Kristologi i møte med vår tid

Equivalent to mandatory course TEOL201 in the professional study of theology.

Elective course in bachelor of theology

On completion of the course, the student has achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge of New Testament impulses towards the development of Christology
• has knowledge of the development and use of images of Jesus from the early church to modern times
• has knowledge of core dogmatic themes in Christology
• has knowledge of contemporary images of Jesus in popular culture

Skills

The student

• can reflect on the hermeneutical processes involved in the formulation of contemporary Christology using biblical and theological-historical material
• can discuss and recognise the relevance of historical and contemporary images of Jesus, both Christian and popular
• can account for the connections between Christology and other central theological issues

General competence

The student

• can participate in the public debate about Jesus and his contemporary relevance
• can work interdisciplinarily (biblical/historical/systematic) with theological issues

Christology is the doctrine of Jesus Christ as true man and true God, closely linked to his mission of salvation. The belief in Christ - based on Old Testament messianic expectations - developed through Jesus' disciples and the first century church, and was eventually elaborated in doctrinal terms in the confessions of the ancient church and the Reformation. Already early in this process, different images of Jesus developed. Eventually, these images became the subject of controversy as some were absolutised at the expense of others. In the course, emphasis is placed on exemplifying controversial images of Jesus.

The course is interdisciplinary. It has biblical, theological-historical and systematic-theological components, where the biblical portion focuses primarily on the New Testament, but includes elements of New Testament and early Christian interpretation of the Old Testament. The programme is an in-depth study of arguably the most central subject in Christian theology: Jesus Christ as the centre of the Christian faith, wherein the teachings about him provide the premises for the treatment of a large number of other important theological questions.

The following work requirements must be approved before the student is permitted to take an examination in the course:

• Thematic reflection on a public matter (chronicle/debate article etc.), 1000-1500 words.
• Literature reflection, normally from a syllabus book, 1000-1500 words.

If the coursework requirement is not approved, the student has one new opportunity in the same semester to submit the required coursework.

• Bible – though study Bibles are not permitted.
• Bible dictionary.
• Confessional writings of the Lutheran Church. Kolb/Wengert, The Book of Concord (Fortress, 2000) or equivalent earlier publications.

• Norwegian
• Scandinavian languages
• English