Theology: Advanced Reformed Theological Studies Certificate Program

What is the relationship between Holy Scripture and Christian tradition, and how do you use both to live in the world as Christ’s disciple? These are some of the questions Dr. Michael Allen explores in TH111. Using John Calvin’s image of theology as spectacles, Dr. Allen shows how Scripture and theological tradition work together to shape how we see, interact with, and serve the world in our own unique time and place.

After defining and explaining different theological methods, Dr. Allen provides an in-depth look at the character of God—in particular God’s triunity—in order to explain the relationship between God and humanity. Dr. Allen shows how our creaturely origins inform our rightful dependency on God and God’s unique covenant with humanity. He also explains how being created in God’s image affects our understanding of relationships, morality, and missions. This course concludes with a reflection on sin’s impact on God’s covenant with humanity and our vocation as divine image bearers.

Contents:

• Theology and Systematic Theology
• Theological Method
• The Character of God
• The Triunity of God
• Election
• Creation
• Anthropology
• Covenant
• Scripture
• Providence
• Sin

In TH112, Dr. Allen focuses on the doctrines of Christ (Christology) and the church (ecclesiology), carefully explaining how Christ—as Prophet, Priest, and King—fulfills the covenant of grace conveyed throughout the whole of Scripture and the implications of this for the life of the church as the site of God’s covenantal promises. This course will introduce and respond to a wide variety of heresies concerning Jesus—many of which still arise today—including those from the Ebionites, Docetists, Apollinarians, Arians, Monophysites, and Nestorians. This course will help you address unorthodox portrayals of Jesus Christ with a thoughtful, biblical, and historical response; explain how the resurrected Christ is working through the church; and show how this understanding offers practical application for real-life ministry issues.

Contents:

• Covenant of Grace
• Incarnation and Early Heresies: Ebionites, Docetists, Apollinarians, and Arians
• Incarnation and Later Heresies: Monophysites and Nestorians
• The Story of Christ: Humiliation
• Jesus’ Virgin Birth
• Love and Law
• The Story of Christ: Exaltation
• Resurrection from the Dead
• Patterns of Ascent: Biblical and Platonic
• Jesus as Lord of the Church
• The Body of Christ: One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic

Dr. Allen concludes this bundle with TH113, which covers the doctrine of salvation (Soteriology), or how God saves us, and the last things (Eschatology): the return of Christ, the coming judgment, and the resurrection and eternal life we anticipate.

Before walking you through the doctrine of salvation and last things, Dr. Allen provides a thoroughly biblical understanding of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology): the Holy Spirit’s unique work and how the Third Person of the Trinity relates to the Father and the Son. Dr. Allen then teaches you about the different means of grace available to the church, including a definition of the sacraments, an explanation of the difference between infant and believer baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the sacramental nature of prayer. This course concludes with an in-depth study of the last things, including how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament, the curse of Gen 3, the Kuyperian New-Calvinism position, and the complex relationship between the church and wider culture.

Contents:

• Systematic Theology’s Definition and Aims
• Pneumatology (The Holy Spirit)
• Sacraments: The Means of Grace
• Infant vs. Believer Baptism
• Passover and the Lord’s Supper
• Prayer
• The Christian Life: Sin and Grace
• Justification: Faith Alone vs. Works of the Law
• The New Perspective on Paul
• Eschatology: Christians, Churches, and Culture
• Relating Church and Kingdom

A Reformed Doctrine of God: Trinitarian Foundation (TH211) provides a comprehensive overview of the most vital piece of systematic theology in the Reformed tradition: the doctrine of God. With a specific focus on the Trinity, Dr. K. Scott Oliphint presents both biblical and extrabiblical evidence, considering the testimony of Scripture as well as other methods of revelation which God uses even today. In the final section, the course covers the shaping of Trinitarian doctrine and language throughout church history, illuminating the backstories to various controversies.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Introducing the Reformed Doctrine of God

• The Priority and Centrality of the Doctrine of God
• Views on the Knowledge of God
• Responding to the Incomprehensible
• Understanding the Limitations of Humanity
• Knowledge of God: Central to Christ's Ministry
• Covenantal Context
• The Growth of Knowing God
• Considerations and Approach
• The Humility That Leads to God

