other schools and departments of the University. (See also Interdisciplinary Study, under Other Curricular Considerations.) In each case, prior consent must be received from the instructor. For a complete listing of the offerings, consult the bulletins of the Graduate School and the professional schools and Yale College Programs of Study. Additional work is normally required in undergraduate courses presented for Divinity School credit.

Area I. The Interpretation of the Bible

This area is concerned with the interpretation of the Christian Scriptures in the broadest sense, including the study of the classical biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek), the content of the Old and New Testaments, critical methods of interpretation, biblical history, cultural and historical milieu of the Bible, and the theological and pastoral implications of the text.

1. Introductory courses are offered in the critical study of the Old and New Testaments; except for the language courses, all courses in Area I have these foundation courses (or their equivalent) as prerequisites.

2. Language courses are offered at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels.

3. Three types of exegesis courses are offered: those based on the English text; those based on the original text and requiring a working knowledge of the biblical language; and advanced exegesis seminars that require at least an intermediate knowledge of the biblical language. Exegesis courses of each type are offered each term on selected books or topics from the Old and New Testaments. It is possible, therefore, during the course of one’s program, to engage in detailed exegesis of representative sections of the biblical text.

4. Thematic courses are offered on a wide range of theological and historical issues raised by the Scriptures. These include courses on the cultural and historical milieu of the Bible.

5. Advanced seminars are designed for Divinity School students with the requisite background and qualifications, and for doctoral students. Permission to enroll in these seminars must be received from the individual instructor.

6. Area I is also concerned with examining the implications of the Scriptures for the contemporary church. In addition to doing this in courses offered specifically in Area I, members of the faculty in Area I join with other faculty members in offering courses dealing with the use of the Bible in Christian ministry.

The Divinity School offers intensive courses in elementary Biblical Hebrew and elementary New Testament Greek for six weeks during the summer. Such work earns six hours of academic credit and prepares the student for the course in exegesis. Summer work will satisfy most denominational language requirements.

Critical Introductions

REL 600a,b, Old Testament Interpretation. This course introduces students to the contents of the Old Testament, the methods of Old Testament interpretation, and the history and religion of ancient Israel. The objectives of this course are to provide awareness of the development of Israelite religion; to provide students with a working knowledge of the contents of the Old Testament within its historical and social context and basic exegetical skills; and to provide the student with the interpretive skills necessary for the interpretation of the Old Testament in the context of ministry. Robert Wilson [F], John Collins [Sp].

REL 601a,b, New Testament Interpretation. This two-term lecture course introduces students to the critical study of the New Testament through extensive readings, training in exegesis, and seminar discussions. The spring term is devoted to a study of the Pauline letters, other epistolary and homiletic literature of the New Testament, and the Book of Revelation. The goal of the course is to introduce the student to the New Testament as a Christian canonical collection, but also to its individual works in their historical contexts. This course is recommended for those without previous training in New Testament studies. Adela Yarbro Collins.

Exegesis of the English Bible

REL 625a, The Psalms. This course examines the Book of Psalms both as a diverse collection of literary artifacts originating in ancient Israelite society and as a continuing rich resource in the theology and worship of Christianity and Judaism. In addition to formal literary investigation of the Psalms, the course treats a range of theological themes contained in the book (creation, human and divine kingship, sacred history, Zion) and their relation to the larger biblical narrative. Psalm superscription, psalm-like compositions outside of the Psalter, and evidence from Qumran psalm scrolls provide resources to evaluate the formation of the Book of Psalms. The afterlife of the psalms in the New Testament and other Christian and Jewish sources is also explored. Judith Newman.

REL 644b, First and Second Corinthians. This seminar examines Paul’s Corinthian correspondence with attention to the exegetical, historical, and theological issues raised in 1 and 2 Corinthians. The course enables students to improve their exegetical skills, while gaining familiarity with two crucial Pauline texts and contemporary methods for assessing them. Harold Attridge.

REL 679a, Galatians. Galatians is a major letter of Paul featuring what has been seen as one of the primary tenets of Paul’s gospel: justification by faith without the works of Law. Yet the interpretation of these ideas in Paul’s thought has been the subject of great scholarly debate during the last few decades, in particular, as a result of newer studies on Judaism in Paul’s day. This course is designed as a close reading of Galatians in Greek with attention to the controversial historical and theological issues it raises. Class time is used for translation and discussion of the Greek text and the assigned readings (no lectures). Judith Gundry-Volf.

REL 688b, Johannine Literature. This seminar focuses on the interpretation of the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles, with attention both to the ancient context in which those documents were composed and to contemporary trends in the analysis of ancient narratives. The objective of this course is to enhance advanced exegetical and interpretive skills by a close reading of the Fourth Gospel and a critical engagement with contemporary interpreters. Harold Attridge.

