Spring 2012, Torch Trinity Graduate University

DS9030 Advanced Hermeneutics (3 credits)

Instructors:
Dr. Michael Choi (m.choi@ttgu.ac.kr)
Dr. Miyon Chung (m.chung@ttgu.ac.kr)
I. Course Description
This is a study of theological and historiographical method of hermeneutics. The seminar will
examine philosophical assumptions and implications of major systems of theological
hermeneutics in Christian history. Three hours.
II. Course Objective
A. The seminar will critically discuss selected texts with a view toward understanding issues in
historiographical and hermeneutical theory employed by major theologians in history.
B. Each participant will present a scholarly essay addressing some aspect of hermeneutics by a
theologian of a historical period according to his/her interest (critical task paper).
C. Each participant should develop his/her scholarly research and writing skills during the course of
the seminar.
III. Textbooks
A. Required Books (All books and articles are available in the reserved section of the library.)
Allison, G. R. Historical Theology: an Introduction to Christian Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2011.
Dockery, David S. Biblical Interpretation Then and Now: Contemporary Hermeneutics in the Light of the
Early Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992.
Thiselton, Anthony. Hermeneutics: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009.
Dr. Mike Choi
D: David S. Dockery, Biblical Interpretation Then and Now: Contemporary Hermeneutics in the Light
of the Early Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1992.
A: Allison, G. R. Historical Theology: an Introduction to Christian Doctrine. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2011.
*The following reading materials are reserved in the library. (For secondary readings, initials for each
writer is used in the reading assignment chart)
Tertullian, Cyprian, and Origen. On the Lord's Prayer. Crestwood, N.Y.: St Vladimirs Seminary Press,
2004.
Augustine. Roberts, A., J. Donaldson, Philip Schaff, and Henry Wace, eds. Post-Nicene Fathers: First
Series, vol. 6: Hendrickson Pub, 1994.
John Chrysostom. Roberts, A., J. Donaldson, Philip Schaff, and Henry Wace, eds. Post-Nicene
Fathers: First Series, vol. 10. Hendrickson Pub, 1994.
Tertullian, Cyprian, and Origen. On the Lord's Prayer. Translated by Alistair Stewart-Sykes.
Crestwood, N.Y.: St Vladimirs Seminary Press, 2004.
Thomas Aquinas. Albert & Thomas: Selected Writings. Translated and edited by Simon Tugwell. New
York: Paulist Press, 1988.
Be: Beale, G. K. The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to
Biblical Authority. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2008.
E: Enns, P. Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament. Grand
Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.
F: Frame, J. The Spirit and the Scriptures. In Carson, D. A., and John D. Woodbridge,
eds. Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995.
Dr. Miyon Chung
Thiselton, Anthony. Hermeneutics: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009.

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DS9030 Advanced Hermeneutics (3)

*Selected readings reserved in the library, including:

Luther, Martin. Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings, ed. John Dillenberger (New York:
Anchor Books, 1962), (pp. 14-41, 139-165)
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. J. T. McNeill and trans. F. L. Battles
(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960), (Book I, Chapters 6-10, pp. 64-89; Book IV, chapters 4-11,
pp. 559-564)
Menno Simons, The Complete Writings of Menno Simons (c. 1496-1561). ed. J. C. Wenger and
trans. Leonard Verduin (Scottdale: Herald Press, 1984), (excerpts from Foundation of Christian
Doctrine, pp.115-159)
Dockery, Biblical Interpretation: Then and Now (1992), Chapter 6 (pp. 155-183)
Grenz, Stanley J. A Primer on Postmodernism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
Jasper, David. A Short Introduction to Hermeneutics. WJK: Louisville, 2004.
McGrath, A. The Making of German Christology (1750-1990), 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
Rae, Murray. History and Hermeneutics. Edinburg: T&T Clark, 2005.
B. Other Books (see addendum)
IV. Course Requirements & Grading
An overall grade will be assigned by the professors in consideration of the quality of each participants
work for the semester.
Pre-Seminar Assignments
20%
Weekly Participation and Seminar Leading 30%
Term Paper
50%
V. Weekly Schedule & Assignments (Tentative 15 week schedule)
1. Attendance is required in accordance with the Torch Trinity Graduate University.
2. Pre-Seminar Assignments:
Each participant is expected to have read and to be prepared to discuss the assigned reading for
each session (see reading assignment chart).
A. Reading Record: The student must aim to complete reading assignments before the class
begins and turn in a reading record of the assigned readings. The form is given at the end of
the syllabus. Excerpts from primary sources are reserved in the library. If you are unable to
access the campus library, a file of scanned copies will be emailed to you. Write to either Dr.
Chung or Dr. Choi (according to seminar) to make this request.
B. Two conceptual summaries of modern to postmodern hermeneutics based on the books by
*First Summary: Grenz, A Primer on Postmodernism (1996)
*Second Summary: Rae, History and Hermeneutics (2005).
Your book summaries should be approximately 1,000 words each. They must be well
organized chronologically and include key topics, theories, and theologians. You may also
include a diagram or other visual forms of summary. You must avoid plagiarism. (Due on
May 29 at 8:30am):
3. Weekly Participation and Seminar Leading: Participants will take turns to lead seminar sessions
based on the assigned texts for reading. The participant should provide a critical outline of
literary/historical/theological issues in the assigned portion of the required texts. You will have 25
minutes to make a presentation of these issues to the class after which there will be 25 minutes of
class discussion. The purpose of the presentation is both to inform and to provide a basis for
discussion. A written outline/visual aids should be provided to the other participants in the
seminar. Assignments of particular sections will be made in advance in class.

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4. Term Paper: An original essay should interact with both primary and secondary sources in
examining some significant aspects of hermeneutics employed by a particular theologian in
history, critically evaluating its positive and negative assumptions and implications from the
evangelical perspective. This assignment will conform to Turabian (7 th ed.) style. The length is
about 7000 words (20 pages), double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman. A hard copy should be
turned in to each professors mailbox and to turnitin.com. Each participant is also expected to
email the assignment to other members of the seminar. (Due on July 31 at 5pm)
5. Other assignments may be made at the discretion of the professors.
VII. Addendum - Recommended Books
Adam, Stephen E. Fowl, and Francis Watson. A. K. M., Kevin Vanhoozer, Reading Scripture with the
Church: Toward a Hermeneutic for Theological Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006.
Carson, D. A., and John D. Woodbridge, eds. Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon. Grand Rapids: Baker,
1995.
_____. Scripture and Truth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
Erickson, Millard J., et al. Reclaiming the Center: Confronting Evangelical Accommodation in
Postmodern Times. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2004.
Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1988.
Gadamer, Hans-Georg. Truth and Method. New York: Seabury Press, 1975.
Gottwald, Norman K. and Richard A. Horsely, eds. The Bible and Liberation: Political and Social
Hermeneutics. 2nd rev. ed. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1993.
Kaiser, Jr., Walter C. et al. Four Views on Moving Beyond the Bible. Counterpoints Bible and Theology.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
LaCocque, Andr and Paul Ricoeur. Thinking Biblically: Exegetical and Hermeneutical Studies.
Translated by David Pellauer. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.
Kelsey, David H. The Uses of Scripture in Recent Theology. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975.
Kline, Meredith G. The Structure of Biblical Authority. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972.
Marshall, I. Howard. Beyond the Bible: Moving from Scripture to Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004.
Murray, John. "The Attestation of Scripture." In The Infallible Word, edited by Ned Bernard Stonehouse
and Paul Woolley. Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1946.
_____. Calvin on Scripture and Divine Sovereignty. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1960.
Oberman, Heiko A. The Harvest of Medieval Theology: Gabriel Biel and Late Medieval
Nominalism. Baker Academic, 2001.
Padilla, C. Ren. The Interpreted Word: Reflections on Contextual Hermeneutics.Themelios.
(September, 1981: 18-23).
Poythress, Vern. God-Centered Biblical Interpretation. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1999.
_____. "Problems for Limited Inerrancy." JETS 18, 2 (Spring 1975): 93-102.
_____. Inerrancy and Worldview: Answering Modern Challenges to the Bible. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway
Books, 2012.
Ricoeur, Paul. Hermeneutics and the Human Sciences: Essays On Language, Action, and Interpretation.
Paris: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
Schssler Fiorenza, Elizabeth. Toward a Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics: Biblical Interpretation and
Liberation Theology In The Challenge of Liberation Theology: A First World Response. Edited
by Brian Mahan and C. Dale Richesin. 91-112. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1981.
Simonetti, Manlio. Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church: an Historical Introduction to
Patristic Exegesis. Edinburgh: T&T Clark Int'l, 2002.
Thiselton, Anthony. The Two Horizons: New Testament Hermeneutics and Philosophical Description.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980.
Trible, Phyllis. Texts of Terror: Literary-Feminist Readings of Biblical Texts. Philadelphia: Fortress Press,
1984.
Vanhoozer, Kevin J. First Theology: God, Scripture & Hermeneutics. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
2002.
_____. A Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical Linguistic Approach to Doctrine. Louisville: Westminster John