Unit 2: Knowing God through His Revelation

• The Voluntary Descent of God
• Natural Revelation: The Communication of God
• Humanity as a Venue for God's Natural Revelation
• Realities of the Image of God in Humanity
• Dissecting Knowledge
• The Content of Knowledge
• Special Revelation
• Shifts in Revelation
• Prefaces to God's Revelation in Christ
• Jesus as Revelation of God
• Progressive Revelation
• The Light of God’s Revelation

Unit 3: Name Above All Names

• The Progressive Revelation of the Name of God: Part 1
• The Progressive Revelation of the Name of God: Part 2
• The Developing Name of God
• The Name of Yahweh: Setting the Stage
• Revelation of the Covenant God
• Revelation from the Burning Bush
• Word and Deed in God’s Revelation
• The Revelation of the Son

Unit 4: The Doctrine of the Trinity

• The Priority of the Trinity in the Doctrine of God
• Scriptural Evidence in the Old and New Testaments
• Logos, Jesus, and Jehovah’s Witnesses
• The Deity of Jesus Christ in the Gospels
• The Deity of Christ in the Pauline Epistles
• Jesus as Yahweh
• The Revealing of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
• The Presence of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament

Unit 5: History, Terminology, and Heresy

• The Historical Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity
• The Creedal Development of Trinitarian Theology
• The Language of Orthodoxy
• Dissecting the Trinitarian Formula
• Ecumenical Councils and Creeds
• Trinitarian Heresies
• The Filioque Dispute
• Divine Simplicity: Arguing Aquinas
• Calvin and Controversy: Part 1
• Calvin and Controversy: Part 2
• The View of Turretin
• The View of Van Til

Conclusion

• Concluding the Course

A Reformed Doctrine of God: Essence and Attributes (TH212) discusses difficult questions about God, such as who he is and what he does, even while embracing the mystery of God. Dr. K. Scott Oliphint reflects on the covenant-redemptive qualities of the relational Trinity as well as a wide variety of the attributes of God. The course covers both essential and covenantal characteristics, in addition to the workings of God in view of his decrees, will, providence, and knowledge.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Attributes of God

• Categorical Distinctions of our Trinitarian God
• Categories of Attributes
• The Problem of the Creator in Atheistic Arguments
• Historical Illustrations of the Creator-Creation Relationship
• An Immutable God with a Contingent Will
• Addressing the Coexistence of Immutability and Relationality
• Modes of God’s Will
• Knowing God’s Essence
• Essential Characteristics of God
• Covenantal Condescension
• The Power of Determined Relationship and Redemption
• The Covenantal-Redemptive Creator

Unit 2: Covenant Redemption and the Second Person of the Trinity

• The Centrality of the Doctrine of Christ
• Views of Old Testament Incarnations
• New Testament References to the Old Testament Christ
• The Need for the Council of Chalcedon
• Understanding the Hypostatic Union
• Reconciling the Divine and Human Characteristics of Christ
• Extra Calvinisticum
• The Reduplicative Strategy
• The Economic Trinity
• The Covenant of Redemption Found in the the Pactum Salutis
• The Wrath and Will of God
• The Tension of the Ontology and Relationality of God
• Absolute and Relative Properties of God
• God’s Covenantal Character
• The Uncontested and Invisible Characteristics of God

Unit 3: Essential Characteristics of God

• The Simplicity of God
• Challenges to the Simplicity of God
• Rejection of the Simplicity of God
• The Infinity of God
• Views on Eternity: Part 1
• Views on Eternity: Part 2
• The Immensity of God
• The Immutability of God
• The Impassibility of God
• The Omnipotence of God
• The Goodness of God

Unit 4: The Workings of God

• God Is What He Thinks He Is
• More on the Knowledge of God
• Middle Knowledge
• The Will of God
• The Relationship of God’s Decretive Will and Preceptive Will
• Decrees of God
• The Glory of God
• The Argument for Reprobation
• The Doctrine of Election
• The Debate of Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism
• The Overlap of Decrees and Providence
• Three Views of Providence

