19 courses with the subject ST, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
ST 100Systematic Theo I: Intro to Theo (HTH9
100 Creation, Sin, New Creation) CH 100 Church Hist I or CH 200 Church Hist II (HTH 11x or 20x Church History option) Any course in the PRAXIS area Any course w/Public Theology focus (as designated in course description) Specialization Courses (15 credits) Specialization 1 Specialization 2 Specialization 3 Specialization 4 Specialization 5 Thesis Preparation
This course explores the role that theological reflection plays in the pursuit of a good life, assessing the place of faith and moral deliberation in ordinary life. We want to encourage students to think through a range of ethical concerns in pastoral and professional situations. Special attention is given to questions related to self-examination, character formation, and relationship to others, as we ponder the place that an examined life occupies in the Christian experience amidst the challenges, uncertainties, and fluidity of the social context. Fulfills MDiv Theology 2: Doing Theology in a Diverse World requirement, MA Professional track specialization course, or free elective. [Prerequisite: ST 100].
(formerly HTH 211 IP Womanist Theology and Ethics) Womanist theology and Ethics derives from a constructive rendering of the deep and didactic scholarship of womanist and Black feminist theorists such as Katie G. Cannon, Emilie M. Townes, Kelly Brown-Douglas, Delores Williams, Jacqueline Grant, and a host of other black women scholars. Using the formulaic power of lived theology and experiential knowledge production, Womanist theology and Ethics bridged the gap between “knowing” and the “known.” This course will examine and explicate the Womanist theologies and Ethics emanating from many of these scholars through several methodologies including biblical, ethical, sociological, historical, and cultural lenses. Fulfills MDiv Theology 2: Doing Theology in a Diverse World requirement also applies toward the Black Church specialization, or free elective. [Prerequisite: ST 100 -formerly HTH 100]. Teresa L. Smallwood/Junehee Yoon Philadelphia campus (B #204) August 11-15, 2025 – physical presence required
This course focuses on a core doctrine of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ’s work and person. Students will be introduced to basic concepts in Christology, such as Christ’s complete humanity in union with complete divinity, Christ’s saving work, and ways to understand atonement. We will examine multiple approaches to Christology, from classic to contemporary, sampling from the work of significant theologians in relative chronological order. Throughout the course, students will engage in theological conversations and reflection that will deepen their skills for proclaiming the gospel. Fulfills MDiv Gospel and Freedom requirement, MA/MAPL Public Theology requirement, or free elective. [Prerequisites: ST 100 and CH100 – formerly HTH 100 and HTH 11x].
ST 731PZ Sacramental Theologies: Means of Grace, Divine Presence, and the Church
This course introduces students to a variety of theological frameworks related to the sacraments of the church, with particular attention to the Eucharist. We will examine what sacraments are, what they are not, and how the Christian church has developed different sacramental traditions. We will ask what is specific to the Lutheran sacramental theology and how it differs from other major traditions. This class will enable students to have a solid understanding of the ministry of sacraments and provide theological grounds for joyful participation in them. [Open to senior MDiv and MA students with permission from the instructors].
ST 733PZ (STM/DMin) Latin American Liberation Theology
Study of selected writings from major voices in Latin American theology. Our primary attention will be on the works of Gustavo Gutiérrez, Ivone Gebara, Jon Sobrino, and Ignacio Ellacuría but other contributors will be considered as well. Liberation theology will be the focus of the course and major component of the assigned readings. Relationships between theology, social theory, and cultural studies will also be analyzed. Fulfills MDiv Gospel and Freedom requirement, MA/MAPL Public Theology requirement, or free elective. [Prerequisites: ST 100 and CH100 – formerly HTH 100 and HTH 11x].
This course examines the intersection of theological understandings of grace with conceptualities of freedom. We will consider grace in relation to theologies of creation, redemption, and eschatological consummation, and ask how grace elevates, repairs, and empowers human existence. We will further investigate several notions of freedom, such as freedom of choice, freedom as self-determination, freedom to do the good, freedom as activity and receptivity, and domains of freedom (political, social, economic, inter-personal, etc.). We will discuss the effect of grace on the possibility of human freedom in different theological registers. Fulfills MDiv Gospel and Freedom requirement, MA/MAPL Public Theology requirement, or free elective. [Prerequisites: ST 100 and CH100 – formerly HTH 100 and HTH 11x].
ST 736PZ (STM/DMin) Mapping the Divine: The Art of Spiritual Memoir
In this course we will explore the practice of spiritual autobiography as has been engaged by a variety of Christian leaders and theological voices throughout Christian history. One aspect of the course is to practice the writing of spiritual memoir, including a description of the student’s formation in faith and the responsibilities and tasks of their calling. This class aims to bring together ideas and experiences into a living theology that can witness with clarity to the Christian faith and the work of God in the dynamics of daily life. Fulfills MDiv Gospel and Freedom requirement, MA Public Theology requirement, or free elective; Also applies to the Spiritual Formation non-credit requirement. [Prerequisites: ST 100 and CH100 – formerly HTH 100 and HTH 11x].
ST 920ZM (Ph.D.) Indigenous Religions and Spirituality
Explore the rich, diverse, and living traditions of Indigenous religions and spirituality in this dynamic and justice-oriented course open to all students. Together, we will examine the legacy and impact of the Doctrine of Discovery, Indigenous eco-spiritualities, and liberation movements across the Americas and beyond. We will critically engage with issues of religious freedom, land rights, and the intersections of international law and Indigenous policy. This course centers Indigenous voices and knowledges, asking what it means to pursue justice, healing, and decolonization in religious and theological spaces today. For the final project, students can choose their own format—essay, video, or podcast—to reflect their learning and passions. Join Dr. Adam DJ Brett and a diverse classroom community at United Lutheran Seminary as we seek to learn from and with Indigenous communities about the sacred, the land, and the possibilities of a more just world. [Open to senior MDiv/Ma students-Prerequisite for MDiv/MA: ST 100-formerly HTH 100]. Fulfills MDiv Theology 2: Doing Theology in a Diverse World requirement, or free elective.
ST 927(Ph.D.) Postcolonial and Decolonial Theologies
Postcolonial and Decolonial critically interrogates the colonial legacy embedded within Christian theological discourse and the structures of theological education. Beginning with Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang’s landmark essay, Decolonization is Not a Metaphor, the course examines how settler colonialism, imperialism, and racial capitalism have shaped theological knowledge and ecclesial practices. Students will engage diverse global voices from Latin American liberation theology, African decolonial critiques, Indigenous epistemologies, and feminist/womanist theologies to examine how faith can resist domination and center subjugated knowledge. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the incommensurability of decolonization with social justice reform, the implications of land-based sovereignty, and the theological imperative to reckon with complicity in settler systems. The course invites students to imagine theology not as abstract system-building but as embodied, place-based, and responsive to the cries of colonized peoples and the land itself. [ST 727 is open to senior MDiv/MA students with approval from professor]. Adam D. J. Brett 55
This course examines how Christian theological claims shape socio-political ideologies and justify power and dominance, as well as equality and democracy. It investigates the theological undergirding of historical hierarchies in church and society, including paradigmatic cases of patriarchy, slavery, colonization, economic exploitation, and queer erasure. It also explores the theological underpinnings of classical liberalism and considers theological arguments for socio-political justice and wellbeing. [Open to STM and DMin students; the rigor will be a 900-level course].
