Online Divinity 2022-2023

This course will explore ancient Greek attitudes towards death and dying and explore the various ways in which it meant to be dead in Ancient Greece. This course will be interdisciplinary in approach, looking at: performative texts (ancient Greek plays and epics), visual culture (monuments, sacred sites), philosophy and science (Presocratic, Plato and Epicurus).

The course will take a firm thematic approach exploring: poetic death and the heroic, locales of the departed and cosmic death and the promise of revival.

What we know today as the New Testament, a single book between two covers and most often bundled with the Old Testament, is in fact a small library of twenty-seven texts produced by various followers of Jesus between the 30s and about 120 of the Common Era. The small collection has had an enormous impact not only on Christian churches but also on the whole of Western civilization until today. This course explores the origins of these texts, their authors and audiences, and the events behind them. It neither requires nor expects any prior experience with these texts. Download course guide.

This course will present the student with the discipline of homiletics and the challenge of communicating the Gospel in the contemporary world. We will begin by looking at the sermons and rhetorical delivery in Scripture and will continue by discussing the development of the sermon from the Church Fathers to the present day. The use of scripture, themes and the liturgical year will also be discussed.

This course traces the history of Christianity from its establishment as the religion of the Roman Empire to the period just prior to its arrival in the Americas in the late 15th century. Lectures and seminars examine some of the main strands of Christian theology, spirituality and institutional life in this period and also consider marginal groups such as the Cathars and Waldensians, as well as mediaeval Christianity’s relationship with religions of pre-Christian Europe. The course provides useful historical and theological background for students interested in the Reformation period as well as in mediaeval art, literature and history.

The course will introduce students to the form of Greek found in the New Testament and help students to begin to read the New Testament in Greek. The programme will follow the textbook by J. Duff, Elements of New Testament Greek (Cambridge University Press, 2005). This is not to be confused with the textbook with the same title by John Wenham. 

This course discusses the issues involved in reconstructing the history and religions of ancient Israel and Judah. It provides an overview of the history and religions of Ancient Israel and Judah, as portrayed in the Hebrew Bible, as illustrated by archaeological findings, and as understood within their larger Ancient Near Eastern context. It further teaches the students how to evaluate critically these portrayals and, as a result, how to reach independent and informed interpretations of the Biblical text

How did the Jesus movement turn into the church? At what point did the church decide Jesus was God? How can God be one and three? What is heresy and why did it matter? How did Christianity relate to surrounding philosophy? Did theology develop and change? What were the sources for Christian thought and doctrine? The course introduces students to these questions through the rich history of Christian thought by considering a number of representative theological thinkers, such as Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. Assessment is through two short essays and a final essay.

 

This course on sacramental theology is situated primarily in the area of Practical Theology. The model of the four voices of theology (normative, formal, operant and espoused), as developed by Helen Cameron and others, functions to structure the course around biblical, historical, and contemporary developments in sacramental theology. The students will critically evaluate contemporary views and practices of the sacraments in one particular denomination of their choice in light of this denomination’s historical and doctrinal teaching.

This course will explore the rise and fall of Empires from the ancient world and beyond; examining to what extent religion, power struggles, conflict and politics impacted the shaping of an ancient Empire and the world today.

So often associated with wine and revelry, this course will explore the ways in which Dionysus was worshipped in ancient Greece. Here, we will consider mystery religion, religious festivals and the secrets of maenadic worship. We will traverse, like Dionysus, across the ancient Mediterranean world from Asia Minor to Thebes to Athens and beyond. We will also explore a broad chronological sweep too – from 5th century BCE to 2nd century CE. For sure, Dionysus will provide intrigue with the opportunity to revel with a variety of primary sources, such as, archaeology, literary sources and fragments.

This course, which builds on the foundations laid in DR1039, introduces further study of the grammar and vocabulary of New Testament Greek. 

How do we know right from wrong? What are our responsibilities towards others? How should we engage with social and political problems and issues? What constitutes a good life? This course provides an opportunity for students to explore the rich tradition of Western ethical reflection and moral formation. It does so by surveying the various ways in which ethics and morality have been understood and approached by major figures in the Western tradition

This course will explore ancient Greek attitudes towards death and dying and explore the various ways in which it meant to be dead in Ancient Greece. This course will be interdisciplinary in approach, looking at: performative texts (ancient Greek plays and epics), visual culture (monuments, sacred sites), philosophy and science (Presocratic, Plato and Epicurus).

