Religious Studies

Religious Studies

Religious Studies

The Religious Studies program pursues the academic study of Christianity in a Christian environment with an overview of major world religions. Our program focuses on theology and biblical studies in order to discover biblical answers to tough questions. At Tyndale, you will have the opportunity to focus your studies into a particular ministry context such as: pastoral studies, youth ministry, or intercultural ministries.

Possible Focus Opportunities:
  • Biblical Studies
  • Theology
  • Youth Ministry
  • General Ministry
  • Pastoral Ministry
  • Intercultural Studies
  • Pentecostal Studies

Tailored

Tyndale’s Religious Studies major can be tailored to fit your particular interests in religious studies. Whether you would like to explore the academic realm of biblical study or hands-on church ministry, our professors will help you throughout your undergraduate experience. You will gain academic knowledge and also grow personally and spiritually.

Academic

Our program is grounded in the gospel and strong academic study of the Church and Christian traditions. Our professors are Christian scholars who draw on historical and contemporary Christian traditions and theologians. You will learn both the history of Christian scholarship, as well as the current trends in Christianity. You will be challenged to look at the Bible, theology, and Christian ministry in new ways through your own research, and that of your professors and classmates.

Taught by Believers

The Religious Studies program at Tyndale is taught by evangelical Christians. The professors will challenge you to pursue the hard questions of the bible, theology, and of life. At Tyndale, you will learn within a faithful community of learners and believers for work or ministry in the 21st century.
 

Major Requirements

  • [RLGS 1013] Old Testament Scriptures    
  • [RLGS 1023] New Testament Scripture    
  • [RLGS 2013] Hermeneutics    
  • [RLGS 3603] Introduction to Christian Theology 
  • RLGS Electives (3000- or 4000-level) (12 credit hours)
  • RLGS Elective (4000-level) (3 credit hours)
  • RLGS Electives (any level) (9 credit hours)
     
Core Requirements
  • [ENGL 1013], [ENGL 1023] Survey of English Literature I, II  
  • [HIST 1013], [HIST 1023] History of Western Civilization I, II   
  • [INDS 4753] Christianity and Culture
  • [PHIL 1013], [PHIL 1023] History of Philosophy I, II
     
Breadth Requirements
  • Fine Arts Elective (3 credit hours)
  • Language (GREE or HEBR only) (6 credit hours)
  • Natural Sciences Elective (3 credit hours)
  • Social Sciences Electives (6 credit hours)
     
Electives (45 credit hours)

» Religious Studies Department Website

At the heart of the Tyndale curriculum is the study of what is called "Divinity" or "Theology" in the ancient universities. A knowledge of the Bible and the theological tradition is at the heart of a liberal arts education. The Bible is the single most important cultural document in the history of the West. No one can be considered truly educated who does not have a knowledge of its contents and the history of its influence. Great theologians like St. Athanasius (c.296-373) have been influential in developing the core Christian doctrines of Incarnation and Trinity, as expressed in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Most of Western intellectual and political history is intertwined with theological debates and much of English literature presupposes a knowledge of the Bible. Some of the greatest minds in Western culture, such as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Barth, have devoted their lives to the rational articulation of the Gospel.

Department Faculty

Dr. Benjamin Reynolds

Assistant Professor of Religious Studies

PhD, University of Aberdeen, 2007
ThM, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 2005
MDiv, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 2003
BA, Westmont College, 1999.

Areas of Specialization: The Gospels with special emphasis on John, the Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, and Messianism and Mediator Figures in Second Temple Judaism.

Dr. Reynolds is the author of The Apocalyptic Son of Man in the Gospel of John (WUNT II/249; Mohr Siebeck, 2008) and has published articles in Biblica, Neotestamentica, and Henoch. He is also author of “The Use of the Son of Man Idiom in the Gospel of John”, in Larry W. Hurtado and Paul L. Owen (eds.), “Who is this son of man?The Latest Scholarship on a Puzzling Expression of the Historical Jesus (LNTS 390; London: Continuum, 2011). From 2007–2009, he was Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen.

Dr. Craig A. Carter

Professor of Religious Studies

PhD, University of St. Michael's College, Toronto, 1999
MDiv, Acadia Divinity College, Acadia University, 1983
BA (Hons.), Mount Allison University, 1979
AA Diploma, Atlantic Baptist College, 1976

Areas of Specialization: Systematic theology, especially the tradition stemming from Karl Barth; Christianity and culture, especially the thought of H. Richard Niebuhr, John Howard Yoder and Lesslie Newbigin and the history of Christian perspectives on war and peace.

Dr. Carter served as a pastor for seven years in Baptist churches in Prince Edward Island and Moncton, N.B. and has taught philosophy and religious studies at Atlantic Baptist University. From 1995-2000, he served as Vice President and Academic Dean at Atlantic Baptist University. From 2000-2004, Dr. Carter served as Vice President and Academic Dean of Tyndale University College and led the process of obtaining provincial permission to offer the BA degree. Since 2004, he has moved into full-time teaching. Dr. Carter has published a number of articles in books, journals and dictionaries and also has published two books: The Politics of the Cross: The Theology and Social Ethics of John Howard Yoder (Brazos Press, 2001) and Rethinking Christ and Culture: A Post-Christendom Perspective (Brazos Press, 2006). Dr. Carter teaches the core courses: “Introduction to Christian Theology” and “Christianity and Culture,” as well as electives in theology and ethics. Dr. Carter is a member of the American Academy of Religion, the Evangelical Theological Society and the Karl Barth Society of North America.

Dr. Daniel R. Driver

Assistant Professor of Religious Studies

PhD, University of St Andrews, 2008
BA (Hons), Wheaton College (IL), 2002

Areas of Specialization: The biblical canon; the idea/reality of biblical theology; Psalms; the history of interpretation.

Dr. Driver has co-edited two books on the Book of Hebrews, The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology (Eerdmans, 2009) and A Cloud of Witnesses: The Theology of Hebrews in its Ancient Contexts (T&T Clark, 2008). In October 2008 he successfully defended his PhD in Divinity (Old Testament) at St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews. It bears the title “Brevard Childs: The Logic of Scripture’s Textual Authority in the Mystery of Christ" and is currently being revised for publication.

Prof. Stephen Thomson

Associate Professor of Religious Studies

ThM, Wycliffe College (University of Toronto), 1990
MDiv, Tyndale Seminary, 1987
BA, BTh, Florida Bible College, 1974, 1975
BSc, Sir George Williams University, 1972

Areas of Specialization: Exegesis and
Exposition of the Jesus Materials, Pauline Letters, the Book of Revelation.

Stephen Thomson has taught at Tyndale for many years and focuses on the areas of Gospel studies and Acts, historical Jesus studies, the letters of Paul, particularly Romans and Galatians and regularly contributes to the discussion of eschatology by teaching a course on the Book of Revelation. His focus is to encourage students to interact with the biblical story from creation to new creation.

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