8 week intro to systematic theology

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Timmay

Puritan Board Freshman
Hello all,

I’ve been asked by my small group to give 20minute lectures for eight weeks, once a week, on systematic theology. I wanted to organize it by the doctrines of Word, God, man, Christ, Spirit, salvation, church, and last things.

I wanted to ask if you think this is too broad and too expansive to do in the time constraints I have. If organizing these doctrines into an outline, each of these theological headings have many sub headings, and there is no way I could cover them all. So I’m wondering, how far down in my outline do/should I go? Any thoughts?


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These are the basic loci of systematic theology, so the outline of topics is comprehensive. I will say, though, that being given only 20 minutes for each topic is extremely restrictive. No doubt you know this. You will only be able to to through the high points of each topic. I would say to stick with the topic list you have, read a very cursory overview of systematic theology like Berkhof's Summary of Christian Doctrine, and try to extract 20-minutes-worth of the most important and essential items under each loci.
 
These are the basic loci of systematic theology, so the outline of topics is comprehensive. I will say, though, that being given only 20 minutes for each topic is extremely restrictive. No doubt you know this. You will only be able to to through the high points of each topic. I would say to stick with the topic list you have, read a very cursory overview of systematic theology like Berkhof's Summary of Christian Doctrine, and try to extract 20-minutes-worth of the most important and essential items under each loci.

That’s what I figured. I have not read that one. Thanks for the rec.

I also wonder if there is a way to sort of define or place emphasis on each loci by using the WCF as my “answer” or “definition” so to speak, but it doesn’t seem like the WCF is organized in such a one to one manner.


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I also wonder if there is a way to sort of define or place emphasis on each loci by using the WCF as my “answer” or “definition” so to speak, but it doesn’t seem like the WCF is organized in such a one to one manner.

Between the WCF, WSC, and WLC, there is plenty of material there. You can at least sprinkle quotations throughout. They wouldn't take long to read. Besides, I can't think of a single set of documents that defines theological loci better than the Westminster Standards.
 
So if I were to organize the WCF around the above loci it would look like this I think with some chapters having only certain sections that apply to the specific loci:

Word
WCF ch 1

God
2-5

Man
6-7,9

Christ
8

Spirit & Salvation
9-18

Church
21, 25-31

Last Things
32-33


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It sounds like a very profitable challenge. In mechanical terms, you can probably do something like:
A 3-min introduction defining the area to be discussed;
Three 5-min discussions of the major elements in each locus;
A 2-min conclusion.

In recording for radio programs I have learned that those minutes disappear extremely quickly, so a very visible clock and strict discipline to move along with valuable and important things unsaid are quite helpful.
 
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