Conclusion

• Concluding the Course

Doctrine of Man (TH221) provides an introduction to the fascinating and vast topic of the doctrine of man, from a Reformed position. The course introduces several theological methods, striking a balance between biblical and doctrinal considerations. Using a close reading of Gen 1–2, it examines what it means to be an image-bearer in our everyday life and work—created in God’s likeness and oriented toward God’s glory. The course also describes sin’s impact on our image-bearing work. It also provides a broad understanding of the doctrines of creation, revelation, and sin.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Methods of Systematic Theology

• Introduction to Basic Issues
• Biblical and Exegetical Theology
• Finding Resurrection Texts and Shared Themes
• Distinguishing Systematic Theology
• The Discipline and Method of Systematic Theology
• The Tension between History and Dogma
• Complementary Features of Biblical and Systematic Theology
• What Is Man before and after the Fall?
• The Fourfold Estate of Man
• A Cross-Sectional Plot Analysis

Unit 2: The Days of Creation

• The Context of the Creation of Man
• Preliminary Observations
• Guiding Presuppositions
• The Authority of Scripture versus the Authority of Science
• Views of Creation
• Common Orthodox Doctrines
• The Literal Twenty-Four-Hour Day View
• Creating a Collection and Using It to Compare Views about Creation
• In-Depth Arguments for a Twenty-Four-Hour Creation Day
• Arguments for the Day-Age View of Creation
• The Sabbath Argument
• The Day Seven Argument
• Finding and Comparing Creation Psalms with the Psalms Explorer
• The Framework View
• Framework Responses to the Other Views of the Creation Days
• The Literary Structure of the Days
• Other Literary Elements
• Genesis 2:5–7: No Vegetation or Cultivation
• Rain Cloud or Mist?
• The Two-Register Cosmology
• Supporting Evidence for the Two-Register Cosmology

Unit 3: The Creation of Man

• The Divine Council
• Studying God’s Speech in Genesis 1:26 Using Bible Search
• An Alternative Interpretation of the Divine Council
• Created in the Image of God
• Adam’s Preeminence in Genesis 2:7
• Man’s Unique Position as Image-Bearer

Unit 4: Revelation, Covenant History, and Myth

• A Covenant-Historical Understanding of Genesis 1–2
• God’s Covenant Acts in History
• Story and History
• The Historical Character of Revelation
• Myth as a Lack of Rationality
• Reading Ancient Near Eastern Myths Using Factbook
• Myth as an Aspect of Creative Imagination
• Myth as the Product and Embodiment of Social Ideals
• Myth as a Symbol of Divine Action in History
• Analysis and Clarification
• Bultman’s Program of Demythologization
• Bultmann’s Theology and Heidegger’s Existentialism
• Liberal and Feminist Myth Theories
• A Survey of Myth in the New Testament
• Locating and Understanding Mythos in Philo
• Paul’s Exhortation in 2 Timothy 4:1–4

Unit 5: The Historical Adam: 1 Corinthians 15

• The States of Humanity
• Summarizing Propositions
• Distinguishing Between Bodies
• Innocency and Glory
• The If/Then Argument
• The Natural Then the Spiritual
• Modes of Existence
• Bodily Resurrection
• We Cannot Deny the Historical Adam

Unit 6: The Historical Adam: Romans 5

• Adam the Sinner
• Adam and Original Sin
• The Contrast between Adam’s Sin and Christ’s Obedience
• Justification by Faith
• Peter Enns and Rudolf Bultmann
• A Summary of Peter Enns’ Teaching
• A Christotelic Hermeneutic
• An Adoptionist Model of Inspiration
• Using Collections to Compare Theologies of 2 Timothy 3:16
• Kinds of Synthesis
• Enns’ Misplaced Faith in Science
• Enns’ Misunderstanding of Divine Authorship
• Enns’ Deficient Notion of Sin
• A Critique of Christotelic Hermeneutics
• The Denial of Inerrancy
• Enns and the Resurrection

