THS 202 L00.A Baptist History and Distinctives

THS 202 L00.A Baptist History and Distinctives

Spring 2016

T – 4:15 PM- 6:45 PM Criswell College Credit Hours: 3

Dr. Christopher Graham Email:

Office phone: 214-818-1390

Home phone: 214-388-8089

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A study of the Anabaptists and their origins is followed by an examination of the emergence of the English Baptists and their subsequent history. A discussion of the history of Baptists in the U.S. pays particular attention to Southern Baptists. Stress is placed on the distinctive beliefs of Baptists within the context of the broader reformation heritage.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course, the student should have the ability to . . .

1. Articulate a working knowledge of the significant phases, events, and persons in Baptist history and significant terms and concepts regarding Baptist doctrine.
2. Recognize how Baptist ministry (doctrine and practice) has been influenced by contemporary and antecedent forces and develop a sense of discernment regarding the forces impacting his or her ministry.
3. Encourage others as to their place in the history of God’s work especially as they find themselves in or impacted by the Baptist movement.
4. Enunciate the warrant for Baptist doctrinal distinctives while engaged in sympathetic but critical dialogue with other Christian communities, traditions, and denominations.

COURSE TEXTS

• Blount, Douglas K. and Joseph D. Wooddell. Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007.

• McBeth, H. Leon. The Baptist Heritage. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1987.
• Criswell College Manual of Style, 3rd ed. Dallas: Criswell College, 2010.(Available on-line at http:criswell.edu/Current Students/Student Life/Student Resources.)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS[1]

1. Reading Assignments (20%): Students will report the percent of reading completed on each day that a quiz is scheduled. For example, on Quiz 2 the percent of the assigned reading for the Blount/Wooddell text (pages 55–88) and the McBeth text (pages 64–150) will be reported There is no credit for reading that is not completed and reported by the beginning of the class in which it is due. Students who are going to be absent should e-mail the percent of reading completed to the professor prior to the beginning of class.

2. Quizzes (40%): There will be seven (7) quizzes. They will be administered during the first fifteen minutes of class on the dates indicated on the schedule below. Each quiz will cover material in the McBeth text on the pages assigned since the previous quiz (e.g., Quiz 1 will cover pages 19–44 and 44–63). They are not cumulative. No make-up quizzes will be offered. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

3. (Final) Research Assignment (40%): Research will be conducted over the course of the semester on the Baptist articulation of a specific doctrine. In consultation with the professor, each student will choose a doctrine to be researched by the date of the first quiz, February 2nd.

Sources for Research:

1. At least one primary source from each century—17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st. You must cite(i.e., with the use of footnotes) pertinent sections from each source in your paper and explain how it shows continuity or discontinuity with other primary sources.

2. A minimum of eight secondary sources.You must consult and listthese sources in a bibliography. A maximum of three may be reference books (e.g. dictionaries, encyclopedias, general texts). A maximum of three may be significant on-line resources.

Presentation of Research:Students havetwo options for presenting the results of this research. Each student will indicate which of the two options he or she has chosen and will indicate this on the first quiz administered. Decisions are final.

• Option 1: Individual Paper

In Option 1, the student will work alone and present the results of the research in a 10–13 page paper due no later than May 10th. The paper will display an in-depth knowledge of the Baptist articulation of a specific doctrine and will be structured as follows:

1. ½ page – Introduction.
2. 8-10 pages – Exposition of the Baptist articulation regarding the doctrine chosen. It will answer the question, “Over the course of Baptist history, how has the Baptist articulation of this doctrine remained the same and how has it changed?” It should include citations from confessional statements, and references to significant figures and events.
3. 1-2 pages – Personal application. Examples of questions that could be: How have you seen this doctrine manifest in your local congregation? If you haven’t seen it manifest, identify possible reasons for this absence. How will you incorporate the truths you discovered in your research on this doctrine into your ministry? What questions were raised in your mind as you learned more about this doctrine and how were you able to find answers to these questions?
4. ½ page – Conclusion.

Form and style:The Criswell College Manual of Style must be consulted for proper form. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation will be considered in the grading. Only the first 13pages (excluding cover and bibliography) of a paper will be graded.

Due Date and Late Penalty: All papers (whether hardcopy or digital) are due at the beginning of class (4:15pm) on May 10th. If it is not submitted on time, a student earns an automatic extension penalty of 10 points with an additional 10-point deduction for every day thereafter.