Exegesis Based on the Original Language

REL 617a, Intermediate Hebrew Prose: Judges. This course explores literary, ideological, and theological issues presented by the Book of Judges. Of particular interest are issues of power and vulnerability, desire, holy war, the figuring of Canaanites and Philistines as the “Other,” and rhetorics of violence in sacred tradition. Close attention is paid to lexical, grammatical, and syntactical features of the Hebrew text. We frame our discussion within the broader context of the Deuteronomistic History by reading the beginning and end of the Book of Joshua, and then attend to the marvelous and disturbing narratives of Judges, including the stories of Jael and Sisera, Gideon, Jephthah’s daughter, Samson and Delilah, and the Levite’s concubine. Carolyn Sharp. Arrangements may be made for group tutoring in elementary Biblical Hebrew and elementary New Testament Greek for six weeks during the summer. Such work earns six hours of academic credit and prepares the student for the courses in exegesis. Summer work will satisfy most denominational language requirements.

REL 677b, Advanced Hebrew Poetry: The Book of the Twelve. This course entails translation from the Biblical Hebrew, advanced grammatical and syntactical analysis, and exegetical study of the Twelve Minor Prophets. We explore literary, theological, and hermeneutical issues involved in interpreting this corpus, with focused attention to redaction-critical positions and related arguments for and against the unity of the Book of the Twelve. Special attention is paid to assessment of the ways in which lexical, grammatical, syntactical, and structural features of the poetry enhance these texts’ elevated tone and rhetorical power. Each student has the opportunity to probe deeply into a particular prophetic book and to teach classmates about the interpretive issues the student finds most compelling there. Carolyn Sharp.

REL 680a, Greek Exegesis of Matthew. This course includes the reading and analyzing of the Greek text of Matthew with attention to textual criticism, form criticism, the history of religions, redaction criticism, and literary criticism. The goal of the course is for students to become knowledgeable about the Greek text of Matthew in comparison with Mark and Luke; to appreciate its historical, literary, theological, and ethical character; and to place it in its cultural context in relation to early Christianity, ancient Judaism, and Greek and Roman culture. Adela Yarbro Collins.

REL 697b, The Book of Daniel and Related Literature. Exegesis of the Book of Daniel, and of some related Aramaic texts from Qumran. The objective of this course is a detailed analysis of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. John Collins.

Historical and Theological Studies

REL 657a, Second Temple Seminar: Wisdom and Retribution. This course considers the ideas of retribution in Jewish wisdom literature, beginning in Proverbs, proceeding through Qoheleth, Ben Sira, and the wisdom literature in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and concluding with the Wisdom of Solomon and 4 Ezra. The central portion of the course focuses on a close reading of the fragmentary Qumran text, 4Q instruction. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the Jewish wisdom literature, in the original languages, with a focus on the transformation of the genre in the Hellenistic period. John Collins.

REL 665b, Paul’s Theological Thought. This course explores the theological thought of the apostle Paul through investigation of the undisputed Pauline letters and interpretations of Paul’s thought from ancient times to the present. There are many questions surrounding the topic of Paul’s theology today. Given the differences from letter to letter, can we speak of a theology of Paul? What are the crucial theological themes in Paul’s letters, and how have scholars wrestled over their interpretation? Is there a center to Paul’s theology? Since it is theology for particular situations, how do those situations affect Paul’s theologizing? Where did Paul position himself theologically in relation to Judaism of his day? How does Paul’s theology relate to other religious or philosophical movements in his environment? These and other questions are explored. Judy Gundry-Volf.

REL 672a, Parable and Miracle in the Gospels. Gospel stories of and about Jesus are heard and studied from a literary perspective to understand how they function and impact as stories. We also hear them in historical contexts and with respect to their theological and christological implications, with an ear for their use in teaching and pastoral ministry today. This course seeks to aid students in appreciating the diverse aspects and uses of these biblical narratives in order to better understand what they can tell us of Jesus’s ministry, the ongoing interpretations of the churches, and their use in contemporary ministry. Frederick H. Borsch.

REL 693a, Jewish Apocalypticism and Christian Origins. A survey of Jewish apocalyptic literature (the books of Daniel, 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, 3 Baruch, 2 Enoch, and selected texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls), with consideration of the significance of this literature for the interpretation of the New Testament and Christian origins. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with the Jewish apocalyptic literature, and with the apocalyptic component in early Christianity. John Collins.

