| Unit name | The Question of Divine Suffering (Trinity and Baptist Colleges) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS20109 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Liveley |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
THRS1NEW2 or equivalent |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
College unit code: C21004
Kevin Vanhoozer has described the idea that God suffers as representing a 'new orthodoxy' in contemporary theology. Indeed, many Christians today would resonate with the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: 'only the suffering God can help.' And yet, perhaps surprisingly, this idea actually contradicts the majority view in church history, namely, that God is impassible, or does not suffer. This course will therefore consider divine suffering in biblical, theological, and historical perspective in order to help students form their own convictions on this matter. Students will be encouraged to examine the impact of various positions on divine suffering on faith, ministry, and mission.
The unit aims to:
1. confront students with the biblical-theological complexities involved in determining one's position on divine suffering.
2. expose students to classical and contemporary positions on divine im/passibility.
3. demonstrate the connections between the doctrine of God and the practice of ministry.
On completion of the unit, students should be able to:
1. articulate the classical view on divine impassibility, including the reasons for its prevalence.
2. articulate the modern objections and alternatives to the classical view.
3. formulate and defend a personal view on the matter of divine suffering.
4. coordinate doctrine and Scripture with greater hermeneutical consistency.
5. identify the way in which doctrine impacts the practice of ministry and mission.
Nine one-hour lectures and one one-hour seminar over a five-week period
Summative assessment will be through an essay of 2,500 words (assessing ILOs 1-5).
Fiddes, P. The Creative Suffering of God (Oxford: Clarendon, 1988)
Fretheim, T. The Suffering of God: An Old Testament Perspective (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984)
Gavrilyuk, P. The Suffering of the Impassible God (Oxford: OUP, 2004)
Moltmann. J. The Crucified God (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993)
Weinandy, T. Does God Suffer? (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2000)
Vanhoozer, K. Remythologizing Theology: Divine Action, Passion, and Authorship (Cambridge: CUP, 2010)
