Master of Divinity
THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO CURRENTLY ENROLLED STUDENTS
Master of Divinity Degree Online Program Description
The Master of Divinity (MDiv) Degree is ultimately the most respected graduate degree for pastors, since it involves a wide array of course areas. The purpose of the degree is to provide leadership for the worldwide church by educating women and men in the classic disciplines of theological and biblical training, historical perspectives, and ministry skills. The Master of Divinity program is primarily designed to provide professional training for church-related ministries leading to ordination. It could be considered the MBA of religious degrees. The heart of this program is the required biblical, theological, and practical course subjects which provide a broad foundation in the disciplines essential for an effective ministry. The degree is worth 90 semester hours of credit.
Each student will be assigned a mentor to help him, or her, throughout this program.
This three year program has a low cost of approximately $10,373. Books may be purchased through the Seminary online bookstore.
Other than the Christian counseling courses, the material will be provided by the Institute of Theological Studies (ITS). Each course will online via audio. The National Christian Counselor’s Association (NCCA) counseling courses will cost $395 each and the ITS courses will cost $336.00 each.
This course provides an in-depth program of the theory of temperament and provides the historical, scientific and biblical basis for this theory. This course introduces a fifth temperament and the behavioral patterns of each temperament, with three behavioral areas: Inclusion, Control and Affection.
Understanding the Pentateuch is essential to understanding the Bible. In this course, learners will study the contents of the Pentateuch and consider the particular Pentateuchal problems of evolution and higher criticism in light of its archaeological background. The course explores such historic events as the Creation, the Flood, and the Exodus, and highlights the lives of the Patriarchs and Moses. Students will also examine the content, meaning, and applicability of the laws that form the foundation of Israel’s theocracy.
ST 503 Contemporary Theology I
For good or for bad, philosophy has played a pivotal role in the development of theology and culture. In this course, learners examine the major trends in contemporary theological thought in light of their philosophical contexts. The course begins with a review of the major developments in Western thought prior to Hegel, and then explores the theologies of Hegel, Kierkegaard, Barth, Bultmann, and Tillich. The course culminates in the “Death of God” theologies of Paul Van Buren and Thomas Altizer. The course enables learners to evaluate contemporary, non-evangelical theologies and to recognize their impact on everyday life.
CH 505 Survey of Church History
Church history is the heart of His story, God’s kingdom work on earth. This course explores the development of the Christian church, from Pentecost to the present day. It covers key people and events that God used throughout history to bolster His Church, and also those negative influences that infected her. The goal of the course is to use lessons from church history to advance the kingdom of God in life and ministry. (This course serves as a synthesized combination of ITS courses CH506 The History of the Church to the Reformation and CH507 The History of the Church Since the Reformation.)
CE 501 Church Administration and Leadership
What is leadership? How do I make effective decisions? How do I motivate those around me? This course answers such theoretical and practical questions by examining the administrative process. The process includes goal setting, organization, delegation, human relations, group dynamics, supervision, and leadership training. Though administration principles are universal, the course focuses on Christian organizations, particularly the local church. The course is designed to help students become more effective church leaders in both theory and practice.
CC 501 Basic Christian Counseling
This course will cover, through a DVD, an overview of the “Big Eight” (types of secular counseling and therapeutic methods). In addition, the student will be taught the difference between Christian and secular counseling, goals, techniques, and several other important topics, such as the dangers and pitfalls of counseling.
OT 506 Understanding the Old Testament
The Old Testament is often viewed as antiquated, mysterious, and even irrelevant. In this course, Dr. Waltke shows how Old Testament theology is pivotal to the universal goal of redemptive history: the rule of God and the establishment of God’s kingdom in all the earth. The course tracks salvation history as it appears in nearly every book of the Old Testament, and shows the vital relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament. Throughout the course, Dr. Waltke applies the doctrines of kingdom and salvation to the Christian life.
ST 504 The Doctrine of Man and Sin
As ambassadors for Christ and the Gospel, we must understand the true nature of man, and the magnitude of his sin. This course presents a critical and historical overview of positions regarding the nature of mankind: both as the image of God and as corrupted by sin. The course presents a distinct Reformed anthropology coupled with a fair treatment of differing views and objections. Important and controversial questions regarding the origin of evil, the nature of man, and the effects of sin on humanity are all considered, allowing students to draw informed conclusions on these and other key issues.
In a self-centered culture, how do we demonstrate a God-centered ethic? This course presents a Biblical model for ethics in a postmodern world, examining the ethical theories of obligation and value from a philosophical perspective. The lectures survey various ethical systems, identify unstated assumptions in ethical theories, and evaluate those theories for legitimacy, relevancy, and cogency. The goal of the course is to provide learners with a Christian framework of values and ethics, leading them to make God-honoring decisions in a truth-relative world.
