The Da Vinci Code has been on the New York Times Bestseller List since its release and is one of the most widely read books of our time. This novel, however, is more than a page-turning murder mystery. The Da Vinci Code is a conspiracy theory that leaves many readers wondering whether everything they have believed about Christ and the Bible is wrong. This study will strengthen your confidence in God’s Word as you find biblical answers to questions raised by The Da Vinci Code.

0.5 Credit

90 Days

Group Dynamics is a  course for anyone who leads a ministry group of one kind or another. Groups are the heartbeat of any ministry. That is where the personal touch happens—where hearts are opened, needs are met, lives are changed. Without feeling connected, people may participate in our ministry groups, but will they be changed as a result? It isn’t what we learn in our groups that transforms lives; it’s doing something differently because of what we’ve learned. Join us in exploring 10 effective ways to guide ministry groups in “Group Dynamics.” We have to stop doing what comes naturally and start doing what works!

N/A

90 Days

Deb McCormick

This course is designed to prepare you spiritually and emotionally as you begin your biblical and theological studies. You have a desire to know more about the Bible and to develop your relationship with God. Sometimes forward movement can occur most effectively after a backward look.

2 Credits

90 Days

John Worgul, Ph.D.

Have you ever wondered what the world believes about spiritual issues? World Religions Basics: A Comparison of Major World Religions is a FastTrax course that will provide you with a vital, though simplified, overview of different religious faiths and practices around our diverse planet. Special attention will be given to the five major faiths: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, comparing their beliefs about creation, sacred scriptures, and salvation. Also included will be basic principles of relationship in interacting with other faiths.

90 Days

OUR DAILY BREAD CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

Welcome to Worldview Basics: A Comparison of Major Worldviews. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have been born into another home, culture, or religious faith? Everyone is influenced by his or her culture. The perspective of life we adopt from our background and life experience is called our worldview. This course summarizes and compares seven major worldviews and shows how each one attempts to answer certain basic questions of life. By the completion of this course, you will examine what makes a biblical worldview unique.

90 Days

OUR DAILY BREAD CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

This course will help to teach you the basic research and writing skills that are necessary for clear and accurate written communication.  The goal is to prepare you for research project requirements for courses at CUGN, but also in any academic endeavor you might pursue.  The course includes five lectures on topics including selecting a topic, conducting research, citing sources, ethics and legalities, and, finally, proofreading and publishing.  These topics, which are succinctly presented, will serve as an online resource for you to return to often in your academic pursuits.  The ultimate goal of this course is to equip you to deliver clear written communication, not just in your studies but throughout your life.

0 Credits

90 Days

Linda Triemstra-Cook

How is spirituality formed both in private and in community? This course explores the meaning of biblical Christianity and its relation to faith and practice, giving special attention to spiritual formation through prayer, meditation, and personal disciplines. The lectures form a paradigm of spiritual growth and maturity that will affect both the individual and the church.

1 Credit

8 Weeks

Gordon T. Smith, Ph.D.

Is God too weak to stop suffering? Does God not care about my situation? In a world full of sin, pain and hardship remain daily realities. Throughout history, humanity has wrestled with the problems of suffering and has often questioned the goodness of God. Wood retells the story of Job and the struggles he endured. Throughout the course, students examine Job’s tumultuous life and the various responses to his suffering given by his friends and family. Ultimately, Job learns to praise God no matter what his circumstance. Despite Satan’s attempts to thwart the plans of God, the Lord remains sovereign over all.

3 Credits

6 Months

Leon J. Wood, Ph.D.

Understanding the Pentateuch is essential to understanding the Bible. In this course, learners study the contents of the Pentateuch and consider the particular problems of evolution and higher criticism in light of present-day archaeology. The course explores such events as the creation, the flood, and the exodus, and it highlights the lives of the patriarchs and Moses. Students will also examine the content, meaning, and applicability of the laws that formed the foundation of Israel’s theocracy.

3 Credits

6 Months

R. Laird Harris, Ph.D.

Spiritual and ethical formation is a topic of discussion in many circles. We all long for intimacy with God, but how is spiritual growth and maturity developed? What are the dynamics in which God most often works in the heart of believers to make them like his Son, Jesus Christ? In this seminar, Richard Averbeck and James Grier address these and other questions in order to lay a biblical, theological foundation for proper Christian thought. In addition, they identify and describe specific practices that the listener can apply immediately to his/her life of faith.

2 Credits

6 Months

Richard E. Averbeck, Ph.D. and James Grier, Th.D.

In a self-centered culture, how do we demonstrate a God-centered ethic? This course presents a biblical model for ethics in a postmodern world, examining the ethical theories of obligation and value from a philosophical perspective. The lectures survey various ethical systems, identify unstated assumptions in ethical theories, and evaluate those theories for legitimacy, relevancy, and cogency. The goal of the course is to provide learners with a Christian framework of values and ethics, leading them to make God-honoring decisions in a truth-relative world.

3 Credits

6 Months

James M. Grier, Th.D.

How do you view reality? What is the source of your knowledge? Do you live what you believe? Such are the questions that a worldview answers. This course examines the nature and function of belief structures, and the value of developing and living a distinctly Christian life. The course develops a Christian worldview from a redemptive history model of biblical theology, which is then clarified using the philosophical categories of metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology. Learners will gain an understanding of modern and postmodern thought and how to critique them biblically, and are encouraged to develop and apply a Christian worldview to life and ministry.

3 Credits

6 Months

James M. Grier, Th.D.

Nothing demonstrates the pluralism of our world better than religion. Christians must be able to respond to the myriad of religious systems that permeate society. This course develops a biblical theology of religions by studying current models and approaches. Using major religious systems as examples, the lectures sketch five characteristics of all religions. Students will learn the major concepts in religious encounter, including the concept of elentics, various definitions of “religion,” and the five magnetic points of religions. The course culminates with practical suggestions for approaching world religions evangelistically.

3 Credits

6 Months

Harvie M. Conn, Litt.D.

The nature and practices of Islam draw worldwide intrigue. What do Muslims believe? Why do they defend their beliefs as they do? How do we present the gospel to them? This course examines Islam from both a Christian and a Muslim perspective, covering the history and validity of the Koran, Muslim theology, the role of women, and the places of Christ, the Bible, and the Trinity within Islam. The goal of the course is to understand the Muslim mindset, and to learn how to share Christ from within that mindset.

3 Credits

6 Months

Patrick O. Cate, Ph.D.