M.A. in Theological Studies

Total Credits: 54

(Prerequisite is a Bachelor degree or equivalent)

All students enrolled prior to 9/12/2012 were enrolled under our previous MATS Program, which is found here.

MATS Core (33 credits):

  • BS512  Biblical Studies (3)
  • BS520  OT Theology (3)
  • BS521  NT Theology (6)
  • TH521  Systematic Theology II (3)
  • TH610  Westminster Standards (6)
  • TH510  Practical Divinity (6)
  • BS690  Master’s Thesis (6)

 

MATS Electives (must choose minimum of 21 credits of elective coursework for the MATS):

  • AP501  Apologetics (6)
  • HS510  History of the Church (3)
  • TH601  Other Religions (3)
  • TH550  Ministry Leadership (3)
  • TH620  Christian Ethics (3)
  • TH640  Spiritual Warfare (6)
  • TH642  Christian Life (3)
  • BS570  Sin (6)
  • TH660  Eschatology (6)
  • TH440 Preaching (6)

 

To find the specific requirements for each class please see the links below.

 

BS521 NT Theology
BS520 OT Theology
TH440 Preaching
BS512 Biblical Studies
BS570 Sin
HS510 History of the Church
AP501 Apologetics
TH601 Other Religions
TH550 Ministry Leadership
TH521 Systematic Theology II
TH610 Westminster Standards
TH620 Christian Ethics
TH660 Eschatology
TH640 Spiritual Warfare
TH642 Christian Life
TH510 Practical Divinity
BS690 Master’s Thesis

TH440 Preaching

Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Write a biblical-theological paper on each of the following: promise-fulfillment, the Holy Spirit, Israel and the Church, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Use your own resources and cite them in the paper. Each paper should be at least five pages in length.

Read:

The Ministry of the Word

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 20 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read:
Delivery of Sermons

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 20 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Listen to Lectures:
Christ Centered Preaching

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 20 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

Assignment: Write 2 10 page sermons on an approved passages.

Your mentor may also require preaching sermons at your local church.

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BS521 NT Theology


Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Write a biblical-theological paper on each of the following: promise-fulfillment, the Holy Spirit, Israel and the Church, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Use your own resources and cite them in the paper. Each paper should be at least five pages in length.

Listen to Lectures:

http://www.covenantseminary.edu/resources/#!/courses-new-testament-history-and-theology

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

Listen to Lectures:
New Testament Theology

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

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BS520 OT Theology


Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Write a biblical-theological paper on each of the following: creation, the fall, Abraham, Moses/Sinai, David, prophets. Use your own resources and cite them in the paper. Each paper should be at least five pages in length.

Listen to Lectures:

Old Testament Theology

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

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BS512 Biblical Studies

Credit:
3 Semester Hours

Read:
Introduction to the New Testament

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Write an introduction to each book of the Bible. Citations required.

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BS570 Sin

Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: God Forgives Sinners
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read: The Doctrine of Original Sin
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

 

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HS510 History of the Church

Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: Scetches of Church History

Read: History of the Christian Church: Volume II

Read: History of the Reformation

Assignment:

Write one 20-page paper in each of the following areas: Ancient, Medieval, Reformation/Post-Reformation, Modern.

 

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AP501 Apologetics


Credits: 6 

Read:
Van Til’s Apologetic in Action
The Defense of Christianity
Cornelius Van Til
Van Til: a Reassessment
Apologetics
Certainty
Do We Need God to be Moral?
How to Believe in God in the 2000s

Assignment:

  1. Write 20 pages interacting with the ideas from the readings and giving your analysis.

Read:
Infinite Series
Ontological Argument
Presuppositional Apologetics
Transcendental Arguments
Unregenerate Knowledge of God
A Van Til Glossary
Van Til and the Ligonier Apologetic
The Great Debate: Does God Exist?

Assignment:

  1. Write 20 pages interacting with the ideas from the readings and giving your analysis.

Listen to Lectures:
Apologetics and Outreach

Assignment:

Write 30 pages interacting with the ideas from the lectures and giving your analysis.