The course will take a firm thematic approach exploring: poetic death and the heroic, locales of the departed and cosmic death and the promise of revival.

This course will provide a level 2 (SCQF 8) version of DR1073/1573, “Exploring the New Testament,” differentiated from this by an assessment format appropriate to the SCQF Level. The courses will be delivered together, allowing efficient delivery of content. The character and contribution of the course is that of a survey-type module, of the kind that is standard in the early years of a biblical studies curriculum, and that contributes foundational knowledge for the Divinity (Theology and Religious Studies) programme, as well as being of broader interest to students outside this programme.  

This course will present the student with the discipline of homiletics and the challenge of communicating the Gospel in the contemporary world. We will begin by looking at the sermons and rhetorical delivery in Scripture and will continue by discussing the development of the sermon from the Church Fathers to the present day. The use of scripture, themes and the liturgical year will also be discussed.

DR2586 traces the history of Christianity from its establishment as the religion of the Roman Empire to the period just prior to its arrival in the Americas in the late 15th century. Lectures and seminars examine some of the main strands of Christian theology, spirituality and institutional life in this period and also consider marginal groups such as Cathars and Waldensians, as well as mediaeval Christianity’s relationship with religions of pre-Christian Europe. The course provides useful historical and theological background students interested in the Reformation period as well as in mediaeval art, literature and history. 

This course discusses the issues involved in reconstructing the history and religions of ancient Israel and Judah. It provides an overview of the history and religions of Ancient Israel and Judah, as portrayed in the Hebrew Bible, as illustrated by archaeological findings, and as understood within their larger Ancient Near Eastern context. It further teaches the students how to evaluate critically these portrayals and, as a result, how to reach independent and informed interpretations of the Biblical text. 

This course will explore the rise and fall of Empires from the ancient world and beyond; examining to what extent religion, power struggles, conflict and politics impacted the shaping of an ancient Empire and the world today.

How did the Jesus movement turn into the church? At what point did the church decide Jesus was God? How can God be one and three? What is heresy and why did it matter? How did Christianity relate to surrounding philosophy? Did theology develop and change? What were the sources for Christian thought and doctrine? The course introduces students to these questions through the rich history of Christian thought by considering a number of representative theological thinkers, such as Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. Assessment is through two short essays and a final essay.

This course on sacramental theology is situated primarily in the area of Practical Theology. The model of the four voices of theology (normative, formal, operant and espoused), as developed by Helen Cameron and others, functions to structure the course around biblical, historical, and contemporary developments in sacramental theology. The students will critically evaluate contemporary views and practices of the sacraments in one particular denomination of their choice in light of this denomination’s historical and doctrinal teaching.

So often associated with wine and revelry, this course will explore the ways in which Dionysus was worshipped in ancient Greece. Here, we will consider mystery religion, religious festivals and the secrets of maenadic worship. We will traverse, like Dionysus, across the ancient Mediterranean world from Asia Minor to Thebes to Athens and beyond. We will also explore a broad chronological sweep too – from 5th century BCE to 2nd century CE. For sure, Dionysus will provide intrigue with the opportunity to revel with a variety of primary sources, such as, archaeology, literary sources and fragments.

How do we know right from wrong? What are our responsibilities towards others? How should we engage with social and political problems and issues? What constitutes a good life? This course provides an opportunity for students to explore the rich tradition of Western ethical reflection and moral formation. It does so by surveying the various ways in which ethics and morality have been understood and approached by major figures in the Western tradition. 

This course will explore the ancient Greek, Roman and Near attitudes towards creation, cosmology and world view.

This course offers an in-depth investigation of a key biblical character. It will look at the issue from three key angles. First, it will focus on the literary and narrative aspects of the pertinent texts: how is the character being portrayed and how does that this portrayal shape our understanding and appreciation of that character? Second, it will explore the historical-critical aspects of the text: how can knowledge of the chronological development of the text contribute to our understanding of the text and its message? Three, it will investigate how this character has been understood in subsequent Jewish and Christian: how can this later reception shed light upon aspects inherent in the text itself?