REL 694b, Martyrs and Martyrdom. In this course we investigate the origins and developments of the concepts “martyr” and “martyrdom.” We look at precedents in Second Temple Jewish texts (Daniel 2 and 4 Maccabees), in New Testament texts (the passion narratives, passages about the sufferings and death of Paul, passages about “witness” and “witnessing” in the Book of Revelation), and in the apostolic literature (Ignatius of Antioch’s anticipation of his death in Rome). We also read analogies, such as the account of the self-defense and death of Socrates (Plato’s Apology and Phaedo) and the so-called Acts of the Pagan Martyrs. We then read and discuss early Christian martyrdom, such as in the martyrdom of Polycarp, the Letter of the Churches of Lyons and Vienne, and the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity. Important secondary literature includes Glen Bowersock, Martyrdom and Rome, and Daniel Boyarin, Dying for God. Objectives of this course include helping students to gain a linguistic and historical understanding of the concepts of the noble death, the martyr, and martyrdom in antiquity; to become familiar with the literature of early Christian martyrdom and related texts; to reflect on the ethical and theological issues related to the notion of martyrdom. Adela Yarbro Collins.

REL 695b, Hermeneutics and Authority: Reading Isaiah in Community. Traditions associated with the prophet Isaiah have been probed, read, and reread since earliest times (even within the Book of Isaiah itself) by a variety of voices in differing communal contexts. This course explores representative issues in the composition history, rhetoric, and theology of the Book of Isaiah and tracks significant moments in its reception history in Christian traditions. As we proceed, we closely engage problems in hermeneutics concerning text, the reader, signifying and reading processes, communities, and authority. The course has been designed as a dialogic conversation that attempts to acknowledge the variety of skills, interests, and communal loyalties that we all bring to the discussion. Thus our goals include not only engagement with the content of Isaiah and the plumbing of relevant hermeneutical issues. We also identify, celebrate, and grapple with the diverse loyalties that energize and complicate our interpretive efforts and our self-understanding as teachers and learners. Carolyn Sharp.

Graduate Seminars in Biblical and Cognate Studies

Area II. The Interpretation of Christianity

The work of this area includes analysis of the development, thought, and institutional life of the Christian community in various periods and contexts, and training in the substance and forms of theological positions and argumentation.

1. The intent of Historical Studies is to foster and demand serious consideration by students of the essential historical substance of Christian faith and tradition.

2. The comprehensive purpose of the courses designated Theological Studies is to foster an understanding of the classical theological tradition of Christianity, acquaint the students with contemporary theological thought, and develop the skills necessary to engage effectively in critical analysis and constructive argument.

3. Christian Ethics as a discipline gives attention to the moral strand within Christian belief by offering opportunities for systematic study of foundational aspects of the moral life, formulation of constructive proposals regarding ethical issues, and rigorous thinking regarding action guidance.

4. Liturgical Studies is intended to foster a serious and scholarly engagement with the origins and historical evolution of inherited patterns of worship, and to prepare the students to lead the worship of contemporary Christian communities with competence and sensitivity.

5. The Denominational Courses are offered primarily although not exclusively for the constituencies of particular denominations. Distributional credit in Area II will be granted for only one denominational course.

Historical Studies

REL 700a, History of Western Christianity I: 100–1300. This course is designed to introduce students to the major themes and developments of Western Christianity from the second to the thirteenth century. Attention is given to ideas, institutions, major personalities, and defining movements. The goal of this course is to provide students with a basic thematic and chronological orientation to Western Christianity from the second to the thirteenth century. Ronald Rittgers.

REL 700b, History of Western Christianity, 1300–1700. This course is designed to introduce students to the major themes and developments of Western Christianity from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. Attention is given to theology, institutions, devotional practices, and attempts to engage and shape culture. The objective of the course is to provide students with a basic thematic and chronological orientation to Western Christianity from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century. Ronald Rittgers.

REL 734a, Reformation Europe, 1400–1650. Between 1400 and 1650 Europe witnessed a series of religious revolutions that altered the lives of its inhabitants in profound ways. The Catholic and Protestant Reformations permanently changed the religious, political, social, and economic landscape of early modern Europe, and have significantly shaped the course of Western civilization in the modern and postmodern periods. The task of this course is to examine both the causes and the nature of these Reformations in an effort to understand better their impact on early modern Europe and Western civilization as a whole. Attention is given both to ideas and institutions, significant persons and long-term trends. Ronald Rittgers.

Theological Studies

Courses open to first-year students
REL 720a, History of Christian Theology to 451. An introduction to the major developments in Christian theology from the close of the New Testament to the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The focus of the course is on methods of biblical interpretation and on the doctrines of God, the Trinity, the person of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church. Attention is also given to worship, spirituality, asceticism, ethics, and pastoral theory. The objective of this course is to introduce students to the “patristic” development of fundamental Christian doctrines and biblical interpretation; to help them appreciate the biblical and experiential underpinnings of Christian theology and the theological underpinnings of biblical interpretation and Christian experience; to enable them to use early Christian texts in translation with familiarity and insight; to improve their ability to read, discuss, and write about Christian theology. Christopher Beeley.

