Theology: Emphasizing Christian Formation Course

Lesson 1 • The Triune God

Introduces the doctrine of the Trinity as the center of Christian theology. Connects Trinitarian belief to worship, prayer, and communal life.

Lesson 2 • Nature and Purpose of Theology

Defines theology as disciplined reflection on God and faith. Grounds the course by showing why rigorous theological thinking matters for Christian formation.

Lesson 3 • Theological Language and Analogy

Addresses how human language speaks truthfully about God. Prepares students to use theological terms with precision and humility.

Lesson 4 • Revelation and Scripture

Covers general and special revelation, biblical inspiration, and authority. Equips students to read Scripture theologically within the formation process.

Lesson 1 • Grace as the Divine Response

Introduces prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace as God's answer to sin. Bridges anthropology to soteriology and the formation journey.

Lesson 2 • The Doctrine of Sin

Analyzes original sin, personal sin, and structural evil. Shows how sin distorts the image of God and creates the need for redemption.

Lesson 3 • Christian Anthropology

Explores humanity as created in God's image with dignity and purpose. Establishes the theological basis for human worth and relational identity.

Lesson 1 • Salvation: Justification and Sanctification

Distinguishes justification as forensic declaration from sanctification as ongoing transformation. Frames the entire formation journey within a robust soteriology.

Lesson 2 • The Atonement

Surveys major atonement theories and their pastoral implications. Equips students to articulate why Christ's death is central to salvation and formation.

Lesson 3 • Resurrection and New Creation

Establishes the resurrection as the foundation of Christian hope and transformation. Connects eschatological hope to present formation practices.

Lesson 4 • The Person of Jesus Christ

Covers the two-natures doctrine and key Christological councils. Grounds formation in a historically orthodox understanding of who Jesus is.

Lesson 1 • The Spirit in Conversion and Regeneration

Examines how the Spirit initiates new birth and draws people to faith. Connects conversion experience to the beginning of the formation journey.

Lesson 2 • The Person of the Holy Spirit

Establishes the Spirit's full divinity and distinct personhood within the Trinity. Corrects reductive views that hinder Spirit-led formation.

Lesson 3 • Spirit-Led Prayer and Discernment

Teaches prayer as Spirit-empowered communion and discernment as Spirit-guided decision-making. Integrates pneumatology into daily formation practice.

Lesson 4 • Fruit of the Spirit and Character Formation

Connects the Spirit's fruit to measurable character transformation. Provides students with concrete markers of Spirit-led growth.

Lesson 1 • Sacraments as Formative Practices

Covers baptism and the Eucharist as means of grace that shape identity. Shows how regular sacramental participation forms believers over time.

Lesson 2 • The Nature and Mission of the Church

Examines biblical images of the church and its fourfold mission. Establishes why communal belonging is essential, not optional, for formation.

Lesson 3 • Worship as Formative Encounter

Analyzes corporate worship as a primary site of theological formation. Connects liturgical elements to the shaping of Christian imagination and desire.

Lesson 4 • Community, Accountability, and Discipleship

Explores small groups, mentoring, and mutual accountability as formation structures. Equips students to build and sustain formative community relationships.

Lesson 1 • Contemplative Prayer Traditions

Introduces centering prayer, the examen, and contemplative listening. Deepens students' capacity for interior silence and receptive attention to God.

Lesson 2 • Theology of Spiritual Disciplines

Grounds disciplines in grace, not merit, as means of training the soul. Prevents legalism by framing practices as cooperative responses to God's initiative.

Lesson 3 • Disciplines of Engagement

Examines study, prayer, service, and fellowship as active formation practices. Balances abstinence disciplines with outward-focused engagement.

Lesson 4 • Designing a Personal Rule of Life

Guides students in crafting a structured, sustainable rhythm of spiritual practices. Applies all prior discipline content to a personalized formation plan.

Lesson 1 • Social Ethics and Justice

Examines Christian responsibility toward poverty, oppression, and the common good. Connects personal formation to prophetic engagement with social structures.

Lesson 2 • Virtue and Character Development

Applies virtue ethics to the formation of stable moral character. Shows how repeated practices shape the moral agent over time.

Lesson 3 • Moral Discernment in Complex Situations

Equips students with a process for navigating ethical dilemmas. Integrates Scripture, tradition, reason, and community in practical moral decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Ethics in Personal and Relational Life

Applies ethical principles to sexuality, marriage, family, and friendship. Grounds relational ethics in covenant love and mutual self-giving.

Lesson 1 • Eschatological Hope and Present Formation

Connects future hope to present motivation for growth and perseverance. Shows how eschatology energizes rather than escapes from formation work.

Lesson 2 • Mission, Witness, and the End

Links eschatological urgency to evangelism and kingdom mission. Completes the course by showing formation as preparation for eternal participation in God's mission.

Lesson 3 • Biblical Eschatology Overview

Surveys Old and New Testament eschatological themes and their development. Provides the biblical foundation for all subsequent eschatological application.

Lesson 4 • Death, Resurrection, and Judgment

Addresses personal eschatology: death, intermediate state, and final resurrection. Grounds formation in honest engagement with human mortality.