The Triune God in Christian Life*

This course explores what contemporary Christians mean when they say that God is triune. After reading classical Trinitarian theologies from Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine, students will read and critically discuss modern descriptions of divine triunity (e.g. Schleiermacher, Barth, Rahner) and contemporary lines of thinking (e.g. process, liberation, feminist and womanist). Class discussions will focus on three questions: Why do Christians say that God is triune? How may teachings about God's triunity shape Christian reflection and action in everyday life? How may everyday experiences inform Christian conversations about God the trinity?

Required Books
1. Augustine, On the Trinity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002). ISBN-13: 9780521796651
2. Karl Rahner, The Trinity (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1997). ISBN-13: 9780824516277
3. Leonardo Boff, Holy Trinity, Perfect Community (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2000). ISBN-13: 9781570753329
4. Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Introducing African Women's Theology (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2001). ISBN-13: 9780829814231
5. Catherine Keller, On the Mystery: Discerning God in Process (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008). ISBN-13: 978-0800662769
6. Karen Baker-Fletcher, Dancing with God: The Trinity from a Womanist Perspective (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2006). ISBN-13: 9780827206335
7. William Placher, The Triune God: An Essay in Postliberal Theology (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2007). ISBN-13: 978-0664230609

Course Goals
• Learn the foundations of Christian belief in God’s Triunity
• Understand the impact of cultural questions on Christian teaching about the Trinity
• Gain familiarity with links between Christian trinitarian piety and thought
• Critically discuss issues that arise in trinitarian faith

Course Requirements
1. Weekly Reading (approximately 60 pages per week)
2. 2. Attendance and active participation at weekly class meetings (20% of final grade)

• Students are expected to attend, arrive on-time, and actively participate in every class meeting. To attend means to be present for the entire class meeting.
• The central act in our class meetings will be discussion. Active participation means that students will make contributions to every discussion, and occasionally lead discussion.
• Students’ comments in class discussions should be fully informed by the readings.
• Bring a copy of the text with you to class.
• If you must be absent from a class session, please inform me in advance. However, with the exception of major medical emergencies, your informing me that you will be absent does not release you from the attendance requirements for this course.
• There will be a grade reduction for failure to attend (or to attend on-time and for the entire duration of each class meeting) and fully participate. There will be an automatic reduction of 10% of a student’s final course grade for any of the following: two missed classes, frequent late arrival and/or early departure from class meetings. Any student who misses three or more classes will automatically incur a failing final course grade.

3. Short Paper (5 pages; 15% of final grade)

• This paper is due by 5pm on Wednesday, February 22. You must turn in both an electronic and a hard copy of your paper. Submit an electronic copy to me at ewaggoner@hartsem.edu. Leave a hard copy of it in my Hartford Seminary mailbox, at 77 Sherman Street.

4. EITHER One Long Paper (15 double-spaced pages) OR Two Medium Papers (7-8 doublespaced pages each) -- 65% of final grade)

• If you choose the Long Paper, submit both an electronic and a hard copy by 5pm on Friday, May 11.
• If you choose the Two Medium Papers, the first is due by 5pm on Friday, March 23 and the second is due by 5pm on Friday, May 11. Submit both an electronic and a hard copy.

Policy on Deadlines for Papers

No extensions for papers will be granted, except in case of serious medical problems or major family emergencies. Students with these emergencies may contact the course instructor BEFORE a paper is due to discuss extensions. Late papers (without extension granted) will be marked down one third of a grade (for example, from B+ to B) every 24 hours for three days.
Without an extension granted, papers turned in more than 72 hours after the due date will not be accepted.

1. Augustine, On the Trinity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002). ISBN-13: 9780521796651
2. William Paul Young, The Shack (Grand Central Publishing, 2011). ISBN-13: 9781609414115
3. William Placher, The Triune God: An Essay in Postliberal Theology (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2007). ISBN-13: 978-0664230609
4. Leonardo Boff, Holy Trinity, Perfect Community (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2000). ISBN-13:9781570753329
5. Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Introducing African Women’s Theology (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2001). ISBN-13: 9780829814231
6. Karen Baker-Fletcher, Dancing with God: The Trinity from a Womanist Perspective (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2006). ISBN-13: 9780827206335
7. Catherine Keller, On the Mystery: Discerning God in Process (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008). ISBN-13: 978-0800662769
8. Various articles, chapters, or other excerpts, available in PDF format.

Grading Standards
Each course assignment will be graded on a 100-point scale. Final course grades will be awarded according to Hartford Seminary’s rubrics, which differ according to degree program.
 