CE 502 Interpersonal Communications and Conflict Management
Organizational communication is a powerful tool of construction or destruction. In this course learners discover Biblical principles of interpersonal communication and conflict management in human relationships. The course gives attention to communication models, self-concept, non-verbal messages, stress, and other strategies that assist Christian leaders in developing interpersonal communication skills. In addition, the course focuses on the nature of conflict, how to identify common styles of conflict management, and how to manage conflict acceptably and productively.
CC 505 Christian Psychology and Counseling
This course is approximately 300 pages in length. The candidate will be provided with general information regarding basic theories concerning historical systems of psychology, counseling, biblical theories of counseling and the utilization of NCCA’s counseling model, Temperament Theory.
How important are songs in the life of Israel and the Church? In this course learners study the book of Psalms, giving attention to the various forms of the Psalms and their function within the historical experience of Israel. The course begins by focusing on the formulation and interpretation of the Psalms. Students then examine, in detail, the various types of psalms: lament, royal, pilgrimage, wisdom, messianic, and psalms of descriptive praise. Dr. Waltke gives sermonic treatment of selected psalms with application for today’s Church.
ST 506 The Doctrine of the Trinity
To know God, and to make Him known, is our highest calling. By studying the historic, classic, and orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity, learners discover how and why the doctrine emerged in the fourth century, as well as the various and progressive ways this doctrine has been understood throughout history. Throughout the course, Dr. Toon demonstrates that a right understanding of the Trinity is essential to a right understanding of God’s relation to man, and man’s relation to God.
PT 502 Exploring Approaches to Apologetics
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Peter’s words ring true in today’s anti-Christian culture. In this course, learners compare biblical, historical, and recent approaches to defending faith in God, Christ, and Scripture. The course emphasizes the apologetics of Peter among Jews in Jerusalem (Acts 2), and Paul among the Gentiles in Athens (Acts 17). It compares the still influential approaches of Augustine and Aquinas, but focuses primarily on the approaches of six apologists who led in the resurgence of evangelicalism during the last half of the twentieth century.
CE 504 Adult Ministries in the Church
How do adults learn? What are the most successful ways to teach them? This course presents principles of adult education and their application to various adult age levels within the church. Learners explore theories in young, middle, and older adult education, and examine successful ministries to singles, single parents, and families. The course promotes Knowles’ andragogical model of adult education, emphasizing such important subjects as how adults learn, how to structure the classroom, and how to facilitate learning.
“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding” (Proverbs 3:13). In this course learners discover the role of wisdom in the Book of Proverbs by doing an exegetical study of its contents in their cultural, historical, and literary settings. The course begins with an analysis of the book’s structure and purpose, focusing on the forms of wisdom literature as seen in the literary structure of Proverbs. Dr. Waltke then moves to poetic analysis, and finally, to the prominent theme of wisdom that permeates the book. Students are encouraged to apply wisdom themes to life.
CH 504 The Theology of Jonathan Edwards
He has been called one the most brilliant men ever born on American soil. In this course, learners will discover that brilliance by examining the theological insights of Jonathan Edwards. Taking a topical approach, the course covers Edwards’ teachings on all the major points of systematic theology, giving particular emphasis to his unique theological contributions. Topics such as the place of reason, the decrees of God, the nature of justification, and the extent of sanctification are presented and analyzed with the goal that students apply new insights to their own lives and ministry.
What is spirituality? How is it formed in private and in community? This course explores the meaning of Biblical Christianity and its relation to faith and practice within contemporary cultural contexts, giving special attention to the corporate dimensions of spirituality and spiritual formation, as defined in the New Testament. The lectures analyze and discuss those historical and cultural factors that have led to the privatization of Christianity, and develop a paradigm of spiritual growth and maturity that focuses on the assembly, rather than the individual.
Few Old Testament books are as theologically rich and literary compelling as Isaiah. Learners discover those dynamics as they complete an exegetical study of the Book of Isaiah. In addition to surveying the contents of the book, the course develops the understanding and skills of exegetical exposition. In the process, students examine key chapters in Isaiah, such as the Promise of Immanuel (7), the Message of Hope (40), and the “Suffering Servant” (53). The course demonstrates how the theology of the Messiah is integral to successful Christian life and ministry.
CH 509 The Theology of Martin Luther
“On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me.” Those words of Martin Luther reflect the unswerving commitment to Scripture that permeated his theology, and sparked his Reformation. In this course, learners survey the background and setting of Luther’s thought, as well as his teaching on a range of topics that form Christian theology: his understanding of sin and grace, justification and faith, and law and gospel. The course also emphasizes his view of the workplace as an arena to serve God. The goal of the course for the student is to appreciate Luther’s steadfast commitment to the cross of Christ and the authority of Scripture, and to apply such commitment to their own lives and ministry.
MT 504 Evangelism in the Local Church
Christ’s final charge was the Great Commission: to “make disciples of all nations.” We fulfill that charge when we take the Gospel to the nations, and to our own nation through our own local church. In this course, Dr. Green instructs us on how to do evangelism within a local church setting. Building on the biblical mandate for evangelism, he discusses personal and group methods for evangelism in a variety of settings, how to equip laity to witness, the use of apologetics, follow-up methods, and current issues in evangelism. Throughout the course, Dr. Green focuses on practical application and workable solutions for evangelism in local church and para-church ministries.
