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Syllabus

TL2320: Theology of the Lutheran Confessions
Spring Semester 2008
Instructor: Faye E. Schott

Goals:

+ To examine the basic confessional statements of the Lutheran Church contained in the Book of Concord and to become familiar with both the content and the historical context of those writings
+ To investigate current ecumenical agreements of the ELCA and other church bodies and discuss the relevance of the Confessions for Lutheranism as a confessional movement within the Church catholic
+ To be able to articulate the basic doctrinal concepts that characterize the Lutheran confessional tradition
+ To demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking about Lutheran theological principles and their application to the mission of the Church.

Format:

+ 1 lecture/discussion session per week (extended sessions during 2 weeks)
+ 2 units during the term, focusing on:
+ writings in the Book of Concord
+ contemporary significance of the confessional tradition

Requirements:

+ class attendance and participation in discussion.
+ Mid-term take-home oral examination on the Augsburg Confession and related materials
+ One 6-7 page paper on a doctrinal issue presented in the Augsburg Confession
+ One 6-7 page paper on the question “why be Lutheran?”
+ Short (10 min.) oral presentation on ecumenical partner churches (Reformed, Episcopal, Moravian, Roman Catholic), outlining their essential characteristics and examining the most important theological issue at stake in the ecumenical discussions and how that issue was dealt with

Textbooks:

Required –

Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert, eds. The Book of Concord
Timothy Lull, ed. Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings.
Readings available through the library.
ELCA ecumenical agreements with other churches (available on ELCA web
page).

Recommended –

Robert Kolb and James A. Nestingen. Sources and Contexts of the Book of
Concord.
Günther Gassmann and Scott Hendrix. Fortress Introduction to the Lutheran
Confessions.

Course Website: http://www.lsps.edu/professors/schott/TL2220.htm

Grading:

+ All papers and tests are to be handed in on the date given in the syllabus. For each day that an assignment is late, two points will be deducted from the grade (e.g.: if your grade for a paper is 95 but you hand it in 10 days late, your recorded grade for that assignment will be 75.) You may revise and resubmit the first paper after it is handed back if you want your grade to be reconsidered; this will not make up for late points deducted. ALL WORK MUST BE HANDED IN BY THE FINAL DAY INDICATED (May 2nd) IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A PASSING GRADE. Exceptions will be made only if a form requesting an incomplete has been submitted and approved before the last day of class (April 22nd). The mid-term examination must be passed with a score of 80% or more in order to pass the course. If less than 80% is scored, the test may be taken again before the end of the semester.
+ Course grades will be compiled from: mid-term exam 30%, paper on article of Augsburg Confession 30%, paper on Lutheran confessional heritage 30%, presentation on ecumenical agreement 10%; class attendance is expected and absences will detract from your total grade. On a scale of 100 points, 70 is passing. For persons taking the course on a pass/fail basis, grades will be noted as P or F except for the test on the Augsburg Confession.

Instructions for Papers:

1. Paper on Article of the Augsburg Confession
The student selects one of the 28 articles of the Augsburg Confession to examine in detail in a 6 to 7 page paper. The paper should refer not only to the Augsburg Confession but also to related material in other confessional documents in the Book of Concord and other resources listed in the bibliography. The paper should cover the following items:
> describe in detail the theological issue being addressed by this article,
> explain why and how this is a confessional issue in the faith life of individuals and Christian communities, and
> tell how this issue applies to the mission of the Lutheran church in the Southwestern U.S. at the present time.
The first two items will entail research in the Book of Concord, and the third item will include your own theological reflection. Citations for writings in the Book of Concord may be given in parentheses, but secondary works should be cited according to the form given in the ETSS Academic Code. Grammatically correct, nonsexist, concise and clear English is expected. Paper is due March 18th.

2. Paper on “Why be Lutheran?” (the significance of the Lutheran Confessions for today)
The student writes a 6 to 7 page paper that is a defense or apology for being Lutheran and
that states what importance the Lutheran confessional tradition has for:
> expressing personal faith in Christ,
> encouraging congregational ministry and mission across cultural boundaries, and
> establishing the identity of the Church in the religiously plural world of today.
Make specific points regarding each of these areas and substantiate what you say by including references to the Book of Concord, and also to the ecumenical agreements and other course readings, as pertinent. Your paper should focus on analyzing and integrating material from the course (3/4 of the paper) as well as engaging in personal reflection (1/4 of the paper). Use the guidelines for form as stated above. Paper is due May 2nd.

Schedule:

Week 1 – Tues., Feb. 5 - 2-4 PM
Historical background
READ: “Ninety-Five Theses” in MLBTW; Book of Concord, pp. 19-25
[including notes]; Pannenberg, “The Place of Creeds in Christianity Today”

Week 2 – Tues., Feb. 12 - 2-5 PM
Creeds, background of Augsburg Confession
READ: Book of Concord, Editors’ Introduction and “Preface”, pp. 1-17; Kolb &
Nestingen, pp. 82-104; Gassmann & Hendrix pp. 1-32; ELCA Constitution chapters 2, 3, 4 (available on course web page) .