REL 726, Systematic Theology. This yearlong course offers an introductory exploration of central themes in the Christian tradition with special focus on their systematic interconnections and their vital significance to the Christian life. First term treats the following themes: revelation, God (Trinity), creation, human persons, sin, Providence, evil, and Christology. Lectures on each topic cover Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Liberation (feminist, womanist, etc.) perspectives. This course is a prerequisite for many of our advanced courses in theology. Miroslav Volf.

Courses requiring one year of theology or its equivalent
REL 725a, Theology of the Cappadocians. This course examines the high patristic theology and practice of the four great Cappadocians: Macrina, Basil of Caesarea,
Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa. Topics include: biblical interpretation; preaching and rhetoric; Christian practice, or “philosophy”; cosmology; anthropology; Christian growth; eschatology; mysticism; pastoral and social ministry; the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity; the person of Christ; the Holy Spirit; and Christianity and Hellenism. The objective of this course is to convey to students the richness of Cappadocian theology and literature; to provide an historical and theological context for better understanding the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity that the Cappadocians crafted; to show the development of Cappadocian theology from Macrina to Basil to Gregory Nazianzen to Gregory of Nyssa; to deepen students’ understanding of a particular topic through a research paper; to improve their ability to read, discuss, and write about early Christian texts. Christopher Beeley.

REL 745a, Cosmos, Rupture, and Mimesis. This course proposes that displaced Africans in the New World who emerged in the communities of North America developed three unique and enduring modes of being and self-understanding. The struggle to create an ultimate, comprehensive order inseparable from communal restoration is identified with cosmos. Recognition of ongoing, irreparable relational brokenness and radical discontinuities in experience, meaning, and order is identified as rupture. The growing but often misunderstood familiarity and interconnectedness between Euro-Americans and New World Africans give rise to mutual imitative enactments, postures, icons, or ritualized mimesis. These three realms correspond approximately to three cultural forms, Spirituals, Blues, and Minstrelsy. The course develops theological interpretations of these multiple sensibilities, their ethos and telos beyond the tradition of formal analysis that has often overlooked the pervasiveness of these cultural expressions, which cross the boundaries of literature, visual arts, music, performance, religion, and ritual. Material and texts include indigenous cultural creations, theories of culture (Bhabha, Gates, Durkheim), and theologies of culture (Tillich, Meland), among others. Gilbert Bond.

REL 746b, Religious Experience and the Theology of Reconciliation.This course examines the advent of Christian reconciliation as a unique disclosure of the identity of God, and a vision of new humanity in Christ. After exploring reconciliation in Pauline communities, the course examines the character of Jewish-Christian relationships and the role of Jews in the formulation of Christian identity and theology in Europe. Other terrains of conflict and reconciliation include culture, ethnicity, race, and gender. The experience of reconciliation and the classic Christian theologies of reconciliation form the analytical and dialogical structure of the course. Requirements: short critiques, group presentations, and a final research project. Gilbert Bond.

REL 762b, The Life and Thought of Martin Luther. This course examines the intellectual biography of Martin Luther from both a theological and a historical perspective. It focuses primarily on Luther’s theology of grace. The course stresses close reading of select theological treatises and critical engagement of recent Luther scholarship. The objective of this course is to provide students with a sophisticated introduction to Luther’s theology of grace, drawing on both historical and theological resources. Ronald Rittgers, Miroslav Volf.

REL 770a, Seminar in the Theology of Paul Tillich. A close reading of the three volumes of Tillich’s Systematic Theology, supplemented by some of his shorter works. David Kelsey.

Christian Ethics

REL 715a, Theological Ethics. The course offers a comprehensive and systematic framework for critical reflection in Christian theological ethics. This framework reflects a constructive theological position, one broadly rooted in ecumenical Protestant thought yet substantively informed by distinctive African-American traditions and by recent feminist and womanist transformations of the patriarchal structures that have ordered classic Christian teachings. Organizing themes are elaborated, moreover, in an ecumenical conversation with Roman Catholic accounts of both moral theology and normative social teachings. Additional traditions, especially those represented by class members, are treated at appropriate points in the course. Thomas Ogletree.

