Core Curriculum

BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES (12 CREDIT HOURS)

Philosophy of Curriculum

In its faith commitments, PLBC affirms the Lordship of Christ as Saviour of the world and that the Old and New Testaments are the written word of God and the foundation for Christian faith and practice.

The Scriptures are not simply a collection of ancient books that happened to come together, but a group of texts through which the church encounters God. PLBC affirms a high view of the Scriptures including their inspiration, truthfulness, relevance, and power. The Scriptures have authority to guide every aspect of life and ministry and are infallible in all they affirm and teach. PLBC further affirms the primacy of biblical revelation without discounting the role of reason, experience, or the legacy of teaching and interpretation passed down through every generation from the times of the early church.

We aim to hold in tension the quest for knowledge with the recognition that exhaustive understanding of any subject is limited by human finitude. In the midst of that tension, we stand on the Bible as the revealed word of God, which states truth but is divinely accommodated to our human limitations. Consequently, our approach to the learning process denies both the arrogance of modernism and the relativity and absolute uncertainty of postmodernism.

Concerning interpretation, we value the active role of the Holy Spirit at work in individuals and the Church in illuminating Scripture as well as the use of critical methods of study, providing those methods are rooted in the conviction that the Scriptures are God’s word to us.

The Bible and Theology curriculum lays a foundation for students to learn the basic content of the Old and New Testaments, as well as the core beliefs of the Christian faith. Students then have the opportunity to build on this content by in-depth study of specific books of the Bible and theological topics. We seek to balance knowing the “content” of the Bible and theology with methods for “interpreting” the Bible and “doing” theology. For this reason, a significant part of every degree program is dedicated to knowing, interpreting, and applying the Scriptures.

BIBLE AND THEOLOGY COURSE REQUIREMENTS

BIB 101   Old Testament Survey
BIB 152   New Testament Survey
BIB 192   Biblical Interpretation
THS 101   Survey of Christian Beliefs

GENERAL STUDIES (15 CREDIT HOURS)

Philosophy of Curriculum

The General Studies curriculum broadens the knowledge sphere of students with reference to the arts and sciences, aiming to cultivate a Christian worldview, and enhance communication, critical thinking, and information literacy skills. Students will grow to understand the natural world created by God, examine the human condition through history and social science, learn to reflect God’s image through subjects like literature, music, and fine arts, and communicate a Christian worldview by developing oral, writing, and technology skills.
Integrative thinking is based on the affirmation that all truth is God’s truth and that because God is the creator of all things, including people made in God’s image, truth and insight can be found within the sphere of every academic discipline and can be used for kingdom purposes.

The Scriptures are at the heart of the integrative process. God is the source of all wisdom and should be the first and primary source from which we seek wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. While Scripture only speaks explicitly and directly to a limited number of topics, it also provides implicit principles that speak to all of life so Scripture should guide our thinking on all subjects. The primacy of Scripture and its authority undergirds and guides all that is taught and affirmed in the curriculum.

The PLBC curriculum facilitates two-way integration leading to a Christian worldview.
First, we integrate truth derived from Scripture with life, ministry, and every domain of academic study.
Second, we integrate truth derived from the various academic disciplines studied in the general studies curriculum with life and ministry.

This two-way integration results in a Christian worldview. The goal of biblical integration is to help students think biblically and critically about every subject and every aspect of their lives. Ideally, students should seek to see each subject through the lens of the Christian faith. When students truly understand something from this perspective, they should gain a greater understanding of the character and nature of God.

GENERAL STUDIES COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Communications

ONE of the following:

GEN 101   Academic Writing & Research
GEN 214   Contemporary Communication

Humanities/Fine Arts

GEN 100   Personal Life of the Leader

ONE of the following:

GEN 131   History of Christianity I
GEN 132   History of Christianity II
GEN 198   Christian Worldview
GEN 295   Christianity & Culture

Science/Mathematics

ONE of the following:

GEN 143   Science and Christianity
GEN 149   Statistics  

Social/Behavioural Sciences

ONE of the following:

GEN 175   Conflict Engagement
GEN 177   Healthy Emotions

BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES (12 CREDIT HOURS)

Philosophy of Curriculum

In its faith commitments, PLBC affirms the Lordship of Christ as Saviour of the world and that the Old and New Testaments are the written word of God and the foundation for Christian faith and practice.

The Scriptures are not simply a collection of ancient books that happened to come together, but a group of texts through which the church encounters God. PLBC affirms a high view of the Scriptures including their inspiration, truthfulness, relevance, and power. The Scriptures have authority to guide every aspect of life and ministry and are infallible in all they affirm and teach. PLBC further affirms the primacy of biblical revelation without discounting the role of reason, experience, or the legacy of teaching and interpretation passed down through every generation from the times of the early church.

We aim to hold in tension the quest for knowledge with the recognition that exhaustive understanding of any subject is limited by human finitude. In the midst of that tension, we stand on the Bible as the revealed word of God, which states truth but is divinely accommodated to our human limitations. Consequently, our approach to the learning process denies both the arrogance of modernism and the relativity and absolute uncertainty of postmodernism.

Concerning interpretation, we value the active role of the Holy Spirit at work in individuals and the Church in illuminating Scripture as well as the use of critical methods of study, providing those methods are rooted in the conviction that the Scriptures are God’s word to us.

