ACADEMIC CURRICULUM
BMS 105. Introduction to the Old Testament 3 credits
This course introduces students to the Old Testament as history, literature, and sacred story. An introduction to each book of the canon and Apocrypha/deuterocanon will be given in the course.
BMS 106. Introduction to the New Testament 3 credits
This course introduces students to the New Testament as history, literature, and sacred story. An introduction to each book of the canon will be given in the course.
BMS 107. Religion in Human Experience 3 credits
This course introduces students to various academic definitions of religion, the dimensions of religion, and the many scholarly methods used to study religion. The course also gives students opportunities to explore the nature of the sacred, the meaning of life, the possibility of life after death, and to give thought to other such personal questions and the answers to those questions. (Fall 2011 and alternate years)
BMS 205. Hebrew Prophets 3 credits
This course will survey the background, context, and issues relevant to each of the books of the Old Testament prophetic literature. Students will research the primary resources and explore various issues of biblical scholarship within the limits of the English Bible. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106. (Spring 2012 and alternate years)
BMS 206. Jesus 3 credits
The course will provide students an opportunity to investigate original source material on the historical figure of Jesus of Nazareth. Students will also evaluate current scholarly works that debate the reliability of the New Testament era documents, apply various methods for determining the historicity of the figure of Jesus, and posit an identity for the historical Jesus that is located in the first century Greco-Roman-Jewish matrix. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106. (Spring 2011 and alternate years)
BMS 209. Philosophy of Religion (Cross-listed as PHL 209) 3 credits
A philosophical reflection on religious experience and conceptions of the divine. Topics to be discussed include: the existence of God, faith and reason, religious language and symbolism, and the religious situation in our time. Reading from both classical and contemporary authors. (Spring 2012 and alternate years)
BMS 215. Science and Faith (Cross-listed as PHL 215) 3 credits
This course will consider many of the important issues in the relation of science to faith. The central issue will be the implications of Darwinian evolution for faith but will also consider some of the wider implications for faith from this touchstone. For example: Are science and faith compatible? If God is God then why is there such apparent waste and cruelty in nature? Students will develop a coherent theology of nature in response to Darwin's challenge. Fall
BMS 225. The Ministry and Literature of Paul 3 credits
In the context of the "close reading" of the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline corpus of letters, students will master the content of the Biblical materials, formulate a timeline for the life and ministry of the "Apostle to the Gentiles," investigate various theories of "the historical Paul," exegete texts to identify key themes in Pauline theology, integrate course content with their academic fields of study and relate the letters of Paul to issues of personal identity and contemporary societal issues. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106. (Fall 2011 and alternate years)
BMS 305. Christian Faith 3 credits
A writing and discussion course designed to introduce students to eight major doctrines of the Christian religion: God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Human Nature, Church, Salvation, Consummation, and Revelation. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106. (Fall 2010 and alternate years)
BMS 306. World Religions 3 credits
By means of readings, films, field trips, group discussions, lectures, and expressive and research papers, the course introduces students to the experiential phenomena of selected major world religions. A typical selection is Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106. (Fall 2011 and alternate years)
BMS 319. Religion in America (Cross-listed as SOC 319) 3 credits
The course will examine the context of religion both in concept and in its practical sequences for individuals and public institutions within American society. Material will emphasize the role or effect of religion upon American life and culture and the impact of the social environment upon various American religious traditions. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106. (Spring 2011 and alternate years)
BMS 325. Contemporary Issues in Missiology 3 credits
Students will engage in theological reflection on the mission of the church, and learn about various historical and contemporary mission strategies. Students will identify and articulate their responses to contemporary issues faced by Christian missionaries in cross-cultural contexts, such as emerging postmodern perspectives, cultural and religious pluralism, global poverty and economic disparities, gender issues, and balancing evangelism with socio-economic development. Practical realities of missionary life will be explored through case studies. Prerequisite: BMS 105 or 106 or permission of the instructor. (Spring 2012 and alternate years)
BMS 366. Church Leadership Practicum 3 credits
In this course, students will engage in a minimum of 50 clock hours of church or campus-related ministry. Students may be placed in various churches or para-church organizations in the region under careful on-site supervision. Students may also be placed in leadership positions in University Campus Ministries under the supervision of the Chaplain of the University. In the process of professional skill development in the performance of ministry, students will integrate critical reading and academic analysis in the various areas of ministry defined by the BMS major programs: pastoral ministry, children and youth, drama, international missions, media and music. To enroll in this course, students must have junior standing in one of the BMS options or permission of the instructor. (Spring 2012 and alternate years)
BMS 395. Special Topics 3 credits
An in-depth investigation of a current topic in religion, such as the thought of a religious leader, the study of a theological or religious issue, or a religious movement. A special topics course in BMS may also include the study of a biblical language or topic or period in church history of Christian theology. (Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit)
BMS 465. Internship 6 credits
Students will engage in an exceptional experiential learning experience as a paraprofessional in the ministry of the church. Written requirements for these internships include a final paper where students must engage in reflective self-assessment and relate the experience to previous classroom learning/theory in the particular ministry studies option. All students in this course will keep a daily reflective journal upon which mid-term and final grades will be based. In addition, all students who complete this course will make public oral presentations of their learning and findings. An additional learning outcome specific to this course is that students will develop a personal mission statement that articulates application of a worldview consistent with the many expressions of historic Christianity. Students will invest 35 clock hours per academic credit, for a total of 210 clock hours during the semester in which they are enrolled. To enroll in this course, students must have senior standing in one of the BMS options or the permission of the instructor. (Spring 2011 and alternate years)
BMS 475. Advanced Faith and Learning Integration 3 credits
In the spirit of the mission of Waynesburg University, this course intends to provide junior and senior level students with an unparalleled opportunity to integrate the Bible materials and its history of interpretation to the academic disciplines. Ordinarily, students would relate their academic majors to the Biblical tradition in the research and composition of a major, publish-ready paper. Minimum requirements will be at least one meeting per week between the student and the supervisory professor. The course is limited to students who have completed at least three credits in Biblical and Ministry Studies and who have accumulated at least a 3.0 grade point average. Interested students must take initiative to seek out instruction for the course prior to the pre-registration period from both their academic advisors and the Chair of the Biblical and Ministry Studies major program. The faculty advisors will ordinarily be the instructors of record and will provide the on-going supervision of the course. Ordinarily, both the faculty advisors of the students and the Chair of the Biblical Studies and Ministry Studies major program will read the paper. An average of the grades determined by these members of the faculty will be recorded in the students' transcripts. Upon completion of the project, the faculty member and student will arrange an oral presentation of the results to the campus community. When BMS majors take the course, and academic advisor will supervise the course and grade the paper. This course will not substitute for senior capstone/research courses required in the majors. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing; three credits in BMS courses; 3.0 minimum gpa. (Offered when interest is expressed and departmental resources permit.)
BMS 497. Independent Study 3 credits
A carefully supervised study of topics and issues in BMS beyond the other course offerings. Normally, the independent study would be taken by only those students who have previously accumulated at least six credits in BMS. Students who enroll in the course must have at least a 3.00 grade point average. Interested students must take initiative to seek out instruction for the course prior to the pre-registration period. No more than six credits may be accumulated toward the BMS minor. Minimum requirements will be at least one meeting per week between the student and the supervisory professor.
