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God and the World: Constructive Christian Theology

Module description

This module introduces you to the academic study of Christian Theology. It takes a constructive theological perspective. You will be introduced to areas of Christian doctrine and belief that have been discussed throughout the theological tradition, and bring them into critical conversation with contemporary issues such as racism and the climate crisis to help develop your cultural intelligence and engagement. You will be introduced to a range of key Christian thinkers, and will reflect on texts by present-day scholars continuing the theological conversation today. You will engage with a range of genres such as written texts, visual art, and film.

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will develop core academic and transferrable skills such as critical thinking and insightful questioning, textual analysis including drawing research-based and independent conclusions, evaluating the quality of arguments, research skills such as time management, referencing and attribution of sources. There are five main blocks in the module: the first week in each block is more theoretical, providing you with background information and critical resources; the second week in each block is about how this theological theory is applied in practice. In the final block we focus on wider implications and future directions. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate understanding of selected areas of Christian belief,the nature and purpose of Christian theology, and its social and environmental impacts.
• 2. Show through cultural intelligence and engagement how Christian theology and its development relates to cultural context.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Show openness to new ideas and perspectives, debates and disputes regarding key beliefs.
• 4. Draw evidence-based and independent conclusions to assess the strengths and weaknesses of selected theological arguments.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Use your study skills, with guidance, to produce effective independent written work.
• 6. Formulate clearly researched and coherently expressed positions in the assessment of arguments, evaluating the source and quality of their information.

Syllabus plan

The module content may vary from year to year but is likely to cover topics such as:

• What is theology? God-talk, sources of theology, and communities of practice.
• Why talk about God today? Religious demographics, global politics, and cultural context.
• What does it mean to be divine?
• Theological responses to suffering.
• What does it mean to be a creature?
• Theology and contemporary questions: disability, sexuality, racism, the ecological crisis.
• What do Christians believe about Jesus? Incarnation, materiality, redemption.
• Analysing portrayals of Jesus in film.
• What is salvation? Who and what do Christians believe needs to be saved?
• The end of the world: Christian eschatology.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Boeve, Lieven, Yves de Maeseneer and Ellen van Stichel (eds.) (2014), Questioning the Human: Toward a Theological Anthropology for the Twenty-First Century, New York, NY:Fordham University Press
• Bourne, Richard and Imogen Adkins (2020), A New Introduction to Theology: Embodiment, Experience, and Encounter, London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark
• Deane-Drummond, Celia and David Clough (eds.) (2009), Creaturely Theology: On God, Humans and Other Animals, London: SCM Press
• Harrison, Nonna Verna (2010), God’s Many-Splendored Image, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic
• Higton, Mike (2024), SCM Core Text: Christian Doctrine (second edition), London: SCM Press
• Higton, Mike and Jim Fodor (eds.) (2015), The Routledge Companion to the Practice of Christian Theology, London: Routledge
• Jenkins, Willis (2013), Ecologies of Grace: Environmental Ethics and Christian Theology, Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti (2014), Trinity and Revelation, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
• Migliore, Daniel (2023), Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology (fourth edition), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
• Sechrest, Love et al (eds.) (2018), Can “White” People be Saved? Triangulating Race, Theology and Mission, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press
• Sonderegger, Katherine (2015), Systematic Theology, volume 1: The Doctrine of God, Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press
• Yancy, George (ed.) (2012), Christology and Whiteness, New York, NY: Routledge

Key words search

God, humans, creatures, racism, climate crisis