Previous Classes

You can listen to and study the other classes I taught on this website. The previous classes (newest first) are:

TTP#5: Soteriology is the fifth of six classes in The Theology Program. It was taught in the Winter of 2013/14. This course is a study of the nature of salvation. It will focus on the process and responsibilities of salvation from the standpoint of God and from the standpoint of man. We will look both to Scripture and the church history for answers. Focus will be made on the doctrine of justification—the central issue of the Reformation. Much time will be spent attempting to understand the ongoing debate between God’s sovereignty in salvation and man’s responsibility. We will also examine at the different views of the atonement, faith and repentance, eternal security, and the destiny of the unevangelized.

TTP#4: Humanity and Sin is the fourth of six classes in The Theology Program. It was taught in the Fall of 2013. This course is a study of the nature of humanity and sin. We will discuss the implications of humans being created in the image of God. Why did God create us? What are humans anyway? Debates about the origin and nature of sin will be examined by asking questions such as: What is sin? Where did it begin? Why did God allow it? Are there different types of sin? What is the Fall? How can people be condemned for a sin they did not commit (original sin)? Do we have a free will? Is there such a thing? We will also wrestle with issues pertaining to the nature, purpose, and design of the sexes. Are men and women different when it comes to roles in the church or society? Should they be? Our stance will ultimately affect our view of marriage and society.

TTP#3: Trinitarianism is the third of six classes in The Theology Program. It was taught in the Summer of 2013. This course is a study of the nature, existence, and attributes of our Trinitarian God. We will examine the biblical evidence and historical development of our understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity, person of Christ (Christology), and the person of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology). Particular attention was focused on worldview analysis in order to answer the question “What is God?” before we can approach the question “Who is God?” We will also learn and evaluate the common arguments for the existence of God that philosophers and theologians have put forth over the centuries. A defense of the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity will be made, as well as one for a belief in the full humanity and full deity of Christ.

TTP#2: Bibliology and Hermeneutics is the second of six classes in The Theology Program. It was taught in the Spring of 2013. This course focuses on the authority, nature, and interpretation (hermeneutics) of the Scriptures. It is designed to help students work through issues that concern the trust they place in the Bible and its interpretation. Issues like: Is the Bible that we have today the same as when it was originally written? Do we have the right books? How do we know that the Bible is inspired by God? How do we interpret Scripture?

TTP#1: Introduction to Theology is the first of six classes in The Theology Program. It was taught in the Winter of 2012.  This is a theological studies methods course. Its primary purpose is to teach you skills for developing a Christian mind, by helping you construct a solid foundation for thinking through life’s most important issues like: Why be concerned with theology? What is truth? Can we be certain that our truth is the right truth? How do we respond to a culture that devalues truth? Does God still communicate through direct encounters today?

Understanding Islam was taught in the Fall 2012 quarter. We learned the basics beliefs and practices of Islam and compared the major sects of this religion. We compared their claims to Biblical Christianity to contract the differences. We also discussed ways to talk with Muslims about our faith and learn more about theirs.

Understanding Eastern Religions and the New Age Movement was taught in the Summer of 2012. We learned the basics about the each religions’ history, organization, claims, doctrines, and practices. Our goal was to compare the Christian world view to that of other religions and to analyze which is the “best” world view, or the one that explains reality the best. We also will talk about ways to talk with others about our faith and learn more about theirs.

Understanding Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses took place from February 29, 2012 to May 23, 2012. The class spend 6 weeks on each group and looked at what they each said about the Nature of God, Man, Salvation, Scripture, and The End Times. We contracted each to Historic Christianity to show how different they were from what we understand as truth. We also talked about ways to share our point of view with the hope they could come to a fuller knowledge of God and Christ.

The Story of the First Church took place from October 5, 2011 to February 22, 2012. This class looked at the early church in Acts as well as the various letters that were written (Romans to Jude).

Four Views of Revelation was taught from June 1, 2011 to August 31, 2011. Most people have heard of only one view of Revelation, the one from the Left Behind series. But there are at least 4 major viewpoints of this book and the end times. This class was meant to help students understand the historial nature of the views and help form their own understanding.

The Life and Teaching of Jesus from September 1, 2010 to May 25, 2011. It was a study of the life and teachings of Jesus, focusing on the work He accomplished in salvation. This class examines the historical setting of His ministry and the special emphasis of each Gospel.