Soteriology Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Soteriology and Its Scope

Soteriology is defined as the systematic study of salvation across religious traditions. This section anchors the course by clarifying what salvation means and why it is studied.

Lesson 2 • Historical Development of Salvation Thought

Traces salvation concepts from ancient Near Eastern religion through patristic, medieval, and Reformation eras. Students see how historical context shaped doctrinal formulation.

Lesson 3 • Primary Sources and Canonical Texts

Introduces the scriptural and confessional texts that ground soteriological claims. Students learn to identify authoritative sources used across traditions.

Lesson 1 • Consequences of Sin and Estrangement

Explores death, judgment, alienation, and bondage as consequences that salvation must overcome. This section deepens the urgency and scope of soteriological solutions.

Lesson 2 • Theological Anthropology Essentials

Covers the image of God, human dignity, and creaturely dependence as the baseline for understanding human nature. These concepts frame the problem salvation must solve.

Lesson 3 • Universal Need Versus Particular Conditions

Examines whether the need for salvation is universal or conditioned by specific circumstances. Students engage debates about inclusivism, exclusivism, and pluralism.

Lesson 1 • Satisfaction and Substitutionary Theories

Examines Anselm's satisfaction theory and its development into penal substitution. Students assess the logic of honour, debt, and punishment in these frameworks.

Lesson 2 • Christus Victor and Ransom Theories

Presents the oldest atonement frameworks, emphasising Christ's victory over sin, death, and evil powers. Students trace these models from patristic sources to contemporary retrieval.

Lesson 3 • Participatory and Theosis Models

Explores Eastern Orthodox theosis and participatory atonement, where salvation is union with divine life. Students contrast these with Western juridical frameworks.

Lesson 4 • Moral Influence and Exemplarist Models

Covers Abelard's moral influence theory and modern exemplarist approaches that centre Christ's example. Students evaluate how these models prioritise human transformation.

Lesson 1 • Faith: Nature, Object, and Structure

Examines faith as notitia, assensus, and fiducia, and its relationship to works and obedience. Students distinguish saving faith from intellectual assent or moral effort.

Lesson 2 • Justification: Forensic and Transformative Views

Contrasts Protestant forensic justification with Catholic and Orthodox transformative accounts. Students analyse the New Perspective on Paul and ecumenical convergences.

Lesson 3 • Synergism and Monergism

Examines the debate over whether salvation is entirely God's work or involves human cooperation. Students map positions from strict Calvinism to Arminianism and Catholicism.

Lesson 1 • Arminian and Wesleyan Responses

Presents Arminius's critique of Calvinist predestination and Wesley's development of prevenient grace. Students compare these systems on freedom, foreknowledge, and assurance.

Lesson 2 • Biblical Foundations of Election

Surveys Old and New Testament election language, from Israel's calling to Pauline predestination texts. Students distinguish corporate, individual, and Christological election.

Lesson 3 • Universalism and Hopeful Universalism

Examines arguments for universal salvation, from Origen to Barth and contemporary hopeful universalism. Students evaluate scriptural, logical, and pastoral dimensions.

Lesson 4 • Calvinist and Reformed Predestination

Examines double predestination, TULIP, and supralapsarian versus infralapsarian debates. Students assess the internal logic and scriptural support of Reformed soteriology.

Lesson 1 • Conversion: Repentance and Faith

Analyses conversion as the human side of salvation, comprising repentance and faith. Students examine the psychology, theology, and pastoral dimensions of conversion.

Lesson 2 • Regeneration and New Birth

Examines regeneration as the Spirit's transformative act that precedes or accompanies faith. Students compare Reformed, Arminian, and sacramental accounts of new birth.

Lesson 3 • Adoption, Assurance, and Perseverance

Covers the believer's status as adopted child of God and the grounds for assurance. Students debate eternal security versus the possibility of apostasy.

Lesson 4 • Sanctification and Glorification

Examines progressive sanctification, entire sanctification, and final glorification as salvation's completion. Students trace how different traditions understand growth in holiness.

Lesson 1 • Jewish Concepts of Redemption and Covenant

Surveys biblical, rabbinic, and modern Jewish understandings of redemption, covenant, and tikkun olam. Students contrast Jewish and Christian soteriological frameworks.

Lesson 2 • Islamic Concepts of Salvation and Submission

Examines Islamic soteriology centred on submission, divine mercy, and the Day of Judgment. Students compare Islamic and Christian accounts of sin, forgiveness, and final destiny.

Lesson 3 • Hindu Paths to Liberation

Covers jnana, bhakti, and karma marga as Hindu paths to moksha. Students analyse how liberation from samsara differs structurally from Christian salvation.

Lesson 4 • Interreligious Dialogue on Salvation

Applies comparative findings to structured interreligious dialogue on salvation. Students practice respectful engagement while maintaining theological clarity.

Lesson 1 • Constructing a Personal Soteriological Position

Guides students through synthesising course content into a coherent, defensible soteriological position. Students produce a structured theological argument integrating biblical, historical, and systematic sources.

Lesson 2 • Soteriology and Social Justice

Connects salvation doctrine to structural injustice, poverty, and oppression. Students evaluate how different atonement models generate distinct social ethics.

Lesson 3 • Pastoral Applications of Salvation Doctrine

Translates soteriological concepts into pastoral care, preaching, and counselling contexts. Students develop skills for communicating salvation meaningfully to diverse audiences.

Lesson 4 • Ecological Soteriology

Examines how salvation extends to creation, addressing ecological crisis through a cosmic redemption framework. Students integrate environmental ethics with soteriological doctrine.