Living As the Community of the Spirit

LIVING AS THE COMMUNITY OF THE SPIRIT

THS-503: 2 hours

Western Seminary – Portland, Oregon

Todd L. Miles, Instructor

(503) 517-1866

Summer Semester, 2014

SYLLABUS

Course Schedule

6:00p to 10:00p on 5/5, 5/6, 5/12, 5/19, 6/2, 6/9, 6/10

COURSE DESCRIPTION

You will culminate the process of learning to think theologically by exploring the Spirit’s life-giving work. Then you will investigate the church as God’s covenant community and instrument of his present working, ending with the consummation of his kingdom program in end time events. Throughout the course the Spirit will transform us as we see our part in his grand work.

COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. You will develop a gospel-centered understanding of pneumatology, ecclesiology, and eschatology and the major historical and evangelical perspectives on these topics.
2. You will be able to articulate clearly and defend biblically your own position on these doctrines.
3. You will be able to assess contrary theological perspectives on these issues fairly and biblically.
4. You will apply these theological truths to contemporary issues in life, ministry, and culture.
5. You will develop a deeper spiritual life as you come to know God, his plans, and his purposes better.

TEXTBOOKS

• Millard Erickson. Christian Theology, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker. ISBN: 0801021820 ($49.99)
• Timothy C. Tennent, Theology in the Context of World Christianity. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. ISBN: 0310275113 ($24.99) (Four chapters assigned)
• Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, rev. ed., Wheaton: Crossway. ISBN: 9781581346312 ($15.99)
• Todd L. Miles, A God of Many Understandings? The Gospel and a Theology of Religions. Nashville: Broadman & Holman. ISBN: 9780805448221 ($29.99) (Two chapters assigned)

You are encouraged to purchase these titles through the Amazon.com associate program; you may use the links provided above, or the search option found on the Western website under “Current Students/Portland”:

ONLINE CLASSROOM

This class has an online classroom. Your first class assignment is to access this website during the first week of the semester (by Friday, May 9)and take a simple quiz confirming your participation in the course. You will also be asked to use the learning center to download handouts and submit assignments. And by Friday of the last week of the semester (Aug 15) you will need to log on and complete the final course evaluation.

To access the site, go to Click on ‘login’ (on the right above the calendar), use your student number for your username, and the password you received from the school. For a replacement password, click on ‘forgot your password’ or contact Jon Raibley: . The on-line classroom will go live no later than the first Monday of the semester.

Course notes and study guides can be found in the online classroom in the Course Materials folder.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1.Online Orientation (15 min.)

Before the end of the first Friday of the semester (May 9), you need to log onto the web classroom, download the syllabus for the course, and complete the report indicating that you have read and understand the course requirements. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the semester. So failure to complete the online orientation on time may result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.

2.Reading (31 hours)

Reading assignments are listed on the course calendar. To aid in discussion and understanding of the material, each reading assignment shall be completed prior to the class session listed. A reading log (attached) will be turned in at the end of the term where you will record your progress through the reading assignments.

You will also be required to listen to four sermons by the Professor related to ecclesiology. Details for accessing those sermons will be provided in class.

3.Attendance (28 hours)

You are responsible to regularly attend and participate in class lectures and discussions.

4.Doctrinal Statements (10 hours)

You will write a succinct statement of your own personal doctrinal commitment on each of the topics studied. Your statement on the Holy Spirit should be one page, double-spaced; the doctrine of the Church should be two pages; and your statement on eschatology should be one page. A handout entitled “Suggestions for Preparation of Doctrinal Statements” is available to help you, and your work on statements in THS 501 and 502 should serve as a model. Sample doctrinal statements are available in the Classroom Materials folder in the classroom website.Each doctrinal statement is due when the corresponding exam is due.

5.Examinations (21 hours)

Three examinations will be given. These will be based upon the reading and class presentations. Prior to each exam, a study guide will be distributed to guide your preparation. The exams will be closed-note, open-Bible take-home exams. The exams will take between one and three hours to complete. Each exam will be distributed when we have completed the lectures for that doctrine. Exams are to be completed at home and are due two weeks after they are distributed.

6.Final Course Evaluation (15 min.)

Before the end of the last Friday (Aug 15) of the semester, you will receive an email with a link to the final course evaluation. By federal law, we now need to ensure that students participate in classes for the full length of the class. So failure to complete the final course evaluation on time will result in a grade penalty and may impact your financial aid eligibility.

GRADING

A+ / A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D-
99-100% / 95-98% / 93-94% / 91-92% / 88-90% / 86-87% / 84-85% / 81-83% / 79-80% / 77-78% / 74-76% / 70-73%
Required Assignments / Points / Estimated Time to Complete
Reading and Participation / 20% / 59 hours
Doctrinal Statements / 30% / 10 hours
Exams / 50% / 21 hours
Totals / 90 hours

COURSE CALENDAR

Date / Course Topic / Preparation for Class
5/5 / Introduction
Pneumatology
5/6 / Pneumatology / Tennent 1;
Erickson 3rd: 39-41; (Erickson 2nd: 41-42);
Miles 8
5/12 / Pneumatology
Ecclesiology / Tennent 7;
Erickson 3rd: 49-50; (Erickson 2nd: 50-51);
Dever 1-3
5/19 / Ecclesiology / Erickson 3rd: 51-52; (Erickson 2nd: 52-53);
Dever 4-6;
Baptism Sermon (audio);
Lord’s Supper Sermon (audio)
6/2 / Ecclesiology / Tennent 8;
Erickson 3rd: 53; (Erickson 2nd: 54-55);
Dever 7-9;
Elders Sermon (audio)
Church Discipline Sermon (audio)
6/9 / Eschatology / Erickson 3rd: 54-55; (Erickson 2nd: 56-57);
Miles 3
6/10 / Eschatology / Tennent 9;
Erickson 3rd: 56-58; (Erickson 2nd: 58-60);

COURSE POLICIES

Borderline Grades:

Borderline grades will be determined on the basis of class participation and pattern of improvement. To receive audit credit, you must attend at least 80% of the class sessions and report that fact to the instructor by the day of the final.