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TH601 Other Religions


Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: Oriental Religions and Christianity By Frank F. Ellinwood D.D.      ONLINE VERSION
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Listen to Islam lectures
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

Listen to Buddhism lectures
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

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TH550 Ministry Leadership


Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: The Reformed Pastor
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Listen to Educational Ministry of the Church Lectures
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

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TH521 Systematic Theology II


Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: Body of Practical Divinity

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read: A Body of Divinity

Assignment:

  1. Create your own catechism consisting of 200 questions. The answer to each question must not exceed two sentences in length.

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TH610 Westminster Standards


Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read the Westminster Standards:

http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/index.html

http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/index.html

http://www.reformed.org/documents/wlc_w_proofs/index.html

Read about the 1788 Revision of the Standards:

http://www.upper-register.com/papers/1788_revision.pdf

Assignment:

Write 40 pages interacting with the content of the Westminster Standards. Include the importance/impact of the 1788 revisions.

Listen to Lectures:

Westminster Confession of Faith (Lectures are from Ligonier Ministries. They are by John H. Gerstner. There are 24 lectures in total.)

Assignment:

Write 40 pages interacting with the content of the lectures.

Please Note:

TNARS has an official agreement with Ligonier Ministries to store and stream teaching produced by Ligonier Ministries for course curriculum.

This material is only to be used by TNARS students, faculty, and staff.

If you are part of the TNARS community and are accessing these resources, you agree to listen to the content through streaming only. Capturing of the stream is not permitted.

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TH620 Christian Ethics


Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Listen to Christian Ethics lectures
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the lectures.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the lecture ideas and giving your analysis.

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TH660 Eschatology


Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read: The Beast of Revelation
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read the following articles:

http://www.the-highway.com/amilc_Hoekema.html

Reformed Amillennialism – An Introduction by Prof. David J. Engelsma
Reformed Amillennialism – Revelation 20 by Prof. David J. Engelsma
Reformed Amillennialism – Apostasy and Persecution by Prof. David J. Engelsma
Reformed Amillennialism – Matthew 24 – Part I by Prof. David J. Engelsma
Reformed Amillennialism – Matthew 24 – Part II by Prof. David J. Engelsma
Reformed Amillennialism – Matthew 24 – Part III by Prof. David J. Engelsma
Reformed Amillennialism – Matthew 24 – Part IV by Prof. David J. Engelsma

Assignment:

  1. Write 30 pages interacting with the article’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read: He Shall Have Dominion

Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Final Assignment:  Write 60 pages explaining and defending your eschatological view

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TH640 Spiritual Warfare


Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read:
The Christian in Complete Armour
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read: Holy War
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Read: Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

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TH642 Christian Life


Credit:

3 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read the following books:
Deeper Christian Life
With Christ in the School of Prayer
School of Obedience
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline for each book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the content of the books giving your analysis.

Read the following books:
The Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

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TH510 Practical Divinity


Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

Read:
Body of Practical Divinity
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

Practical Works of Richard Baxter
Assignment:

  1. Write an outline of the book.
  2. Write 30 pages interacting with the author’s ideas and giving your analysis.

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BS690 Master’s Thesis


Credit:

6 Semester Hours

Required Materials:

None

Description:

You must work closely with your mentor in developing your thesis topic and in working through the thesis.

GUIDE & FORMATTING:

1) Your Master’s Thesis should be no less than 100 pages, 1 inch margins, 12 point type, Times Roman Font, double spaced.

2) Your Master’s Thesis should be free of grammatical and syntax errors and should represent the caliber of work you have completed during your Master’s Program.

3) Your Master’s Thesis should be consecutively numbered, with table of contents and appendices if necessary. Your Thesis should be divided up into relevant chapters with sub-section headings within each chapter. You will need to also include a list of tables, figures and illustrations that are included.

4) You Master’s Thesis must include a full bibliography and the material should use a consistent citing system.
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