REL 775a, Roman Catholic Ecclesiology, Polity, and Ethics. This course covers historical and contemporary Roman Catholic theologies of church and ministry. It also addresses issues of the relation between ecclesiology and ethics. Primary attention is paid to contemporary developments and controversies in doctrines of the church, goals and forms of ministry, and issues in personal, social, and ecclesiastical ethics. Resources are drawn from pre-Vatican II theologies and documents, Vatican II, and post-Vatican II documents and theologies. As part of the ecumenical course, this course incorporates lectures on comparative ecclesiology, doctrines of ministry, and patterns of church polity. Focused on Roman Catholic perspectives, it aims to provide a knowledge of developments concerning these questions within this faith tradition. As a whole, its goal is to facilitate students’ understanding of one tradition in the context of the multiple alternate strands in Western Christianity. (This course satisfies the section requirement for REL 791a, Ecclesiology, Ministry, and Polity.) Margaret Farley.

REL 776a, The Relation between Christian Morality and the Spiritual Life. This course addresses questions of the relation between the moral life and the spiritual life, religion and morality, ethics and spiritual theology. It provides an opportunity to explore theory as well as models, and to gain acquaintance with key writers on questions of asceticism, development of character, theories of virtue, faith responses to suffering, prayer and the Christian life, Christian decision making, spirituality and justice, etc. Readings include classics as well as contemporary writings on the interface between morality and spirituality. This course aims to provide students with traditional as well as revisionist views of virtue, obligation, moral maturity and spiritual growth, communal as well as individual possibilities for discernment, etc. Part of its goal is to test these views and to retrieve as well as reconstruct theologies that contribute to them. Margaret Farley.

REL 778a, Agape and Special Relations. The aim overall is to explore possible links between the love commandments and different sorts of special relations. We consider depictions of agape and the claims of particular bonds between persons, and examine four different special relations: among religionists (especially ties among those in the church); among members of the political community (including the relations between the Christian community and the civil community); among family members (between spouses, and parents and children); and among friends (and the place generally of preferential relations). Readings come from both contemporary and historical sources, including Aelred of Rievaulx, On Spiritual Friendship; Joseph L. Allen, Love and Conflict; Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics (trans. David Ross); Soren Kierkegaard, Works of Love; David Little, Ukraine: The Legacy of Intolerance; Gilbert Meilaender, Friendship; Stephen G. Post, Spheres of Love: Toward a New Ethic of the Family. Gene Outka.

Liturgical Studies

REL 780b, The Churches of the East. An introduction to the variety of Eastern Churches, their Christological background, and their present worship. Bryan Spinks.

REL 782a, Foundations of Christian Worship. This team-taught course surveys the major areas of liturgical studies (theological basis, time, space, word and sacraments, pastoral rites, and daily prayer); exposes students to both theological and historical methodologies in looking at worship; traces the development across time of the various strands and traditions of Christian worship; and provides the rudiments for anyone contemplating ordination, liturgical/musical leadership, or any of the more specialized courses offered. The course is open to all Divinity students; it is highly recommended for ISM students and is also recommended for other students as good preparation for subsequent liturgical studies courses. Bryan Spinks, Margot Fassler, Jaime Lara, Martin Jean.

REL 783a, Word in Worship: Praying, Preaching, and Singing the Lectionary. The historical development of the Christian calendar including both weekly and annual cycles. Descriptions of related liturgical, musical and cathechetical customs, and contemporary calendar and lectionary revision. The objective of this course is to provide concrete pastoral, musical, liturgical, and homiletical suggestions for parish observance and preaching for both the weekly Lord’s Day festival and the annual cycles around Christmas and Easter. Study is historical and theological. “Free-church” emphasis on the weekly festival is combined with the developed annual calendar or the more historically liturgical churches. Horace Allen, Jr.

REL 784b, Christian Initiation. This course studies Christian initiation from the New Testament to the present. It comprises a study of liturgical texts, historic and contemporary, and considers issues of baptismal theology. Bryan Spinks.

REL 787a, The English Reformation Liturgical Traditions and the Evolution of the Anglican Books of Common Prayer. This course considers the liturgical reforms in England, official and unofficial, that gave rise to the Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregationalist, Quaker, and Methodist traditions from 1540 to 1789, looking at liturgical books, theological issues, architecture, music, and preaching styles. The second part of the course focuses on the Anglican Prayer Book tradition from 1789 to the present, and compares the 1979 Book of Common Prayer with that of another Anglican province. The course is designed for students of all denominations, and non-Episcopal students can compare their own denominational book with the 1979 Prayer Book. Bryan Spinks.

REL 789b, North American Protestant Liturgical Traditions. This course traces the development of a variety of Protestant worship traditions currently present in North America. It begins with European roots and ends with the worldwide practice of Protestant worship, heavily influenced by North American developments. Attention is paid to the interaction with culture and the arts. Individuals and events shaping present-day Protestant worship are discussed. The course objectives are to give students a strong historical and theological basis for understanding current worship practices. It should be especially useful for church musicians and anyone contemplating further study in liturgical studies. James F. White.