Unit 7: The Covenantal Kingdom

• The Covenant of Works
• The Westminster Confession on the Covenant of Works
• Finding God’s Covenantal Acts with Clause Search
• The Covenant of Life
• Consulting Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms
• The Eschatology of the Covenant of Life
• The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
• The Tree of Life
• Researching the Tree of Life with Logos
• Turretin and Vos on the Tree of Life
• The Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7
• The Tree of Life in Revelation 22:1–3

Unit 8: Sin as Guilt: Romans 5

• The Imputation of Adam’s Sin
• The Pelagian View Defined
• The Pelagian View Rebutted
• Immediate and Mediate Imputation Defined
• Immediate and Mediate Imputation Contrasted
• Biological Union
• Realistic Union Defined
• Realistic Union Critiqued
• Covenantal or Federal Union
• The Implications of Imputation for the Gospel

Unit 9: Sin as Corruption: Romans 3 and 8

• Libertarian Free Will
• Defining Libertarian Free Agency
• Examining Libertarian Freedom
• A Biblical Argument Against Libertarian Freedom
• The Role of the Heart in the Will of Man
• A Reformed Understanding of Sin
• The Fourfold Estate

Conclusion

• Central Features of the Doctrine of Man

In Christology: The Person and Work of Christ Dr. Lane Tipton maps out the distinctive features of the person and work of Jesus Christ, to help you see more clearly His significance. Dr. Tipton focuses on Christ from a Reformed perspective, beginning with an overview of the person and work of Christ as well as historical developments in Christology. From there, he takes an in-depth look at three main passages—Col 1:15–20, Heb 1:1–4, Phil 2:5–11—to glean authoritative teaching concerning the person and work of Christ. The course concludes by examining Heb 8–9, with an emphasis on Jesus’ role as heavenly high priest. The course will lead you to a deeper and richer understanding of the gospel as you grow in your understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and Course

Unit 1: Overview: Historical and Theological Considerations

• Preliminary Comments about the Person and Work of Christ (Part 1)
• Preliminary Comments about the Person and Work of Christ (Part 2)
• Classically Reformed Christology
• The Person of Christ: Westminster Standards (Part 1)
• The Person of Christ: Westminster Standards (Part 2)
• Biblical Christology Texts
• Priority of the Divine Person in the Hypostatic Union
• The Work of Christ (Part 1)
• The Work of Christ (Part 2)
• The Work of Christ (Part 3)

Unit 2: Comprehensive Scope of Christology I: Colossians 1:15–20

• Introductory Considerations
• Literary Structure
• Literary Structure and Theological Significance
• Preexistence and Divine Activity: Creation (Part 1)
• Preexistence and Divine Activity: Creation (Part 2)
• Eternal Image of God (Part 1)
• Eternal Image of God (Part 2)
• Eternal Image of God (Part 3)
• Firstborn of All Creation
• Eternal Image of God (Part 4)
• Transition: Colossians 1:17
• Transition: Colossians 1:18
• Christ as Firstborn from the Dead
• Christ as the Beginning
• Christ as Head of the Body
• Firstborn Revisited (Part 1)
• Firstborn Revisited (Part 2)
• In Him Dwells the Fullness
• Christ as the Fullness
• All the Fullness of Deity
• Cosmic Reconciliation
• Personal Reconciliation
• Reconciliation: Cosmic and Ecclesial
• Postscript on Colossians 1:15–20

Unit 3: Comprehensive Scope of Christology II: Hebrews 1:1–4

• History of Special Revelation (Part 1)
• History of Special Revelation (Part 2)
• History of Special Revelation (Part 3)
• History of Special Revelation (Part 4)
• Chiastic Structure (Part 1)
• Chiastic Structure (Part 2)
• The Son as Inheritor of All Things
• Agent of Creation
• Eternal Person of God the Son
• Radiance of Glory (Part 1)
• Radiance of Glory (Part 2)
• Exact Impress of the Divine Nature
• Glory and Nature
• Theological Implications (Part 1)
• Theological Implications (Part 2)
• Bearing up All Things
• Melchizedek Priesthood (Part 1)
• Melchizedek Priesthood (Part 2)
• Sonship and Angels (Part 1)
• Sonship and Angels (Part 2)

