A Biblical, Historical Study of Jesus Christ
A. Description & Pre-requisite
This course involves a careful study of the person and mission of Jesus Christ. This study takes as its starting point the faith experience based on scriptural and ecclesiastical testimonies of Jesus Christ. It also takes into account the modern historical consciousness in order to understand the questions raised by contemporaries concerning the historicity and trustworthiness of our faith in Jesus Christ.
The course passes through the history of Christological reflections, starting from the first disciples’ experience of the Risen Christ and their attempt to understand and articulate that experience.
This course presupposes on the part of the students a firsthand knowledge of early Church history, a basic knowledge of role and significance of the Sacred Scriptures and Tradition, of the historical and transcendent characters of faith, of the contextual character of theology, and of the necessity and dynamic of doctrinal formation and development.
B. Course Objective
The course’s objective is to help the students:
- To get the latest information on recent developments relating to the methods and directions of Christological research.
- To obtain in a profound and solid manner the foundational knowledge and the dynamic of scriptural and traditional Christologies.
- To get acquaintance with modern and contemporary approaches in Christology.
- To practice a contextual way of understanding and of reflecting on the person and mission of Christ, applying particularly in the social context of the Church in Viet Nam .
C. Instructional Methods
- Class lecture.
- Class discussion.
- Translation work.
D. Textbooks and Materials
- JAMES G. DUNN. Christology in the Making. Michigan. 1989.
- JACQUES DUPUIS, SJ. Introduzione all Cristologia. Trans. Graham Bell & Vito Chiariello. Monferrato. 1993.
- JEAN GALOT, SJ. Who is Christ? A Theology of the Incarnation. Trans. M. Angeline Bouchard. Chicago.1980.
- WILLIAM P. LOEWE. The College Student’s Introduction to Christology. Minnesota. 1996.
- GERALD O’ COLLINS, SJ. Christology. New York. 1995.
- BERNARD SESBOÜÉ, SJ. Pédagogie du Christ – Eléments de Christologie Fondamentale. 1994.
- JON SOBRINO, SJ. Christology at the Crossroads – A Latin American Approach. Trans. John Drury. New York. 1978.
- ALAN SPENCE. Christology – A Guide for the Perplexed. London. 2008.
E. Course Evaluation
Short research papers (3 papers): 35%
Class discussion: 15%
Reflection paper: 25%
Final oral exam: 25%