Denominational Courses

REL 790a, The Theology of the Lutheran Confessions. Through lectures, assigned readings, and class discussion, this course examines the Book of Concord of 1850 and certain other documents that served as sources for the Book of Concord. The objectives of the course are twofold: to develop a knowledge and understanding of the Lutheran Confessions in their original context and to gain an appreciation of the contemporary importance and influence of these Confessions for Christianity in the twenty-first century. William Rusch.

REL 791a, Ecclesiology, Ministry, and Polity. Lectures on comparative ecclesiology, doctrines of the ministry, and patterns of church polity in Western Christianity. Sections are arranged to enable students to study the history, doctrine, worship, and polity of their own denominations. Donald H. Kirkham, Coordinator.
Baptist, Dale W. Peterson.
Episcopal, Gary R. Hall.
Presbyterian, William Goettler, Maria LaSala.
Roman Catholic, Margaret A. Farley.
United Church of Christ, Kent Siladi.
United Methodist, Donald H. Kirkham.

Area III. Human Nature and Culture
Two aspects of inquiry merge in this area of the curriculum: (1) the development of analytic capacities for the understanding of religious thought and practice in their cultural context, and (2) special studies in the cultural context itself that are deemed essential to competent ministry. Work in this area includes social and cultural analysis often focusing on issues that arise at the intersection of established disciplines. Area III thus includes subjects falling outside the domain of explicitly Christian thought.

Courses in this area are grouped as follows: Comparative Studies: The exploration of non-Christian traditions with special emphasis upon comparative religious questions. Philosophy and Religion: the study of conceptual issues that bear upon method in theology and ethics, the philosophical clarification of religious concepts and categories, and the examination of philosophical worldviews that are alternatives to traditional Christian perspectives. Religion and the Arts: Studies concerning the nature of human imagination in visual, literary, and musical forms that have shaped the religious life and its cultural expression, both within and outside the Christian church. Study of Personality: The examination of the methodologies that illumine the way the human personality is shaped. The inquiry is normally undertaken within the context of ministry. Study of Society: The employment of normative and social-scientific tools to comprehend and bring under ethical and theological scrutiny societal institutions (including religious ones) and ideational patterns.

Area III offerings bear directly on and are fed by inquiry in most professional schools and many departments of the Graduate School at Yale (see section on additional offerings at end of area course descriptions).

Religion and the Arts

REL 827a, “Looking on Darkness.” A critical examination of the role of darkness as image, symbol, and theme in different traditions of the Western religious and literary imagination; development of theological interpretations of the multivalent and multi-lithic (as opposed to the monolithic) character of darkness as it functions within several different terrains of literature and culture; and development of analytical thinking, both oral and written expression. Texts include the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, aphophadic mystics, Milton, Shakespeare, Hawthorne, Poe, Crane, Conrad, Baldwin, Morrison, and others. Gilbert Bond.

REL 835a, Iconography of Christian Art. To have students start to see theologically and realize that seeing is believing. If Christ is the image of God (Colossians 1:15) and the goal of faith a Beatific Vision, then Christianity is more a visual experience of Presence and encounter than an abstract set of theories. Eye training is essential for any church member, no matter to what denomination or tradition one belongs. This course dares to say that image shapes belief and attitude, as well as being shaped by belief. The course also acts as an historical survey of the visual presentation of the Trinity, Christ, Mary, Church, and saints, as well as issues like Last Judgment, reward, punishment, etc. Jaime Lara.

REL 838a, The Afterlife: The Apocalypse in Art and Architecture. The course exposes the student to the influence, which the Book of Revelation/Apocalypse has had on Christian thought and practice, especially as relates to liturgical art and music, utopian and political movements, and reform movements. Jaime Lara.

REL 843a, Christian Hymnody. A survey of the music and texts of Christian hymns with particular attention to early traditions and usage of psalmody. Developments from I. Watts and the Wesleys to contemporary publications of denominations and ecumenical resources, evangelical and Roman Catholic, are studied and illustrated. The objectives of this course include: providing students with historical contexts from several traditions; equipping ministers and musicians with adequate resources for planning and leading worship; and exploring recent developments in congregational song. Horace Allen, Jr.

REL 847b, The House of the Lord. To prepare future ministers and pastoral personnel to understand and design/redesign their worship spaces. This is visual ecclesiology, not interior decoration. The course also acts as an historical survey of twenty centuries of church design for preaching and sacraments, and displays how the space has shaped theology and liturgical practice, and been shaped by them. Jaime Lara.

