TH 300D: American Faiths in the 21st Century (3 hrs)

Instructor:           Harold J. Berry

                                hberry@graceu.edu 

Helpdesk:            pchelp@graceu.edu

                                (402) 449-2904

Course Description

This class provides a landscape of faith systems in the current culture of popular American religions from an evangelical Christian viewpoint.  Various faith and belief systems will be taught from their history and doctrines, including what make them different from biblical Christianity.  Through this academic process, students will gain a deeper understanding of their own faith in the light of other beliefs.

Textbooks

A significant amount of course content is based on the required textbooks. Textbooks are available for purchase from the university bookstore (www.graceu.edu/bookstore).

·         What They Believe (Lincoln, NE: Back to the Bible, 2006) ISBN: 978-0-8474-6700-6

·         Encyclopedic Dictionary of Cults, Sects, and World Religions (Grand Rapids: MI: Zondervan, 2006) ISBN: 978-0-310-23954-3

·         A Pocket Style Manual, 4th edition (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004) ISBN: 0-312-40684-3

Technology Requirements

This course requires the latest versions of the software plug-ins or programs listed below. Run a system scan at the Microsoft system requirements site: https://www.microsoftelearning.com/help/systemRequirements.aspx

 

Software

Use

Download

Internet Explorer

Accessing course

http://www.microsoft.com/ie

Flash Player (SWF)

Viewing media

http://www.adobe.com/downloads

Adobe Reader (PDF)

Reading documents

http://www.adobe.com/downloads

Windows Media Player (WMV)

Viewing media

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia

Microsoft Office Word (DOC)

Viewing, creating and editing documents (all files are sent in .doc format)

http://www.microsoft.com/office/word

Course Objectives

·         Compare biblical Christianity with counterfeit religious groups and identify basic differences by practicing critical thinking.

·         Quote from memory verses of Scripture that defend key doctrines of biblical Christianity.

·         Use the library for scholarly research.

·         Distinguish primary sources from secondary sources in order to do the highest quality of documentation.

·         Use the Internet and computer sources for research.

·         Write logically and clearly, according to accepted writing style.

·         Make applications to life from the doctrines studied.

Class Schedule

Lesson

Topic

Learning Activities

1

Introduction/Biblical Christianity

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Scripture Memory

·         Reading Questions

2

Roman Catholicism

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

3

Seventh-day Adventism

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

4

Mormonism

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

5

Jehovah’s Witnesses

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

6

Masons

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

7

Secular Humanism/Unitarian Universalists

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

8

The Way International

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

9

Unification Church

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

10

Christian Science/Unity School of Christianity

·         Reading Questions

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

11

New Age Movement/Transcendental Meditation

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

12

Islam

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

13

An Evangelical Response

·         Discussion

·         Learning Paper

·         Scripture Memory

14

Final Project

·         Final Project

15

Final Project

·         Scripture Memory

·         Final Project