Instructor: James Wood

While political theology as a distinct discipline does not emerge until late in history, Christians have always reflected on the issues which animate it: the relationship between religion and politics, spiritual and temporal, priest (and prophet) and king, church and state, revelation and legislation, church discipline and civil punishment, etc. 

Over the past five centuries, many trajectories of inquiry have emerged in light of the splintering of Christendom after the Reformation and also the various social and political problems related to modernity. From Magisterial Reformers, radical Anabaptists, pluralist neo-Calvinists, neoscholastic Thomists, “secular faith” natural law thinkers, social gospel advocates and and their fundamentalist opponents, neo-orthodox dialecticians, Christian realists, Liberation Theologians, proponents of “Christian liberalism,” to various species of “post-liberalism.” 

How do representative figures in these streams (and others) read Scripture and develop theological themes in their engagement with political realities? How do these streams relate to one another? These are the primary questions this course will explore. 

Join us in October for several days of study, worship, conversation, and conviviality.

This course will be held at Third Presbyterian Church, located at 617 22nd St S, Birmingham, AL 35233.

Register below.

Theopolis Institute admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies or scholarship programs.

*This requirement was added in July 2016. For those who entered the Certificate Program earlier than that date, the oral examination is voluntary.