The Study of Society

REL 870b, Environmental Ethics. This course is in the process of being developed by students and faculty from YDS and from Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. It addresses contemporary problems with sustaining the environment; biological and environmental theories; and historical and contemporary theological perspectives on God, humanity, and nature. The course aims to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of current environmental issues—scientific, philosophical, and theological. It is an essentially interdisciplinary course; hence, it also aims to facilitate interdisciplinary dialogue and research. Its ultimate goals include the development of ethical positions and proposals for policy making. Margaret Farley, Stephen Kellert.

REL 886b, Advanced Medical Ethics. This course builds on basic knowledge of the field of ethics to focus on particular sets of issues in medical ethics. Three particular areas will be selected for extended study. The most likely areas are: research ethics, ethical issues regarding death and dying, and reproductive ethics. Both historical and contemporary readings are assigned, though the majority of readings are from contemporary sources. The course is interdisciplinary, combining resources from theology, philosophy, medicine, law, and other related fields. The objectives of this course are to provide background knowledge on specific issues and the debates that currently surround them; facilitate theological as well as philosophical argument; and promote students’ development of positions on these issues. Margaret Farley.

Area IV. The Practice of Ministry

Pastoral Theology: The Principles of Ministry

REL 922b, Introduction to Ministry. This course is for M.Div. students in their second term of work. The course addresses the questions, What is the nature and purpose of the church? and What does ministry mean in the context of the larger issues of ecclesiology? The trajectory of the course focuses on the question, What is the significance and rationale for ordaining some people for ministry? David Bartlett, Rebecca Chopp, David Kelsey, Bryan Spinks.

REL 988b, Korean and Korean American Church: Theology and Ministry. This course surveys theological and practice of ministry issues of the Korean and Korean American church. Students learn major Korean social, historical, and cultural contexts that have shaped the theology and ministry of the church. Students are expected to develop appreciation for the unique contribution of Korean church in theology and ministry; at the same time, students are able to critique constructively the theology and practice of ministry of the Korean and Korean American church. K. Samuel Lee.

Preaching Ministry

REL 912a, Principles and Practice of Preaching. This is the introductory course in theology, history, and practice of preaching. Particular attention is paid both to the exegesis of texts for preaching and to an understanding of the congregational context of preaching. The objective of this course is to help students grow as preachers, both in the content of what they say and in the skill with which they say it. David Bartlett, Wesley Avram, Marilyn Adams, Eric Smith.

REL 961b, Preaching Workshop. Building on the common vocabulary and shared experience of an introductory course in preaching, this class provides an intensive upper level workshop-styled experience for students anticipating a significantly preaching-based ministry. Limited enrollment allows us to engage readings, oral and written exercises, sermon preparation, sermon delivery, and sermon critique in a discussion format based in critical, trusting engagement. The purpose is to build on foundations already laid to further clarify the theology, rhetoric, and aesthetics of preaching from various perspectives and to hone skills. Wesley Avram.

REL 964b, Expository Preaching. This is a course that combines careful exegesis for preaching with the actual writing and delivering of sermons. The course focuses for the most part on selected lectionary texts, though the instructors reserve the right to include non-lectionary texts of particular interest. The objective of this course is to strengthen the students in their exegetical, expository, and rhetorical skills. David Bartlett, Robert Wilson.

Counseling Ministry

REL 906a, Transitions: Pastoral Care in the Before/Between Times. In this course we explore introductory pastoral care and counseling issues related to some normal and crisis life transitions. We survey a broad range of theoretical and practical issues related to the care of individuals and communities as they move through these life changes. Because listening and responding are key elements in the art of pastoral care, emphasis is placed on developing skills in these areas. The integration of theological reflection, psychological and systems theories, and practical skills is emphasized throughout the course. Kristen Leslie.

REL 987a,b, CPE Colloquium. This class is student-led based on topics the class has chosen as areas pertinent to the further integration of their CPE experience with their academic studies and vocational formation. Emphasis is on class leadership and active participation in discussion. Students may also meet with the professor one-on-one on an as-needed basis. Objectives of the course include: providing opportunity for personal assimilation of CPE experience; providing occasion and assistance in integrating the CPE experience into ongoing course work; engaging with other CPE-trained students in those processes of formation and vocational planning which are normally part of their final year of seminary. Joan Hemenway.

REL 989a, Pastoral Care with Young Adults. Young adults, ages seventeen through twenty-four, populate our churches and campus ministries. Young adults in faith have the capacity to think critically, to search passionately for the ideal, to be appropriately reliant upon a self-chosen authority outside the self, to affirm fiercely what is ambivalently held, and to make a pledge of fidelity to a community that will hold and confirm them and their visions of the world. In the midst of identity and faith developments, pastoral care with young adults requires a lively capacity to help them make meaning of their lived experiences. In this course we work: to increase knowledge of developmental, pastoral theological (faith issues), and life style issues of young adults; to develop a constructive theological and practical approach to pastoral care with young adults through a critical integration of theological, psychological, sociological, and clinical research; and to explore pastoral roles with young adults. Kristen Leslie.

