An interactive survey and reflective exploration of Divine natural revelation with specific attention given to beauty, goodness, and truth as pointers to God’s nature. Students gain knowledge of the key historic and contemporary figures, paradigms, and arguments for God’s existence and nature. With an emphasis on natural revelation, the student considers the role that special revelation has in illuminating aspects of natural revelation with specific emphasis given to the question of empirically discerning, or detecting Divine action in the world and how it connects to the Mission of God.
Mission in ‘science and theology’ contexts is driven by a comprehensive theology of Divine action and mission in revelation. The present course gives students insight into how some theologians of the past have discerned or detected Divine action and further how that relates to broader purposes in redemption.
The Christian Church (i.e., People of God) must find its rootedness in Scripture, the teachings of the People of God, and the ways in which theologians have arrived at knowledge of the Divine nature through Divine actions.
Critical survey of arguments for the existence and nature of God have often provided a link from the natural world to the world of Scripture. The present course considers the Bible in two ways, first as it illuminates nature/creation, and how it is that nature might illuminate aspects of Scripture.
Considering the relationship between nature and Scripture aids the student in developing a sense for where God may be working in nature in the past, the present, and in the future thereby illuminating the Mission of God.
As with all academic disciplines, natural theology is contextual and follows certain conventions in the wider academic guild. Students gain an awareness of work already done and how it is useful in our knowledge of God, humans, and the world.
Students interact with and gain the tools to assess issues that are informed by an international set of scholars.
The course concludes with a concrete product that the student can use in real life circumstances. The student gains tools for the purpose of developing a theology of nature.
Through student interactions, projects, and short written position papers, students develop an environment that aids in the process of becoming ‘missionals’ in natural theological conversation.