Policy on Academic Honesty
Students are expected to do their own work for all assignments. Plagiarism or academic dishonesty of any kind is a serious offense at Hartford Seminary. For a brief explanation of plagiarism, consult the Hartford Seminary Student Handbook. It is your responsibility to know what plagiarism and academic dishonesty are. Any violation of these rules in this course will result in a failing grade for the assignment, and a failing final course grade. I will report any instance of plagiarism to the Academic Dean. As indicated in the Seminary Catalogue, “the Academic Dean will then invoke the Student Disciplinary Policy and Procedure (see full policy in the Student Handbook). Through that process the situation will be reviewed and any additional penalties that may be warranted (up to and including expulsion from the school) will be determined.”

Writing Consultants
From the Hartford Seminary Student Handbook: “Hartford Seminary has two Writing Consultants on staff whose services available at no extra cost to graduate program students. The Writing Consultants provide individual support and are available by appointment only. The Writing Consultant cubicle is located on the 2nd floor of 77 Sherman Street across from the Business Office, and this is where the Consultant will meet with the student at the scheduled time. For more information about the Writing Consultants, please obtain their guidelines and contact information from on- site or online forms center, or contact the Executive Assistant to the Dean at 860-509-9553.”

Schedule

M 23 January Introduction

M 30 January Foundations (I)
Reading (40 pp.):
1. Richard Norris, “Trinity” (2009) [22 pp.]
2. Gregory of Nyssa, An Address on Religious Instruction [excerpt] - available in PDF [7 pp.]
3. Gregory of Nyssa, An Answer to Ablabius: That We Should Not Think of Saying There Are Three Gods (4th Century) [11 pp.]

M 6 February Foundations (II)
Reading (48 pp.):
1. Augustine, On the Trinity, Preface and Book 1 - available in PDF
2. Augustine, On the Trinity, Books 8 & 9 (selections: pp. 3-13, 23-31, 37-40)

M 13 February Foundations (III)
Reading (57 pp.):
1. Augustine, On the Trinity, Book 15 (pp. 167-224)

M 20 February
No Class -- President’s Day

M 27 February Introduction to Modern Trinitarian Theologies
Reading (300 pp.):
1. William Paul Young, The Shack (2007)

M 5 March Trinity and Worship
Reading (30 pp.):
1. Elisabeth of the Trinity, “Heaven in Faith” (1906) and “O My God, Trinity Whom I Adore” (1904)[9 pp.]
2. Robert Jenson, “What Is the Point of Trinitarian Theology?” (1995) [12 pp.]
3. Mary Daly, Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism (1990) [selection]

M 12 March Trinity and Christian Mystery (I)
Reading (82 pp.):
1. William Placher, The Triune God: An Essay in Postliberal Theology, Chapters 1 & 2 [82 pp.]

M 19 March Trinity and Christian Mystery (II)
Reading (73 pp.):
1. William Placher, The Triune God: An Essay in Postliberal Theology, Chapters 3 & 4 [73 pp.]

M 26 March Trinity and Suffering
Reading (42 pp.):
1. Jürgen Moltmann, “The Crucified God: Yesterday and Today: 1972-2002” (2006) [11 pp.] - available in PDF
2. Jürgen Moltmann, “The Kingdom of Freedom” - Chapter VI of Trinity and the Kingdom (1981) [31 pp.] - available in PDF

M 2 April Trinity and Liberation
Reading (116pp.):
1. Leonardo Boff, Holy Trinity, Perfect Community (2000)

M 9 April An African Feminist Trinity
Reading (68 pp.):
1. Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Introducing African Women’s Theology (2001), Chapters 1-5 [68 pp.]

M 16 April Womanist Trinity (II)
Reading (90 pp.):
1. Karen Baker-Fletcher, Dancing with God: The Trinity from a Womanist Perspective (2006), Chapters 1-4 [90 pp.]

M 23 April Womanist Trinity (II)
Reading (78 pp.):
1. Karen Baker-Fletcher, Dancing with God: The Trinity from a Womanist Perspective (2006), Chapters 5-7 [78 pp.]

M 30 April Process Trinity (I)
Reading (90 pp.):
1. Catherine Keller, On the Mystery: Discerning God in Process (2008), Prologue + Chapters 1-4 [90 pp.]

M 7 May Process Trinity (II) & Conclusion
Reading (85 pp.):
1. Catherine Keller, On the Mystery: Discerning God in Process (2008), Chapters 5-8 [85 pp.]