Unit 4: Comprehensive Scope of Christology III: Philippians 2:5–11

• General Introduction (Part 1)
• General Introduction (Part 2)
• General Introduction (Part 3)
• General Introduction (Part 4)
• Preexistence: Form of God
• Preexistence: Equal with God
• Preexistence: Theological Implications (Part 1)
• Trinitarian Self-Consciousness
• Preexistence: Theological Implications (Part 2)
• Preexistence: Two-Adam Christology
• Concluding Exegetical Reflection
• Incarnation: Grammatical Observations
• Kenosis Theory
• He Emptied Himself
• Form of a Servant
• Likeness of Man
• Theological Implications: One Person, Two Natures
• He Humbled Himself
• Obedience to Death on the Cross
• Exaltation: Introductory Considerations
• Exaltation of the Son
• Logic of Exaltation
• Name Above Every Name
• Merit of Christ (Part 1)
• Merit of Christ (Part 2)

Unit 5: Comprehensive Scope of Christology IV: Hebrews 8–9

• Introduction to High Priesthood: Two Estates
• Introduction to Hebrews
• Old and New Covenant Tabernacles
• Priesthood and Sacrifice (Part 1)
• Priesthood and Sacrifice (Part 2)
• Priesthood and Sacrifice (Part 3)
• Heavenly High Priesthood of Christ
• Complete Yet Ongoing Work of Christ
• Servant in Heaven
• Bringing Many to Glory and Rest

Conclusion

• Deeper and Richer Understanding

Investigate the doctrine of salvation with Dr. R. Michael Allen as a guide. Christ is the proper starting point for understanding, integrating, and applying the doctrine of salvation, and Dr. Allen maintains this central focus as he considers the theological and historical context of this tenet of the Christian faith. After supplying a thorough doctrinal framework, Dr. Allen looks at salvation through the lens of the communion of the saints, referencing Christian tradition over the centuries to illuminate relevant theological developments. Finally, he considers recent challenges and ongoing debates within the church that have influenced how we confess Christ and understand his work on our behalf today. Ultimately, the goal of this course is not to merely add to your knowledge about the doctrine of salvation but to aid you in faithfully living out your salvation in Christ.

Contents:

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Dogmatic Framework for the Doctrine of Salvation

• Introducing the Dogmatic Framework
• Starting with God
• Doctrine of the Holy Trinity: Holiness
• Doctrine of the Holy Trinity: Triunity
• . . . and All Things in God
• Creation and Covenant
• Exit and Return, Descent and Ascent
• Israel and Christ
• Jesus, Perfection and Hope
• Christ at Center, Not Beginning
• Christ-Centeredness in Canonical Form

Unit 2: Historical Developments in the Doctrine of Salvation

• Introducing Historical Developments
• Patristic Era: Deification
• Patristic Era: Ransom
• Medieval Era: Satisfaction
• Medieval Era: Moral Influence
• Reformation Era: Penal Substitution
• Reformation Era: Socinian Challenges
• Early Modern Era: Governmental Theory Challenge
• Late Modern Era: Vicarious Confession Theory
• Late Modern Era: Christus Victor Theory
• Late Modern Era: Feminist and Liberationist Approaches

Unit 3: Recent Challenges and Retrieved Wisdom

• Introducing Modern Responses
• Doctrine of God and Atonement (Rom 3:21–26)
• Election: Romans 9 in Pentateuchal Context
• Atonement in Context: Henri Blocher on Metaphors
• The Whole Christ and Double Grace
• Justification as the Entryway of the Gospel
• Challenge of Modifications: New Perspective on Paul
• Challenge of Modifications: Individuality and Community in Paul
• Challenge of Modifications: Douglas Campbell and Bruce Marshall
• Challenge of Myopia: Radical Lutheranism
• Participation as the Goal of the Gospel
• Challenge of Modifications: Finnish Lutherans
• Challenge of Modifications: Radical Orthodoxy
• Creator/Creature, Christ/Church Distinctions

Conclusion

• Eyes Always on Jesus