DI5538 The Christian Doctrine of God

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

MLitt Analytic and Exegetical Theology or MLitt Systematic and Historical Theology

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof O D Crisp

Prof O D Crisp
This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Prof O Crisp

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Classically, the Christian doctrine of God has been expressed in two treatises: on the one God, and on the Trinity. This module will combine the two, particularly looking at recent criticisms that suggest some sort of incoherence between them. After an introduction considering the nature and possibility of human speech about God, the first half of the module will deal with the Trinity, and the second with questions about divine existence and perfections. In each half the exegetical bases of doctrinal claims will be examined, and some account will be given of significant historical developments, before turning to modern critiques including, but not limited to, the hellenisation theses, analytic/philosophical challenges to coherence and definition, and prospects of retrieval and restatement.

Relationship to other modules

Anti-requisites

YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS MODULE IF YOU PASS DI5533 OR TAKE DI5533

Assessment pattern

100% coursework

Re-assessment

100% Written examination

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 hour/week lecture: context for understanding seminar text 2 hours/week seminar: student-led, reading texts together.

Scheduled learning hours

36

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

253

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Give a critical account of the contested histories of the Christian doctrine of God.
  • Explain the classical exegetical bases of the Doctrine of God, and give a reasoned response to modern challenges as to its adequacy.
  • Critically analyse recent philosophical challenges to the coherence of the doctrine of the Trinity, and to the possibility of certain key divine attributes.
  • Formulate a constructive theological proposal to locate themselves within the present range of theological accounts of the Christian doctrine of God.
  • Combine exegetical, historical, analytic, and systematic arguments into a sophisticated theological argument.