Week 3 – Tues., Feb. 19 – 2-5 PM, 7-9 PM; Wed., Feb. 20 – 2-5 PM
Augsburg Confession, Apology
READ: Book of Concord, CA 1-28 and Apology 1-4, pp. 27-105 & 107-294.

Week 4 – no class

Week 5 – Tues., Mar. 4 - 2-5 PM
Smalcald Articles, Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
[take-home exam on Augsburg Confession due]
READ: Book of Concord, pp. 295-344

Spring Break [week of March 10-14] - no class

Week 6 – Tues., Mar. 18 - 2-5 PM
Catechisms & the catechumenate among Lutherans
[paper on article of Augsburg Confession due]
READ: Book of Concord, pp. 345-375, 377-480; Kolb & Nestingen, pp. 1-12, 256-260.

Week 7 –Tues., Mar. 25 – 2-5 PM, 7-9 PM; Wed. Mar. 26 – 2-5 PM
More historical background, Formula of Concord, JDDJ
READ: Book of Concord, pp. 481-660; “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification:” (link available on course web page)

Week 8 – no class

Week 9 – Tues., Apr. 8 – 2-5 PM
Other ecumenical agreements
[student oral presentations during discussion session]
READ: “Following Our Shepherd to Full Communion” [Moravian Church], “Called to Common Mission:” [Episcopal Church], & “Formula of Agreement” [Reformed churches] (links available on course web page)

Week 10 – Tues., Apr. 15 - 2-5 PM
Justification, confessional identity and mission today
READ: “The Catechumenate among Lutherans” (available on course web page); “A Theology of Justification and God’s Mission” (EBSCO); The Way of Salvation in Luther’s Theology: A Feminist Evaluation” (EBSCO) & “The Virgin of Guadalupe, History, Myth, and Spirituality” (EBSCO)

Week 11 – Tues., Apr. 22 - 2-5 PM
Word and sacraments, contextualization of law & gospel
READ: “Theses on Law and Gospel”, by C.F.W. Walther (available on course web page); “The Bible among Lutherans in America: The ELCA as a Test Case” (EBSCO); “Lutheran Preaching and the Quest for Humanization and Planetary Justice: A Perspective from Brazil” (EBSCO)

Week 12 – no class
[paper on “Why be Lutheran?” due May 2nd]

COURSE READINGS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ETSS LIBRARY AND COURSE WEBSITE (http://www.lsps.edu/professors/schott/TL2220.htm)

A Formula of Agreement. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. 23 January 2008. <www.elca.org/ecumenical/fullcommunion/presbyterian/index.html>
[available through course website under “resources”]

Called to Common Mission. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. 23 January 2008. <www.elca.org/ecumenical/fullcommunion/episcopal/index.html>
[available through course website under “resources”]

“The Catechumenate among Lutherans.” Worship 97 (November 1997): 1-4. <http://www.elca.org/worship/publications/worship/pdf/1997/worship_november_1977.pdf>
[available through course website under “resources”]

Chung, Paul S. “A Theology of Justification and God’s Mission.” Currents in Theology and Mission 34 (April 2007): 117-127. [available through EBSCO]

De Souza, Mauro B. “Lutheran Preaching and the Quest for Humanization and Planetary Justice: A Perspective from Brazil.” Dialog 43 (Winter 2004): 288-296. [available through EBSCO]

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Constitutions, Bylaws and Continuing Resolutions. August 2007 edition. Office of the Secretary, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 23 January 2008. <http://www.elca.org/secretary/constitutions/> [available through course website under “resources]

Following Our Shepherd to Full Communion. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations. 23 January 2008. <www.elca.org/ecumenical/fullcommunion/moravian/FOS/fos_I.html>
[available through course website under “resources”]

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church. Lutheran World Federation. 23 January 2008. <http://www.lutheranworld.org/Special_Events/EN/)d97e.pdf>
[available through course website under “resources”]

Heen, Erik M. “The Bible among Lutherans in America: The ELCA as a Test Case.” Dialog 45 (Spring 2006): 9-20. [available through EBSCO]

Pannenberg, Wolfhart. “The Place of Creeds in Christianity Today.” In Foundation Documents of the Faith, edited by Cyril S. Rodd, 141-152. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1987. [available on reserve]

Pereyra, Alberto. “The Virgin of Guadalupe, History, Myth, and Spirituality.” Currents in Theology and Mission 24 (August 1997): 348-354. [available through EBSCO]

Trelstad, Marit. “The Way of Salvation in Luther’s Theology: A Feminist Evaluation.” Dialog 45 (Fall 2006): 236-245. [available through EBSCO]

Walther, C. F. W. “Law and Gospel.” LutheranTheology.com: A Home for orthodox Lutheran theology and apologetics. 23 January 2008. <http://lutherantheology.com/uploads/works/walther/LG/theses.html>
[available through course website under “resources”]