Course Catalogue 2026-2027

An introduction to the Old Testament (Chronicles-Malachi). This course traces the Old Testament's story line through Chronicles-Malachi with consideration of historical and literary contexts, difficult questions raised by its subject matter, theological message, and use and application within the church.

An introduction to the Old Testament (Chronicles-Malachi). This course traces the Old Testament's story line through Chronicles-Malachi with consideration of historical and literary contexts, difficult questions raised by its subject matter, theological message, and use and application within the church.

This course is designed for students with no previous experience in Latin. It introduces the fundamental elements of Latin morphology and syntax through classroom instruction, reinforced by regular homework, in class exercises, quizzes, and exams with guided review. Students will develop a working knowledge of ecclesiastical Latin vocabulary and grammar through weekly lessons, translation practice, and selected readings. By the end of the course, they will be able to translate moderately complex Latin texts into clear English with the aid of a lexicon. Course materials--including vocabulary lists and practice passages--will be drawn from the Vulgate, the Latin liturgy, selected ecclesiastical authors, and related texts. 

The Spiritual Internship Year, in response to the challenges of contemporary pastoral ministry, provides an intense formational experience in which the sciences foundational for Christian life and ministry are appropriated via: classroom instruction (philosophy, catechesis, scripture, and theology), extensive reading of classic spiritual authors and the Documents of Vatican II, Ignatian spiritual direction [Annotation 19], retreat experiences, field placement, formation in communal living and instruction in essay writing skills.

This course offers an opportunity to explore the history of the Christian Church from its origins in Judaism, its social and sacramental development, including the work of Christian apologists, the convening of councils, confronting heresies, the rise of monasticism and the growth of Christianity beyond the confines of the empire through to the East-West Schism of 1054. It will examine the conflicts, individuals, social movements, and theologies that shaped Christianity during this formative period. A special emphasis is placed on the use of primary sources, which will aid students to better understand the historical realities of the period being studied and learn how primary sources may be used in historical research.

From the subapostolic age to the "Triumph of Orthodoxy" in the East and the Carolingian revival and Treaty of Verdun in the West. Geographical expansion of the church; the relation of Christian faith to cultural settings and other religions; the development of doctrinal and ethical positions; forms of Christian life and worship; the rise of Islam.

This course will study the literary genres, the history of composition, and the canonization of the Old Testament texts. The course will examine various hermeneutical approaches to the Old Testament. The course will examine various hermeneutical approaches to the Old Testament, focusing on their implications for Christian theological interpretation. It will introduce some methods of teaching the Old Testament in various settings.

This course surveys the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) as an expression of the religious life and thought of ancient Israel, and a foundational document of Western civilization. We will learn about a wide range of methodologies, including source criticism and the historical-critical school, tradition criticism, redaction criticism, and literary and canonical approaches as applied to the study and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible. We will also emphasize the Tanakh against the backdrop of its historical and cultural setting in the Ancient Near East.

This course will introduce students to the methods and study of the history of Christianity. It will also provide a survey knowledge of major events and trends in Christian history which will be required for other Knox College courses. These courses will expect that students will know the historical context of monasticism, the Wesley's, etc. As a survey course, topics will not be covered in extensive detail or in great depth: rather the course will allow students to place events in their proper chronological order and cultural context which will allow for more detailed study of topics in later courses at TST and as needed in congregational ministry or further graduate study.

This course introduces students to the history of the Christian church from its earliest period in the first century to the late medieval period in the fifteenth century. It will cover: the church's early expansion, its doctrinal and political consolidation before and under empire; the growth and variety of its polity; the spread and shape of its influence in the East, West, and beyond; the church's encounter with Islam; the rise of Byzantine Christianity; the Carolingian Period and the emergence of the Holy Roman Empire; the Great Schism in the eleventh century, the rise of scholasticism and the mendicant movements; and the late medieval crises that sowed seeds for reform. Particular attention will be given to key texts, ideas, and figures whose influence shaped the church's identity and practice. Students will analyze how Christians understood themselves, structured their communities, interpreted Scripture, and negotiated power, culture, and dissent.

This course introduces students to the history of the Christian church from its earliest period in the first century to the late medieval period in the fifteenth century. It will cover: the church's early expansion, its doctrinal and political consolidation before and under empire; the growth and variety of its polity; the spread and shape of its influence in the East, West, and beyond; the church's encounter with Islam; the rise of Byzantine Christianity; the Carolingian Period and the emergence of the Holy Roman Empire; the Great Schism in the eleventh century, the rise of scholasticism and the mendicant movements; and the late medieval crises that sowed seeds for reform. Particular attention will be given to key texts, ideas, and figures whose influence shaped the church's identity and practice. Students will analyze how Christians understood themselves, structured their communities, interpreted Scripture, and negotiated power, culture, and dissent.

This course examines the first five books of sacred scripture, known as the Pentateuch, and the Historical books from a structural, literary, cultural, and historical perspective. Using the synchronic method in the first part of the course, the emphasis will be on the structure of the first five books, showing how they are connected and reveal an identification code for the postexilic community. The second half of the course, using the diachronic method, will explore the Historical books, showing how they are grouped as Deuteronomist History, Chroniclers’ History, and Maccabean History.