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Knox, 2005.
_____. Remythologizing Theology: Divine Action, Passion, and Authorship (Cambridge Studies in
Christian Doctrine). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
William of Ockham. Dialogus. Translated by John Kilcullen and John Scott. The British Academy,
2003. (http://www.britac.ac.uk/pubs/dialogus/t1d1Alt.html)
Woodbridge, John D. Biblical Authority: a Critique of the Rogers/McKim Proposal. Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Zondervan, 1982.
Academic Integrity Policy
The faculty and administration of Torch Trinity take academic integrity very seriously and will
not tolerate cheating (on exams and quizzes) or plagiarism. All cases of cheating or plagiarism are
reported to the Academic Dean and the Disciplinary Committee (a faculty committee), and if
necessary, further investigated. The Disciplinary Committee determines guilt or innocence according
to a rigorous procedure. The following are the administrative actions prescribed by the faculty for
those caught cheating or plagiarizing:
[Administrative Actions for Cheating]
For the first offense of cheating during the participant's enrollment at Torch Trinity, the
following procedures are applied:
1. An automatic "F" letter grade for the class.
2. The participant offender will meet with the Disciplinary Committee or its designated
representative and sign an Acknowledgement of Integrity Infraction form.
3. A copy of the Acknowledgement of Integrity Infraction form, signed by the appropriate
parties, will be placed in the participant's permanent file.
4. The guilty participant may not be considered for future academic scholarships.
5. The participant offender will be automatically removed from any official position, such as
participant council leadership, chapel worship team, etc.
For the second offense of cheating during the participant's enrollment at Torch Trinity, the
participant will be permanently dismissed from the school.
[Administrative Actions for Plagiarism]
For the first offense of plagiarism during the participant's enrollment at Torch Trinity, the
following procedures are applied:
1. An automatic "F" letter grade for the paper. Rewriting is not permitted.
2. Participant should re-read A Primer on Plagiarism guide from the course, Theological
Research & Writing, and write a paper on Plagiarism and Christian Ministry of about 750
words or 3 pages double-spaced.
For the second offense of plagiarism during the participant's enrollment at Torch Trinity, the
following procedures are applied:
1. A permanent F letter grade for the entire course. Retaking the course will not replace the
F grade. The failed course and the retaken course grades will both be calculated in the
participants cumulative grade point average.
2. If the participant is a merit scholarship recipient or a Torch Strategic Mission scholarship
recipient, the scholarship is withdrawn.
For the third offense of plagiarism during the participant's enrollment at Torch Trinity, the
offending participant is permanently dismissed from the school.
Note: The faculty and administration have decided to require that all participant papers be submitted to
www.turnitin.com as of Fall 2007.
I acknowledge that I have read and accept the TTGST Academic Integrity Covenant and will
abide by the provisions and penalties therein.

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Fall 2011, Torch Trinity Graduate School of Theology

DS9030 Advanced Hermeneutics (3)

Class Date
5/29 (Tu)

Reading Date

Author

Shortened Title

5/30 (W)

5/31 (Th)

6/1 (F)

6/4 (M)

6/5 (Tu)

6/6 (W)
6/7 (Th)

No Class

6/8 (F)

6/11 (M)

Recapitulation

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Pages Read