OT 509 The Christian and Old Testament Theology
How does the Old Testament relate to the New? How do God’s people today relate to the people and teaching of the Old Testament? This course considers such important issues by examining the foundational theology of the Old Testament, as applied to the New Testament and the Church. The course identifies the focal point for the Old and New Testaments, and includes discussions on continuity and discontinuity between the Testaments, saving faith, the people of God, law, worship, atonement, the Kingdom of God, the Messiah, and the New Covenant. Throughout the course, Dr. Kaiser shows how Old Testament theology is vital to contemporary Christian living.
NT 501 The Sermon on the Mount
Nowhere is the essence of Jesus’ teachings more clearly portrayed than in His Sermon on the Mount. In this course learners complete an expository and reading study of the sermon, as found in Matthew 5-7. Students examine key issues in the Sermon and analyze the various interpretations therein. The lectures concentrate on both theological and practical questions raised in the Sermon, such as “How did Christ fulfill the law?”; and “How should Christians relate to their world?”. Throughout the course, Dr. Stott encourages learners to apply the Sermon’s principles to life and ministry.
MT 506 The Christian Life: An Evangelical Spiritual Theology
With the contemporary interest in spirituality, it is imperative that the Church establish a comprehensive theology of Christian spirituality that can inform the life and witness of Christian believers. This course presents such a theology of spirituality: a theology that is Biblical, practical, and contemporary, accounting for and enabling spiritual formation and nurture in a post-modern, pluralistic, materialistic society. In addition, the course provides a theological foundation for a life of prayer that will empower and sustain the believer in life and ministry.
NT 503 The Epistles to the Romans
The book of Romans is crucial to the understanding of salvation and sanctification. In this course, students explore the rich truths of justification and other significant topics by completing an exegetical and theological study of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans in the Greek text. The course treats select historical, grammatical, structural, and lexical data that illumine the meaning of this important New Testament document. Students will be encouraged to put textual theory into living practice.
WM 501 Introduction to World Missions
God has one unified, global purpose for all He does. This course introduces the exciting biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic dimensions of His plan. It addresses key issues: the basis of and necessity for world missions, and the status of and plan for world missions. Students are introduced to the basics they need to pursue missionary training or to help lead their local church in its global ministry.
NT 504 The Gospels/Life of Christ
The most compelling and important story in history is the story of Christ. In this course, learners complete a chronological and synthetic study of the Gospels’ accounts of Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. The course focuses on the time, place, circumstances, and people involved in the events of our Lord’s ministry. From the Incarnation to the Ascension, students will grasp a fuller understanding of Christ’s words and works, especially in light of Old Testament prophecy and cultural context. The goal of the course is that Christ will impact learners’ lives as He did those first generation followers, leading them to worship and serve Him as they minister to others.
WM 505 Theologies of Liberation
Liberation theology has sought to liberate the disenfranchised from poverty, oppression, and social injustice – but at what price? This course addresses the historical and thematic development of liberation theologies, in the social and religious context of Latin America. The course covers the various denominational roots, as well as the various methodologies that those denominations utilize. Dr. Mulholland presents a systematic theology of liberation, analyzing its relation to the areas of soteriology, Christology, and ecclesiology.
The most compelling and important story in history is the story of Christ. In this course, learners complete a chronological and synthetic study of the Gospels’ accounts of Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. The course focuses on the time, place, circumstances, and people involved in the events of our Lord’s ministry. From the Incarnation to the Ascension, students will grasp a fuller understanding of Christ’s words and works, especially in light of Old Testament prophecy and cultural context. The goal of the course is that Christ will impact learners’ lives as He did those first generation followers, leading them to worship and serve Him as they minister to others.
NT 507 The Acts of the Apostles
The only thing better than a good story is a good sequel. The Book of Acts is the intended sequel to the Gospel of Luke, showing how the new community of faith applied Christ’s teachings to life, and how they proclaimed His message throughout the world. In this course, learners complete an exegetical study of the book of Acts by focusing on the biblical theology of the book, the historical background of events, and the theological emphasis of the speeches. The goal of the course is to enable learners to articulate the message of Acts in ways that are both textually accurate and contemporarily relevant, and to apply that message to life.
NT 511 The Christian and New Testament Theology
Just as the Old Testament gives purpose to New, so the New Testament sheds light on the Old. In this course, learners study the discipline and task of New Testament Theology by confronting the issues of biblical theology within Old and New Testament contexts. The lectures discuss the overarching issues of New Testament theology itself: the origin and nature of sin and the Fall, God’s sovereignty and human freedom, the law/Gospel contrast, the need for and contours of the New Covenant, and the significance of Christ within the history of Israel. The course is designed to assist the student in formulating a biblical theology of the New Testament that is essential for the life of the Church.
Our online program allows students to earn their Christian counseling degree with flexibility and opportunity. Enroll in Colorado Theological Seminary today to earn your online degree today.