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DE 5120 The Christian and Old Testament Theology
Lecturer: Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.
Course Description
A biblical and theological study of the foundational theology applied by the Old Testament for the New Testament and the Christian church. This study identifies and inductively derives the center or focal point for the theology of both the Old and New Testaments. It also deals with the amount of continuity and discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments.
Included are the topics of saving faith, the people of God, the role of the law of God, the worship of God, the doctrine of atonement, relationship between the law and wisdom theology, kingdom of God, the Messiah, the inclusion of the Gentiles, the theology of the Holy Spirit, and the preparation of the New Covenant.
Course Perspective
- The Old Testament problem is the master problem of theology. Simply put, it is this: "How should a Christian in the midst of our modern world understand, appropriate, and apply the Old Testament?"
- The theme of the course will be to show that the Old Testament is indeed useful for equipping believers for every good work as outlined long ago by the Apostle Paul in II Timothy 3:16-17.
- The thesis of the lectures is that the Promise Doctrine is the integrating plan of God that brings together all the variegated themes and topics of the Old Testament. From this center, both the developing lines of theological continuity and the jettisoned themes of discontinuity can be shown.
- The nonlecture material should inform the students regarding other evangelical proposals for Old Testament theology, and challenge them to gain exegetical and theological skills necessary to engage in Old Testament theology.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
- Understand the problems of OT theology. Accomplished primarily through reading assignments and through Lectures #1 and #24.
- Explain promise theology. Accomplished through the lectures.
- Explain OT theological themes. Accomplished through the lectures and through reading assignments.
- Apply OT theology to life and ministry. Accomplished primarily through the Application assignments in the Learning Guide.
- Evaluate proposals for OT theology. Accomplished through reading assignments and through the Kaiser Evaluation Paper.
- Appreciate the significance of the OT for the church. Accomplished throughout the course, but particularly in the Application assignments and in the Ministry Research Paper.
- Utilize an inductive methodology to do OT theology. Accomplished through reading and study of OT books and through Dr. Kaiser's advocacy of the biblical theology approach.
- Relate OT texts to OT theology. Accomplished through reading and study of OT books and through the lectures.
- Formulate an OT theology. Accomplished throughout the course, but particularly through studying OT books and through interaction with promise theology.
Course Materials
All required course materials can be purchased through the TEDS bookstore (800.456.7323/ 847.317.6800).
- Kaiser, Jr., Walter C. The Christian and Old Testament Theology, Audio Lecture Tapes and Interactive Learning Guide. Grand Rapids, MI: Institute of Theological Studies, a division of OUTREACH, INC., 1997.
- Dyrness, William. Themes in Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove, Il.: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
- Hasel, Gerhard. Old Testament Theology: Basic Issues in the Current Debate. 4th rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.
Choose one from the following two:
- Martens, Elmer A. God's Design: A Focus on Old Testament Theology. 3rd rev. ed. D & F Scott, 1998. Martens, professor at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, offers a sustained proposal of Old Testament theology under the overarching theme of God's design which incorporates deliverance, community, knowledge of God, and the abundant life.
- House, Paul R. Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1998. House provides a survey of the theological contribution of each book of the Old Testament. Due to the length of this work students need only to read 300 pages from it.