This course will examine the manifestations of religious revivals in Scotland from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries within their economic, political, religious and social historical contexts. Firstly, it will explore the various traditions of revival that have emerged during the course of the previous 300 years. Secondly, it will review the historiography of revival studies and will consider the theories that surround religious movements. Thirdly, it will consider the timing and manner of these demonstrations of religious enthusiasm. Fourthly, it will analyse the people who were affected by revivals. Fifthly, it will investigate the effects of religious movements within the lives of the communities where they have been experienced. Finally, the course will appraise the significance of revival within the wider tradition of the Christian church in Scotland in modern times.

The writings of the apostle Paul have exercised more influence over the development of Christian theology than almost any other writings??, but much scholarship would question whether they have been interpreted correctly. Since the end of the Second World War, there have been significant developments in our understanding of the Judaism of Paul's day and of the socio-cultural realities of the wider Mediterranean world; these have led to the emergence of new readings of the apostle's theology and have demanded fresh accounts of Christian origins. This module will involve some exploration and critique of these new approaches to Paul's theology.

This course will explore the ancient Greek, Roman and Near attitudes towards creation, cosmology and world view.

This course offers an in-depth investigation of a key biblical character. It will look at the issue from three key angles. First, it will focus on the literary and narrative aspects of the pertinent texts: how is the character being portrayed and how does that this portrayal shape our understanding and appreciation of that character? Second, it will explore the historical-critical aspects of the text: how can knowledge of the chronological development of the text contribute to our understanding of the text and its message? Three, it will investigate how this character has been understood in subsequent Jewish and Christian: how can this later reception shed light upon aspects inherent in the text itself?

This course will examine the manifestations of religious revivals in Scotland from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries within their economic, political, religious and social historical contexts. Firstly, it will explore the various traditions of revival that have emerged during the course of the previous 300 years. Secondly, it will review the historiography of revival studies and will consider the theories that surround religious movements. Thirdly, it will consider the timing and manner of these demonstrations of religious enthusiasm. Fourthly, it will analyse the people who were affected by revivals. Fifthly, it will investigate the effects of religious movements within the lives of the communities where they have been experienced. Finally, the course will appraise the significance of revival within the wider tradition of the Christian church in Scotland in modern times.

The writings of the apostle Paul have exercised more influence over the development of Christian theology than almost any other writings, but much scholarship would question whether they have been interpreted correctly. Since the end of the Second World War, there have been significant developments in our understanding of the Judaism of Paul's day and of the socio-cultural realities of the wider Mediterranean world; these have led to the emergence of new readings of the apostle's theology and have demanded fresh accounts of Christian origins. This module will involve some exploration and critique of these new approaches to Paul's theology, but always in relation to the content of the letters themselves. Central to Paul's far-reaching and radical theology and ethics is his particular identification of Jesus, which shapes his distinctive way of speaking about God and salvation and, from this, about the church.  

This course gives students the opportunity to study the views of the western theological canon by reading key historical texts that have shaped Christian thinking about human impairment and disability. Primary source texts will be discussed on their own merit as well as in relation to developments in the Christian tradition over time. During class discussions of core texts and historical trajectories will be critically assessed in light of contemporary questions and scholarship. 

This course engages students in a sustained exploration of theology and practice of preaching in the context of Christian worship with a view to the wider horizon of public communication. Initial investigation of traditional and contemporary theologies of the Word prepares us to focus upon the theological and rhetorical analysis of actual sermons considered in video, audio and textual forms. We will critically examine the theological frameworks within which preaching is understood, various possibilities for understanding the relation of biblical text, contemporary context, preached sermon, as well questions concerning the interplay of form and content in the act of preaching.

For theological reflection on disability, the paired issues of “what the Scriptures say” and “how the Scriptures are read” are of decisive importance.  This course will first discuss hermeneutical frameworks to interpret Scripture and how these bear on the concepts of biblical authority. Secondly, the course will consider specific texts and their interpretations, exploring and evaluating different – and perhaps opposing – views on disability and the ministries of disabled people in Scripture.

This course will examine the history of the Christian faith in Scotland, from the mission of Columba to the crusade of Billy Graham and beyond to the present day.

20,000 word dissertation written on a topic related to the student's taught Master's programme and agreed to by the supervisor and the programme co-ordinator.