This Interim course studies the geographical and historical setting of the Bible with the land of Israel as its classroom. Students visit the ancient sites and learn firsthand about archaeological work being done in Jerusalem, in Galilee, along the Dead Sea, and in the Mediterranean. Visits are also made to such places as the Holocaust Museum and students participate in a Sabbath meal. This course is based in Jerusalem at Jerusalem University College and overnight excursions are made to Galilee in the north and the Negev in the south. Students are required to prepare for the course by doing some mapwork and reading beforehand.
Evaluation is based on completed mapwork, journals, and quizzes.
Mr. K. Pomykala. Recent years have seen a renewed interest among Protestants and Catholics alike in the theological significance of beauty-both the beauty of holiness and the holiness of beauty. This course explores ways in which Christian theology has discussed beauty historically and ways in which Christians are reconsidering the role of beauty in theology today. This exploration of theological aesthetics cover topics such as what makes a person beautiful, the beauty of nature, the beauty of art, the relationship between beauty and pleasure, the experiences of imagination and creativity, and the place of aesthetic experience in the life of a congregation, particularly in worship. The class reads and discusses selections from Augustine, Bonaventure, Jonathan Edwards, Karl Barth, and more contemporary thinkers.