Attendance and Late Assignments:

Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Students who miss class are responsible for missed work. In the event that you are unable to attend class, you should make arrangements to get notes from a colleague. You may make arrangements in advance with a colleague to tape a session you know you will miss, but that tape is for private use only. Absences and tardiness may impact a student’s grade. Students who anticipate an absence should discuss it in advance with the instructor. Students who miss more than 20% of the seat time for the class will not pass the course, without a request for and the completion of additional assignments. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will result in a reduction of the student’s letter grade for that assignment.

Assignments must be turned in at the beginning of the class period on which they are due. Due dates may be varied to allow for your demanding schedule. If you need to make such arrangements, please do so well in advance and formalize them in writing. If prior arrangements have not been made, the penalty for a late assignment is a 10% reduction for each week that the assignment is late (5% if turned in within one week of the due date). The maximum deduction for a late assignment is 25%. Unless you qualify for an incomplete as defined in Western’s catalog, all assignments must be turned in by 5:00 PM on the date assigned.

Assignment Format:

Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments must meet the following criteria:

1. 1 ” margins on the left, right, top, and bottom
2. Double-spaced
3. 12 point font (Times New Roman or Arial)
4. A cover page that contains the assignment title, class title and number, your name, mail box number, and date
5. One staple in the top left corner

Absence Policy:

In the event that you are unable to attend class, you should make arrangements to get notes from a colleague. You may make arrangements in advance with a colleague to tape a session you know you will miss, but that tape is for private use only.

Copyright Violation and Plagiarism:

Research in secondary sources for the written project is permitted and welcomed. However, any appropriation of either ideas or wording taken from other sources, whether print or electronic, must be properly footnoted. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism which can result in substantial grade reduction or failure. Any unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials, including downloaded files of various kinds, can result in criminal charges and fines. For a fuller explanation of these issues or WS's copyright policy, see the Copyright Issues and Cheating" section of the Student Handbook:

Incompletes/Extensions:

The final deadline for submitting all course work is the last day of the semester as noted in the Academic Calendar and in the class schedule. In the case of serious illness, family emergency, or similar extenuating circumstances, the student may request an extension. A 1-3 week extension is typical in all except the most extreme cases, and some penalty for late work may apply. Under no circumstances will the student be given more than 5 weeks to complete all required coursework except by petition and approval of the Administrative Committee. (Extensions longer than 5 weeks are rare and should only be requested under extreme circumstances.)

If students face a personal emergency that requires requesting an extension going beyond the end of the semester, it may affect their ability to receive financial aid in the next semester, and they may face the possibility that their next semester’s course registrations will be cancelled. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.

Audit/Enrichment Students:

Enrichment students are encouraged, but not obligated, to participate in assignments and class discussions. Professors are not obligated to grade participation for these students, but may opt to do so depending on class size.

Statement on WiFi Services:

Our community at Western Seminary is defined by our membership in the body of Christ. As we share common resources, we wish to do so with respect and consideration for others. Our IT department has created a strong and secure wireless internet network at each of our campus locations to enhance the student learning environment. Some of the considerations in developing our wifi networks have included providing excellent security (better than you’ll find at the local coffeeshop) and doing so within a budget that does not significantly impact tuition costs. Keeping costs low means that we don’t have an endless supply of bandwidth. We ask that you use the wifi network for academic purposes and avoid downloading large files or streaming video. Please be mindful that your internet use (both in class and on campus) can distract others or prevent them from accessing resources they need for their studies. We appreciate your participation in promoting thoughtful, considerate internet use on campus.

The Availability of Disability Services at Western Seminary:

Western Seminary is committed to responding to the needs of students with disabilities as outlined in both the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Western students are assisted individually as their needs dictate. It is the responsibility of students with disabilities to identify themselves and the nature of the disability. Any student who has a disability should contact the seminary’s Disability (Section 504) Coordinator, Ashley Mitchell, at 503-517-1819/1-877-517-1800, ext. 1819. Her office is at the Portland campus. Students at the northern California campuses may contact Director of Student Services – San Jose or Director of Student Services – Sacramento, or they may contact Ms. Mitchell directly. Appropriate forms will be provided and must be submitted to the Disability Coordinator’s office.

THS-503 Reading Log

Name: ______

Box: ______

Date / Reading / Completed on Time / Date Completed / Percent Completed
5/6 / Tennent 1
Erickson 39-41(41-42)
Miles 8
5/12 / Tennent 7
Erickson 49-50 (50-51)
Dever 1-3
5/19 / Erickson 51-52 (52-53)
Dever 4-6
Baptism Sermon
Lord’s Supper Sermon
6/2 / Tennent 8
Erickson 53 (54-55)
Dever 7-9
Elders Sermon
Church Discipline Sermon
6/9 / Erickson 54-55 (56-57)
Miles 3
6/10 / Tennent 9
Erickson 56-58 (58-60)

The Erickson chapters in parentheses refer to the second edition.