Accredited Course Catalogue
St. Paul’s University is an extension of the content presented in our 4 semester Core Curriculum. Students will particularly benefit in these courses by taking the core program first, but are welcome to begin their St. Paul’s journey here.
As you enter the course, you’ll find the same St. Paul’s experience you know and love, but with some substantial differences. Instead of a cohort model with exams and webinars, SPU is an Oxford style education, in which a designated “tutor” will guide students through a field of study, both pointing them in the right direction to learn more, and critiquing and evaluating their own efforts to begin contributing to the field themselves through 3 key essays.
Our online student portal contains the core content you’ll need in order to complete the course. We’ve organized all of the materials based upon the different essay options available, and have even pointed out their level of relevance to the prompt, so you are set up to succeed. But if you’re ever unsure what to study next, our tutors can offer personalized guidance for how to best direct your research.
Old Testament
Learn the key persons and events of the Old Testament, and how their stories are woven together to reveal something beautiful about God.
Essay Options
- (1A) Analyze the creation narrative in Genesis. What themes emerge, and how do they shape the understanding of humanity’s relationship with the divine?
- (1B) Discuss the covenant between God and Abraham. What are its implications for the development of the Israelite identity?
- (1C) Examine the Exodus story. How does this narrative reflect the themes of liberation and divine intervention?
- Analyze the Book of Job. What does this text reveal about the human condition and divine justice?
- Discuss the themes of wisdom and folly in the Book of Proverbs. How do these themes guide ethical living?
- Evaluate the role of prophecy in the Old Testament, focusing on the messages of Isaiah. How do these prophecies contribute to the moral and theological discourse?
- Assess the historical context of the Babylonian Exile. How did this period influence the development of Old Testament theology?
- Analyze the Book of Psalms. Choose specific psalms to illustrate the variety of themes and their theological implications.
- Construct a thematic analysis of the Book of Daniel. How does this book integrate historical events and theological themes?
New Testament
Study the life of Christ and the birth of Christianity, through the books that the apostles themselves passed on to us.
Essay Options
- The Historical Jesus: Analyze a specific event or teaching from the life of Christ as portrayed in one of the Gospels. How does this event reflect the socio-political and religious context of the time? Discuss how modern historical-critical methods help us better understand the significance of this event in early Christianity.
- Gospel Narratives as Literary Portraits: Compare two Gospel accounts of a major event in Christ’s life (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount, the Last Supper). How do each author’s choices in structure, emphasis, and details shape the portrayal of Jesus’ character and mission? Apply literary-critical analysis to explain differences and their theological implications.
- Paul’s Missionary Journeys and Their Impact: Analyze the significance of one of Paul’s major missionary journeys (e.g., his journey to Corinth or Ephesus). How did Paul’s message address the social, religious, and cultural challenges of the communities he visited? Discuss the long-term impact of this journey on the spread of Christianity.
- Early Church Growth and Conflict: Examine an early conflict or doctrinal debate within the Church (such as the Jerusalem Council or tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers). How did this event shape the structure and beliefs of early Christian communities? Analyze how these developments contributed to the Church’s overall growth and unity.
- The Theme of Faith in the Book of Romans: Examine Paul’s portrayal of faith in Romans, discussing how he defines it, its role in salvation, and its significance for both Jews and Gentiles. How does Paul’s theological emphasis on faith shape Christian understanding of righteousness and grace?
- The Role of Suffering in 1 Peter: Analyze the theme of suffering in 1 Peter and its connection to Christian identity and hope. How does the author encourage believers to view suffering, and what theological reasons are provided for enduring hardship?
Western Theological Tradition
Learn how the church has spoken about God, as it continued to grow in its understanding of all that he said about himself.
Essay Options
- The Arian Controversy and the Nicene Creed: Describe the origins of Arianism and the theological issues it raised. How did the Nicene Creed address these issues, and what were its key theological affirmations? Evaluate how this creed aimed to protect early Christian doctrine and unity.
- The Gnostic Challenge and Church Response: Analyze the influence of Gnosticism on early Christian communities. What key beliefs of Gnosticism were seen as heretical, and how did Church leaders respond? Describe specific measures taken to clarify orthodox teachings.
- Allegorical Interpretation in Origen’s Writings: Explore Origen’s approach to allegorical interpretation of Scripture. How did he use allegory to explain complex theological concepts, and what were his main principles for interpreting biblical texts? Analyze the impact of his method on later Christian thought.
- Literal and Spiritual Readings in St. Augustine: Examine St. Augustine’s use of literal and spiritual interpretations in his exegesis of Scripture. How did Augustine balance these two methods in his writings? Evaluate how his approach contributed to theological understanding and shaped later interpretive practices.
- Creeds and Biblical Interpretation in Early and Modern Theology: Analyze how a specific early Christian creed (e.g., the Nicene Creed) has influenced biblical interpretation in both early and modern contexts. How has the understanding of key doctrines in the creed evolved, and what impact has it had on biblical exegesis over time?
- Sin and Salvation — Early vs. Modern Perspectives: Compare early Christian beliefs on sin and salvation with a contemporary theological perspective. How did early theologians (such as Augustine or Irenaeus) define these concepts, and how do modern theologians approach them? Discuss how these perspectives shape different understandings of the human-divine relationship.
Our Partners
These courses are accredited through Southeastern University in partnership with Christian Halls International. You can learn more about both institutions below.