The Bible and Theology curriculum lays a foundation for students to learn the basic content of the Old and New Testaments, as well as the core beliefs of the Christian faith. Students then have the opportunity to build on this content by in-depth study of specific books of the Bible and theological topics. We seek to balance knowing the “content” of the Bible and theology with methods for “interpreting” the Bible and “doing” theology. For this reason, a significant part of every degree program is dedicated to knowing, interpreting, and applying the Scriptures.

BIBLE AND THEOLOGY COURSE REQUIREMENTS

BIB 101   Old Testament Survey
BIB 152   New Testament Survey
BIB 192   Biblical Interpretation
THS 101   Survey of Christian Beliefs

GENERAL STUDIES (33 CREDIT HOURS)

Philosophy of Curriculum

The General Studies curriculum broadens the knowledge sphere of students with reference to the arts and sciences, aiming to cultivate a Christian worldview, and enhance communication, critical thinking, and information literacy skills. Students will grow to understand the natural world created by God, examine the human condition through history and social science, learn to reflect God’s image through subjects like literature, music, and fine arts, and communicate a Christian worldview by developing oral, writing, and technology skills.
Integrative thinking is based on the affirmation that all truth is God’s truth and that because God is the creator of all things, including people made in God’s image, truth and insight can be found within the sphere of every academic discipline and can be used for kingdom purposes.

The Scriptures are at the heart of the integrative process. God is the source of all wisdom and should be the first and primary source from which we seek wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. While Scripture only speaks explicitly and directly to a limited number of topics, it also provides implicit principles that speak to all of life so Scripture should guide our thinking on all subjects. The primacy of Scripture and its authority undergirds and guides all that is taught and affirmed in the curriculum.

The PLBC curriculum facilitates two-way integration leading to a Christian worldview.
First, we integrate truth derived from Scripture with life, ministry, and every domain of academic study.
Second, we integrate truth derived from the various academic disciplines studied in the general studies curriculum with life and ministry.

This two-way integration results in a Christian worldview. The goal of biblical integration is to help students think biblically and critically about every subject and every aspect of their lives. Ideally, students should seek to see each subject through the lens of the Christian faith. When students truly understand something from this perspective, they should gain a greater understanding of the character and nature of God.

GENERAL STUDIES COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Communications

GEN 101   Academic Writing & Research
GEN 214   Contemporary Communication

Humanities/Fine Arts

GEN 100   Personal Life of the Leader
GEN 131   History of Christianity I
GEN 132   History of Christianity II
GEN 198   Christian Worldview
GEN 295   Christianity & Culture

Science/Mathematics

ONE of the following:

GEN 143   Science and Christianity
GEN 149   Statistics  

Social/Behavioural Sciences

GEN 175   Conflict Engagement
GEN 177   Healthy Emotions

ONE of the following:

GEN 171 Introduction to Psycology
GEN 274 Lifespan Development

BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL STUDIES (36 CREDIT HOURS)

Philosophy of Curriculum

In its faith commitments, PLBC affirms the Lordship of Christ as Saviour of the world and that the Old and New Testaments are the written word of God and the foundation for Christian faith and practice.

The Scriptures are not simply a collection of ancient books that happened to come together, but a group of texts through which the church encounters God. PLBC affirms a high view of the Scriptures including their inspiration, truthfulness, relevance, and power. The Scriptures have authority to guide every aspect of life and ministry and are infallible in all they affirm and teach. PLBC further affirms the primacy of biblical revelation without discounting the role of reason, experience, or the legacy of teaching and interpretation passed down through every generation from the times of the early church.

We aim to hold in tension the quest for knowledge with the recognition that exhaustive understanding of any subject is limited by human finitude. In the midst of that tension, we stand on the Bible as the revealed word of God, which states truth but is divinely accommodated to our human limitations. Consequently, our approach to the learning process denies both the arrogance of modernism and the relativity and absolute uncertainty of postmodernism.

Concerning interpretation, we value the active role of the Holy Spirit at work in individuals and the Church in illuminating Scripture as well as the use of critical methods of study, providing those methods are rooted in the conviction that the Scriptures are God’s word to us.

The Bible and Theology curriculum lays a foundation for students to learn the basic content of the Old and New Testaments, as well as the core beliefs of the Christian faith. Students then have the opportunity to build on this content by in-depth study of specific books of the Bible and theological topics. We seek to balance knowing the “content” of the Bible and theology with methods for “interpreting” the Bible and “doing” theology. For this reason, a significant part of every degree program is dedicated to knowing, interpreting, and applying the Scriptures.

BIBLE AND THEOLOGY COURSE REQUIREMENTS

BIB 101   Old Testament Survey
BIB 152   New Testament Survey
BIB 192   Biblical Interpretation
BIB 201   Pentateuch
BIB 252   Gospels
BIB 291   Adv Biblical Interpretation
LAN 101   Intro to Biblical Languages
THS 101   Survey of Christian Beliefs
THS 201   Theology I: God the Father
THS 202   Theology II: God the Son
THS 203   Theology III: God the Spirit

ONE of the following:

THS 232   Theology of Worship
THS 261   Theology of Missions

MINISTRY Development (12 credit hours)

PTH 101   Spiritual Formation
PTH 114   Life & Ministry in Holy Spirit
PTH 225   Evangelism Strategies
PTH 270   Practical Ethics