Christian theological doctrines include imaginative construction drawn from the categories of human experience. Much of the debate in theology surrounds how doctrines ought to be represented if they are to be faithful to scripture, Christian tradition, and human experience. One important ingredient in these constructions is movement (e.g. what are the movements between God and creation, between members of the Trinity, between Jesus Christ and ourselves?). We will investigate the debates and conversations that make up the theological doctrines of Creation and the Trinity from the perspective of the movements that they involve, using the category of rhythm as a guide.

The course therefore serves as both an introduction to historical and contemporary approaches to the Christian doctrines of Creation and the Trinity, and an opportunity to advance the conversation by determining what the idea of rhythm contributes to our imaginative constructions of these doctrines. It also introduces students to the practices of interdisciplinary theological research.

The course is divided into three parts. It begins by introducing students to the category of rhythm through the arts, sociology, and philosophy, and then analyzes the doctrines of Creation and the Trinity using this category.

• Course Outline