In the Biblical Critical Theory online course, Christopher Watkin draws a winsome vision for biblical cultural engagement in which faithfulness to Scripture and sensitivity to culture walk hand in hand. If Christians want to speak with a fresh, engaging and constructive voice within our culture, we need to press deeper into the core truths of the Bible.
Course Details
16 Units
Self-paced
17 hours of video
Intermediate
Biblical Critical Theory
Get academic credit for this course. Take this course via The BibleMesh Institute to get transfer credit for degree programs at select institutions.
Course Description
In the Biblical Critical Theory online course, Christopher Watkin shows how the Bible and its unfolding story help us make sense of modern life and culture.
Critical theories exist to critique what we think we know about reality and the social, political, and cultural structures in which we live. In doing so, they make visible the values and beliefs of a culture in order to scrutinize and change them.
The Biblical Critical Theory online course exposes and evaluates the often-hidden assumptions and concepts that shape late-modern society, examining them through the lens of the biblical story running from Genesis to Revelation. Lessons illuminate how the patterns of the Bible's storyline can provide incisive, fresh, and nuanced ways of intervening in today's debates on everything from science, the arts, and politics to dignity, multiculturalism, and equality, showing Christians the moves to make and the tools to use in analyzing and engaging with all sorts of cultural artifacts and events in a way that is both biblically faithful and culturally relevant.
It is not enough for Christians to explain the Bible to the culture or cultures in which we live. We must also explain the culture in which we live within the framework and categories of the Bible. If Christians want to speak with a fresh, engaging, and dynamic voice in the marketplace of ideas today, we need to mine the unique treasures of the distinctive biblical storyline.
By completing this course, you’ll gain:
A richer understanding of how to look critically at the dichotomies culture presents us with in comparison to the full-orbed outlook on life presented by the Bible
New perspectives on sin, covenant, the cross, the last days, and eschatology and their impact on society and culture
Insight into the practical application of living the Christian life
Confidence in your growing knowledge through personalized review sessions and unit assessments
Meet Your Instructors
Christopher Watkin
(Ph.D., University of Cambridge)
Christopher Watkin is senior lecturer in French studies at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He is a scholar with an international reputation in the area of modern and contemporary European thought, atheism, and the relationship between the Bible and philosophy. His published work runs the spectrum from academic monographs on contemporary philosophy to books written for general readers, both Christian and secular, and include Difficult Atheism, From Plato to Postmodernism, Great Thinkers: Jacques Derrida, and others.
Course Outline
Introduction: Trinity
Creation and Humanity
Sin: Society and Autonomy
Sin: Anthropology, Asymmetry, and Application
Abraham: Promise and Covenant
Moses, the Exodus, and the Torah
Prophecy: Power and Cultural Critique
Wisdom Literature
[MIDTERM]
Incarnation
The Ministry of Jesus, Love of God, and Love of Neighbor
The Cross
The Resurrection, Transformation, and Power
The Last Days: Church, Society, and Parallax Living
The Last Days: Giving to Caesar What Is Caesar’s and Modernity
Eschatology: Apocalyptic and Time
Eschatology: Identity and Culture
[FINAL EXAM]
BibleMesh is now offering an integrated reading experience for our new book-based courses. As before, students will be guided through their reading with book excerpts embedded within the course. This allows for an improved reading experience within the course. Students will also be able to pop out the book reader into a full-screen, fully-featured web-based reading platform where they will be able to see the wider context of each excerpt and access the complete book.
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