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AH551G: THEOLOGY AND AESTHETICS (2024-2025)

Last modified: 22 Aug 2024 14:16


Course Overview

This core course considers the aesthetic tradition within biblical and systematic theology. Traditions of iconography will be discussed as will ideas of participation and semiotic theory. It offers an overview of the figures and movements in theological aesthetics beginning in Hebrew and bronze age concepts of the representation of the deity running to figures such as Augustine, Aquinas, Eastern traditions, The Reformers, Counter Reformers, Barth, von Balthasar featuring along the way.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term Second Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor John Behr

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)
  • Distance Learning

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This core course will consider the aesthetic tradition within Christian biblical and systematic theology, engaging with the theological and philosophical contexts within which to explore Christianity and the visual arts. The traditions of an-iconography will be discussed as well as ideas of participation and semiotic theory. An overview of the major figures and movements in theological aesthetics will be offered beginning in Hebrew and bronze age concepts of the representation of the deity and the image of ‘the name’ (Ha Shem) and running through to post-modern theological aesthetic theory, with figures such as Augustine, Aquinas, Eastern traditions of iconography, The Reformers, The Counter Reformers, Barth, von Balthasar featuring along the way.


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Tutorial/Seminar Participation

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 10
Assessment Weeks 26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37 Feedback Weeks 37

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Feedback

Weekly written response of 400-500 words to videos and discussions uploaded to MyAberdeen.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyDemonstrate a broad understanding of the history of theological aesthetics across a broad period of time.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of various discourses on theological aesthetics and its long history.
ProceduralEvaluateApply knowledge of texts to critically evaluate the interdisciplinary interpretation of theological aesthetics.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in an essay on a self-defined topic.

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 80
Assessment Weeks 37 Feedback Weeks 40

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Feedback

Summative essay on a figure or text studied.

Word Count 5000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyDemonstrate a broad understanding of the history of theological aesthetics across a broad period of time.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of various discourses on theological aesthetics and its long history.
ProceduralEvaluateApply knowledge of texts to critically evaluate the interdisciplinary interpretation of theological aesthetics.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in an essay on a self-defined topic.

Oral Presentation: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 10
Assessment Weeks 28,29,30,31,32,33 Feedback Weeks 29,30,31,32,33,34

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Feedback

Recorded presentation on a text / figure studied during course. The feedback will offer some formative assessment as a mid-course assessment; grade and feedback will also be summative.

Feedback will be given in written form and in conversation with the student around the written form.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyDemonstrate a broad understanding of the history of theological aesthetics across a broad period of time.
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of various discourses on theological aesthetics and its long history.
ProceduralEvaluateApply knowledge of texts to critically evaluate the interdisciplinary interpretation of theological aesthetics.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided

Word Count 6000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralEvaluateShow a critical understanding of various discourses on theological aesthetics and its long history.
ProceduralEvaluateApply knowledge of texts to critically evaluate the interdisciplinary interpretation of theological aesthetics.
ConceptualApplyDemonstrate a broad understanding of the history of theological aesthetics across a broad period of time.
ReflectionCreateDemonstrate confidence in researching, organising and delivering written and oral academic work in an essay on a self-defined topic.

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