BOTH/AND

Description

In this seventeen hour course, Seraphim Hamilton explores, in some detail, the fundamental issues which separate Orthodoxy and Protestantism. The uniqueness of this class is that it does not look beyond the Bible (to “tradition” or anything else) but shows how the Biblical text itself is consistent with traditional Christian theology, sacramentology, and ecclesiology. The course aims to demonstrate that even if we, for the sake of argument, choose not to appeal to tradition and the Church Fathers, Orthodox doctrines which have been historically contested by Protestants can be demonstrated to be firmly rooted in the witness of the Holy Scriptures. In showing that theosis, the veneration of Saints, the special role of the Virgin Mary, and the centrality of liturgy can all be demonstrated from Scripture alone, the reliability of tradition as an authoritative, God-inspired witness to the authentic teaching of Scripture is vindicated and the uniqueness of the Orthodox Church as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church organized by Jesus Christ is revealed. This course aims to model respectful engagement with Protestants, taking seriously the questions they raise about Orthodox teachings and engaging them step by step. Its primary goal is not to be polemical, but to provide a constructive and developed case for traditional Christian doctrines and practices.

This class will be especially useful for any questioning Protestants searching for a critical examination of Protestantism that properly respects the Biblical text as the inspired word of God. It will also be helpful for any Orthodox or Catholic Christian apologists who want to become more educated on the Biblical foundations of their faith. The class covers, in order, these topics:

1: Why Answer Protestantism from the Bible?

2: The Arc of Biblical Theology: Creation, Covenant, Redemption, Glorification

3: How Does Christ Purchase Salvation?

4: Justification, Deification, and Imputation

5: Justification: Walking Through the Key Texts

6: Liturgical Worship in Biblical Theology

7: What Happens in Baptism and the Eucharist?

8: Apostolic Succession, the Holy Priesthood, and the Visibility of the Church

9: The Communion of Saints: Veneration and Intercession

10: The Woman: The Virgin Mary in Scripture

11: Now Mine Eyes Have Seen: Iconography and Idolatry

12: The Biblical Doctrine of Tradition

Instructor

Seraphim Hamilton is an Orthodox author and Biblical commentator whose work focuses on the intersection between Scripture and Orthodox theology. He has a Master of Arts in Early Christian Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Theology from Duke University.