CIP and OOABI Course Descriptions

OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY
An introduction to the authorship and contents of the Old Testament books. Special attention will be given to important persons, places and events, as well as to key chapters in the Old Testament revelation. This course identifies the points of importance for a more complete, historical, and contextual understanding of God’s revelation to man.

NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY
An introduction to the authorship and contents of the New Testament books. Special attention will be given to important persons, places, events, as well as to key chapters in the New Testament revelation. The aim of this course is structured to help the student interpret New Testament biblical passages in their proper context. Within the New Testament, there are insights to mankind, teachings for virtuous living, truths about the Savior, and principles for living an abundant life for Christ.

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
This is a general study of Bible doctrine designed to synthesize and outline each of ten major areas of systematic theology, including prolegomena, bibliology, theology proper, Christology, angelology, and pneumatology. All students need to be grounded in doctrine to know what they believe and why they believe it. This course gives students a comprehensive exposure to systematic theology for the purpose of equipping them in ministry, whatever their vocational goals might be.

COMPARATIVE RELIGION – ELECTIVE
Religion is a central feature of human life. The vast majority of human beings perceive themselves to be religious. We see many indications of religion every day, and we all know it when we see it, but religion is surprisingly difficult to define or comprehend adequately. This 24-lecture course provides a systematic and comparative framework for understanding the complex and multidimensional nature of religion. It explores the many similarities that link all religions, as well as major differences among many of the world’s religious traditions. The course unfolds in a logical sequence with different components of religious building on the foundations of previous presentation.

PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION – ELECTIVE
Can humans know whether the claim “God exists” is true or not? If so, how? If not, why not? Questions such as these have perplexed humans since the first moment we were capable of asking them. Now in Philosophy of Religion you can explore the questions of divine existence with the tools of epistemology, the branch of philosophy that concerns itself with what we can know.

READING BIBLICAL LITERATURE: GENESIS TO REVELATION – ELECTIVE
Rightly recognized as one of the world’s most important spiritual texts, the Bible has shaped thousands of years of faith, art, and human history. Yet for all its importance to believers and nonbelievers alike, we rarely engage with the Bible as a collection of unique narratives that were only later united into what we now know as the Old and New Testaments. And these different texts—historical narratives, dramatic visions, poems, songs, letters—speak to a broad range of experience, from joy and wonder to tragedy and mystery.

THE BE-ATTITUDES OF CHAPLAINCY by REV. JO JENSEN

Interested in developing your pastoral care skills? Experiencing a call to chaplaincy? Currently serving as a chaplain or seminarian? Are you a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Supervisor? The Be-Attitudes of Chaplaincy vividly illuminates the highly respected characteristics, attitudes and skills of a seasoned chaplain and provides reflective, perceptive, thought-provoking questions to ponder individually or dialogue collectively within a CPE setting. Written with engaging warmth and self-reflective theology, this captivating and deeply personal treasury of wisdom artfully depicts a chaplain’s philosophy of caring for patients, their loved ones, and staff members in real-life experiences.

HOW SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WIN: TURN EVERY SETBACK INTO A STEP FORWARD by JOHN C. MAXWELL

No one wins at everything they try. But any setback, whether professional or personal, can become a step forward with the right tools and mindset to turn loss into a gain. Drawing on nearly 50 years of leadership experience, Maxwell provides a roadmap for winning by examining the eleven elements that constitute the “DNA” of people who succeed in the face of problems, failure, and losses. Learning is not easy during down times. It takes discipline to do the right thing when something goes wrong. As John Maxwell often points out, experience itself isn’t the best teacher; evaluating, understanding, and growing from your experience is. By examining how that process works, you can learn how to take risks and tackle challenges with a successful person’s outlook.

HOW TO TALK WITH SICK, DYING AND GRIEVING PEOPLE: WHEN THERE ARE NO MAGIC WORDS TO SAY by PATRICK SHAWN RIECKE and EMMANUEL ALEJANDRO

In this book, Riecke unveils:

• • Compelling stories of ultimate suffering and overwhelming significance
  • Must-do actions for those who want to help
  • Traps to avoid so you can be successful at making a difference
  • Case studies of hurting people and how to help
  • Three Phases of Spiritual Growth
  • Practical tips for leaders who care about people in grief, trauma or crisis

Are you ready to really help? Do you want to know what to say (or not say) to people who are sick, dying or grieving?

BOUNDARIES UPDATED AND EXPANDED EDITION: WHEN TO SAY YES, HOW TO SAY NO TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE by HENRY CLOUD and JOHN TOWNSEND

Does your life feel like it’s out of control? Perhaps you feel like you have to say yes to everyone’s requests. Maybe you find yourself readily taking responsibility for others’ feelings and problems. Or perhaps you focus so much on being loving and unselfish that you’ve forgotten your own limits and limitations. Or maybe it’s all of the above.

In the New York Times bestseller, Boundaries, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend help you learn when to say yes and know how to say no in order to take control of your life and set healthy, biblical boundaries with your spouse, children, friends, parents, co-workers, and even yourself. You don’t have to let your life spiral out of control. Discover how boundaries make life better today!