Educational Ministry

REL 905b, Resources for the Study of Religion. The course is designed to help the student develop skills to identify, select, and retrieve the information required for research in religious studies and/or the practice of ministry. The form, function, content, and organization of specific research resources in religious studies and related disciplines (with an emphasis on the Christian tradition) are explored in the broader context of the history of scholarship, publishing, and libraries. The course includes instruction in the use of educational technologies for research and presentation. Objectives of the course include helping students to understand the organization of print and electronic information resources and helping them to be able to utilize efficient and effective research strategies. Paul Stuehrenberg, Martha Smalley.

REL 914b, Teaching the Bible in the Congregation. This course is designed to explore various resources, teaching approaches, and practical applications that will equip persons to teach the Bible in the local church. Attention is given to the task of teaching; preparation to teach through analysis and interpretation of the biblical text; engaging teaching and learning styles in the classroom; teaching the Bible with various age levels; evaluating and selecting Bible study programs and curriculum resources; using creative approaches to teaching the Bible; and equipping church members to engage the text in a way that is meaningful and transformative in their lives. Yolanda Smith.

REL 918a, Introduction to Christian Religious Education. This course provides an introduction to Christian religious education with particular attention to the socio-historical context, theory, and practice in the teaching ministry of the church. This course introduces the major historical movements in the field of Christian religious education; examines the nature and purpose of Christian religious education; introduces teaching and learning theories as a frame for teaching in the faith community; introduces various models of Christian religious education; identifies and evaluates curriculum resources for teaching in the faith community; introduces strategies for teaching and organizational planning; practices teaching across the life span; and evaluates the teaching learning experience. Yolanda Smith.

REL 972a, Youth, Culture, and Christian Education. This course examines a range of pedagogical concerns related to today’s youth. Attention is given to theological and educational perspectives, developmental theory, cultural influences, curriculum resources, teen spirituality and identity formation, creative teaching strategies, and hands-on analysis and critique of contemporary models of youth ministry. In addition, students explore new possibilities for youth ministries that honor the gifts, insights, and significant learning that emerge from youth experiences. Yolanda Smith.

REL 975b, Women in Religious Education. This course examines the history of Christian religious education through the life, thought, and contribution of women who have shaped religious education theory and practice. Attention is given to the feminist/womanist approaches to religious education embodied in the work of these women. Objectives of this course include the following: to explore various teaching/learning styles of women; to examine the feminist and womanist approaches to teaching and learning that are embodied in the work of selected women; to examine women’s spirituality and pedagogy in religious education; to examine the life, thought, and contribution of women who have shaped religious education theory and practice; to experience and reflect upon diverse models of religious education which embody the educational philosophies of selected women; to envision new ways that women can inform contemporary religious education reflection and practice; and to evaluate the teaching/learning experience. Yolanda Smith.

Study of Religion

REL 900b, Topics in Communication: Technology, Media, and Ministry. In this course we confront philosophically and theologically substantive interpretations of tools and technology, seeing technology less as a conglomeration of things we use than as a complex world we inhabit. The cultural effects of technology (including, but not limited to, new technologies) are considered in light of contemporary challenges in spiritual and ethical formation, community life, worship, pastoral care, ministries of justice, evangelism, and even church administration. Our emphasis is on theologically shaped interpretation rather than on technical operation or practical training. Wesley Avram.

Additional Courses Offered

The following courses are not offered in the 2002–2003 academic year, but are representative of those likely to be offered in rotation over subsequent years.

Area I

Dead Sea Scrolls Seminar
English Exegesis: The Gospel of Luke
Gender in Early Christianity
Greek Exegesis: The Gospel of Mark
Hellenistic Philosophy and the New Testament
Intermediate Hebrew Reading: Genesis
The Messiah: Development of a Biblical Idea
The Writings of Josephus

Area II

Christian Mysticism
Eschatology
God in Modern Theology
History of Christian Theological Ethics
Philosophical Theology of Thomas Aquinas
Philosophical Theology of William of Ockham
Religious Ethics and Modern Moral Issues
Seminar on the Authority of Scripture
The Theology and History of John Calvin
The Theology of Karl Barth and Postmodern Thought
The Theology of Karl Rahner
Trinity

Area III

Christian/Muslim Dialogue
Christian Social Ethics
Introduction to Religion and Literature
Medical Ethics
Sexual Ethics
Text, Memory, and Performance
World Christianity

Area IV

Christian Education in the African American Experience
Faith in the Workplace
Rhetoric and Witness
Sermon Writing and Delivery
Womanist/Feminist Issues in Pastoral Care and Counseling

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