Courses

Every MDC student should take a course on at least one of the gospels, because the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is at the very core of our faith, and the gospels are the primary means of how we come to know him. The Gospel of John is distinctive from the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark and Luke), in part because the author interprets and explains the meaning of what Jesus said and did more deeply, and therefore has had a major impact on Christology in the early church and throughout church history. This course is devoted to studying the theology of John, delving into the profound way that the story Jesus’s life, death and resurrection shaped the theological tradition. While Christology is of central interest, we will look at how the Gospel of John shaped Christian life and thought in a number of areas.

With permission from the Registrar’s Office, students may have the option to participate sessions through live-streaming.

Knowing

• Identify the dominant and distinctive emphases in John’s portrayal of Jesus
• Compare the major topics in the theology of the Gospel of John, and specialize in one of them
• Determine the context(s) out of which the theology of John developed

Being

• Be aware of your own worldview/theology in light of John’s gospel
• Be impacted in your spiritual formation
• Be transformed by encounters with Jesus in John

Doing

• Research an issue and determine its contribution to John’s portrayal of Jesus
• Apply research to a contemporary context/ministry suitable for the student’s specialization
• Present your project to the class, serving as a resource to others