If e-mailed, a response will be provided with 24 hours indicating receipt of the paper. If the student does not receive a receipt message from the professor, it is up to the student to contact the professor to arrange for delivery.

Extra Credit:20 points are available to students who will present (read aloud) their paper to the class on May 10th. The student will provide a handout to all members of the class. This handout may be an outline or summarization of the paper, pertinent extracts from the primary sources under consideration, or the entire paper. The student will then be ready to answer questions from the professor and class. (Note: The student is responsible for making enough copies to distribute to all class members. If a student would like to have the professor make the copies of the handout and bibliography, it should be submitted no later than noon on Friday, May 6th).

• Option 2: Group Presentation

In Option 2, the student will work in a group and present the results of research in a presentation to the class on May 10th.

• Group participation—50% of Research Grade. Each group will have no more than five individuals and will meet in-person at least a total of five times over the course of the semester for a total of ten hours. (A log of this preparation time will be presented on the day of the presentation.)
• At least three sessions should be devoted to choosing and deliberating on the sources.
• At least two sessions should be devoted to the final presentation. One of these sessions should include a meeting with the professor the week prior to the final presentation. The other of these sessions should be a “dress rehearsal.”
• Final presentation—50% of Research Grade.
• The presentation will be 45–50 minutes and cover—
• An exposition of the development of Baptist articulation regarding the doctrine chosen over the course of Baptist history should comprise 80-90% of the total time. It will answer the question, “Over the course of Baptist history, how has the Baptist articulation of this doctrine remained the same and how has it changed?” It should include citations from confessional statements, and references to significant figures and events.
• Personal application. It should comprise 10-20% of the total time. Examples of questions that could be answered in this section: How have you seen this doctrine manifest in your local congregation? If you haven’t seen it manifest, identify possible reasons for this absence. How will you incorporate the truths you discovered in your research on this doctrine into your ministry? What questions were raised in your mind as you learned more about this doctrinal distinctive and how were you able to find answers to these questions?
• The form of and tools used in the presentation are completely up to the group but the presentation must display that each member of the group has an in-depth knowledge of the particular doctrinal distinctive considered.
• Each group will produce a handout and bibliography (which includes the sources listed above) to be distributed to class members on the day of the presentation. (Note: The group is responsible for making enough copies to distribute to all class members. If a group would like to have the professor make the copies of the handout and bibliography, it should be submitted no later than noon on Friday,May 6th).

Extra Credit: Up to 20 points are possible for Group Participants who also submit a 10-page paper following the guidelines in Option 1. It is due at the time of the presentation. No late papers for extra credit will be accepted.

Late Penalty: Any student who is not present for the final presentation will receive no credit for the “Final Presentation” portion of the Research Assignment.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

The penalty for late assignments varies according to the assignment and is noted in the requirements for each assignment above.

GRADING SCALE

The final grade will be based on the total accumulation of points as indicated under Course Requirements according to the grade scale in the Criswell College catalog.

A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D+ / D / D- / F
97-100 / 93-96 / 91-92 / 88-90 / 86-87 / 83-85 / 80-82 / 78-79 / 75-77 / 72-74 / 70-71 / 0-69

F: Fail- If less than 70 points are earned, students may need to retake the course for degree.

WF:Withdraw Fail- Failing at the time of withdrawal.

WP: Withdraw Pass- Passing at the time of withdrawal.

I:Incomplete- No grade of incomplete will be issued unless approved by the professor.

ATTENDANCE and CLASSROOM POLICIES

Absences: Since class participation is vital to learning, absences should be taken only when absolutely necessary. More than three (3) absences for block classes will result in a grade of “F” in the courses. The professor and the Vice President must approve all exceptions to this policy. Proportionate absences apply to all other terms (Winter, summer, etc.). Students are responsible for all absences due to illness or any other reason. Granting of excused absences is permitted at the discretion of the professor.

Tardies: Missing more than fifteen (15) minutes at the beginning or end of a class period is considered one absence. Three instances of tardiness of fifteen minutes or less equals one absence. The tardy student is responsible for notifying the professor of his/her presence in writing at the end of class. Students who wish to depart early should clear it with the professor.

Attendance Sheets The official attendance record is maintained through the use of the Course Attendance Sheet. One student, who will be designated the Class Leader, will be responsible for beginning a Course Attendance Sheet. It will be distributed at the beginning of class. It is the responsibility of each student to sign the Course Attendance Sheet for the specific day. Students who are fifteen minutes late or plan to leave fifteen minutes early are considered absent (see “Tardies” section above) and should not sign the attendance sheet. The Attendance Sheet is submitted to the Academic Dean’s Office immediately after each class session.

Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is the application of the principle of truth in the classroom setting. It includes the basic premise that all work students submit must be their own and any ideas received from somewhere else must be carefully documented. To violate this principle is equivalent to academic theft, or plagiarism. Note as well that plagiarism can occur in at least two forms.

1.The copying of material directly out of a source (book or article) without using quotation marks and/or

without giving proper citation of your sources.

2.The use of large blocks of material from other sources, whether quoted or just summarized, without

giving proper acknowledgement of your sources.

Original Work: Work that has been done for other classes may not be used to earn credit in this class. Submission of work for this class is presumed to include an affirmation that it is the student’s own work and has not previously been submitted in another course.

Writing Assistance: The Writing Center is a place where writers of all abilities are invited to participate in a comfortable and collaborative environment to improve and enhance their skill and confidence by clarifying, practicing and promoting techniques of effective writing. It provides one-on-one consultation for grammar, punctuation, formatting, organization, citations, and various other writing-related concerns. Take advantage of this learning opportunity. For information and making appointments call 214-818-1373, e-mail , or visit

Learning Disabilities: In order to ensure full class participation, any student with a disabling condition requiring special accommodations (e.g., tape recorders, special adaptive equipment, special note-taking or test-taking needs) is strongly encouraged to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course or if a student has a learning disability, please inform the professor so assistance can be provided.

Student Dress Code: All students are to follow the Criswell College dress code as noted in the Student Handbook. Students not in compliance to the code may be asked to leave class. The dress code reflects our intent of preparing students for leadership in ministry.

Auditing & Sit-In Students: Any student may enroll in a course as an Auditor or Sit-in if space is available in the classroom. A student’s permanent transcript will reflect which courses have been completed as audits. Sit-in students are not given grades by professors and their transcripts will not reflect enrollment in the course. Taking tests and participation in course activities afforded to credit students in the syllabus is at the discretion of the professor.

Textbooks: The selection of textbooks should not be interpreted as implying the professor’s endorsement of any of the views of the authors. Textbooks are selected for their perceived value in helping to meet the course goals and objectives.

Course Materials: Any materials (course notes, lecture notes, handouts) distributed in class or posted on-line are for the use of enrolled students only. Please do not copy or distribute them to individuals not registered for this course. Any requests for these materials by non-registered individuals should be directed to the professor.

Recording: Students may not record class sessions. If a student desires to record a class session, written permission must be obtained in advance of the recording. Please submit a written request explaining the purpose of recording and the extent of use of the recording. Under no conditions may recordings be duplicated, given, or lent to anyone not registered for this class.

COURSE SCHEDULE

The following course schedule is proposed but subject to change.

DATE /

CONTENT

/

Blount/ Wooddell

/

McBeth

1-19 / Intro to Course / 193-230
1-26 / Scriptures / vii-12 / 19-44
2-2 / Theology Proper

Doctrine for Research Assignment chosen

/ 13-24 / 44-63 (Quiz 1)
2-9 / Church / 55-70 / 64-122
2-16 / Ordinances/Lord’s Day / 71-88 / 123-150 (Quiz 2)
2-23 / Stewardship/Cooperation / 137-149 / 151-2, 200-252
3-1 / Evangelism and Missions/Education / 111-136 / 252-283 (Quiz 3)
3-8 / Religious Liberty / 171-181 / 285-87; 343-391
3-15 / Spring Break
3-22 / Christian and the Social Order/ Peace and War / 151-169 / 392-447 (Quiz 4)
3-29 / Kingdom/Last Things / 89–109 / 447-463
4-5 / Man / 25-36 / 495-98; 563-608 (Quiz 5)
4-12 / Salvation / 37-44 / 609-652
4-19 /

God’s Purpose of Grace

/ 45-53 / 653-701 (Quiz 6)
4-26 / Family
Paper/Presentation Preparation / 183-191 / 702-749
5-3 / Research Paper due / 749-790 (Quiz 7)

1

Graham, THS 202 Baptist History and Distinctives, SP-16, T, 4:15-6:45

[1] Prepared for posting on-line. Every effort has been made to provide all of the substantial information necessary for students to plan their semester. The final syllabus, which will be distributed on the first day of class, may differ from this version and will be the authoritative syllabus for the course.