Courses

  • Each fall semester, the East Asia Institute offers four primary courses (subject to change, though unlikely). However, students may replace primary courses with electives listed below. Please see the EAI Curriculum Rules for more information.
  • Syllabi for TCU courses (all of the “primary courses” as well as a number of electives) can be viewed online.
  • Students who need more information about the courses offered should contact the Admissions Office.

Primary Courses (Fall 2023)

SGS203E Global Studies III: Japanese Arts and Aesthetics (3 credits)

In this class, students learn about Japanese art and aesthetics culture from a Christian perspective. Students will focus on Ghibli animation as an art form in which contemporary Japan influences the world. Ghibli works also depict Japan’s native natural religions, such as the worship of spirits in the forest. I would like to see some of Ghibli’s most important works in class, discuss them, and study them. Students will read “Miyazaki World: Hayao Miyazaki’s Darkness and Light” (Hayakawa Shobo) by Professor Susan Napier, a researcher at Ghibli, as a textbook and learn about contemporary Japanese art from an international perspective, together with appreciating the works.
This class is a 3 credit subject, 140 + 70 minutes per week. While reading as a subtext Chie Nakane’s “Human Relations in a Vertical Society,” a classic work on the study of Japanese society, you will also learn about the distinctive human relations of the Japanese. This is because Japanese human relations are a major theme in regional cultural theory.
This class is offered in both Japanese and English by an interpreter in conjunction with Global Studies III: Theory of Japanese Culture.

PHIL370 Global Studies VII: Religion and Society in Japan (3 credits)

This course aims to understand and analyse how religion functions as social systems in contemporary Japan. Although Japan is considered as one of the least religious countries in the world, it can be argued that religion still plays a significant role in Japanese people’s private and public lives. This can be observed in the intersections of various themes such as Shinto and politics, Buddhism and views of life and death, New Religions and social engagement, and the Aum Affair and violence. Through lectures, student presentations, class discussions, and field trips, students are expected not only to gain knowledge about relationships between religion and society in Japan and achieve a necessary familiarity with the religious landscapes in the contemporary Japanese society, but to develop critical skills for examining their own views of religion itself. The course will also provide an opportunity to visit local religious sites. Class preparations and active participation constitute a major part of the student’s grade for the semester.

SGS316E Global Studies ⅩⅥ : Japanese Culture and Society (3 credits)

This course introduces Japanese culture and society through studying forms, patterns, and expressions of life in Japan today. Students will get a broad overview of Japanese forms of government, economic life, family and community life, Japanese religions and worldviews, and forms of education. While the focus will be on contemporary Japan, students will also learn about historical forms and expressions of Japanese culture that have led up to the present day. Students will learn through classroom lectures, readings, and discussions, of course, but also through meeting and interviewing local Japanese people about their own understanding and experiences in various areas of life, and through reflecting together on what they have seen and learned during their experiences in daily life. Throughout the course, students will have many opportunities to reflect on what it means to live as a Christian in Japan today, whether as a Japanese citizen or as an expatriate. The course’s broader aims are for students to learn how to become critically minded and compassionate interpreters of their own and other cultures to live and act in ways that lead to the flourishing of life both locally and globally.

LJA110E-210E Elementary – Intermediate Japanese Language and Culture (4 credits)

The elementary and intermediate courses help students to build a strong foundation in the Japanese language, aiming for the ultimate goal of being a true bridge person between Japan and their home countries. In order to be such a bridge person, the students should be able to use the Japanese language as their tool, being fluent in reading and writing as well. All four skills speaking, listening, writing, and reading will be covered.
Students will be assigned to the course below that best suits their level:
LJA110E Elementary Japanese Language and Culture I
LJA210E Intermediate Japanese Language and Culture I

 

Electives Courses

Elective (Fall 2023) *Elective courses vary from 1 to 2 credits.
CCW110E Christ and the World I: Issues Facing the Church Today (2 credits)

This course guides students in identifying and understanding the most pressing conundrums and challenges the church is facing both locally and globally. With issues multiplying and modulating at a dizzying pace, this course seeks to explore ways to identify, analyze, and communicate the nature and scope of various issues, and to invigorate students’ pursuit of a Christian liberal arts education as an invaluable asset for coming to think and relate in redemptive kingdom-oriented ways that bear the life-renewing presence of Christ into His world today.

LJA350E Japanese Extensive Reading and Listening(2 credits)

This course aims to help students acquire and effectively use Japanese through Extensive Reading and Listening, which we call Tadoku. A large amount of Japanese input through Tadoku helps students to improve their output by speaking and writing more fluently. In order for students to be successful at Tadoku, they are encouraged to keep the following four rules: (1) Start with simple and easy materials. (2) Read without using a dictionary. (3) Skip unknown words. (4) When stuck, or when something becomes uninteresting, find something else. Students are required to keep a Tadoku log, write brief reflections about book they read, and share their Tadoku experience with other students.

RGB360E Great Books VI: Sacred Books of the East (2 credits)

Expanding students’ exposure to seminal literary works across time, space, and culture, this course focuses specifically on the major contributions of several world religions’ sacred texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita and Vedas of Hinduism, and Sutras of Buddhism, the Analects of Confucianism, and the Qur’an of Islam. Stepping outside of the familiar realms of Judeo-Christian thought, students will have opportunities to practice attentive listening across difference and putting their own worldviews in conversation with those of ancient faith systems that have large followings today. The instructors will vary the readings for each offering of this course. This term, we will read two of the most important classics from ancient China: Confucius’ Analects and Mencius.

RFY110E Academic Research and Writing (2 credits)

In this course, students will learn and practice to read, analyze, and evaluate nonfiction sources and to present the results of you analyses in clear, organized, and carefully documented research papers. The course focuses specifically on discovery and critical evaluation of sources. Students will learn to identify research topics, work with sources, construct a bibliography, develop a thesis, outline a research paper, and use various forms of argument to defend the thesis. In addition, students will continue to practice good writing skills as they draft and revise a research paper. As an introduction to the craft of research, students will become familiar with the many tools available for research. Such tools include the library, reference books, and various online resources such as online databases and websites.

SGS101E Global Studies I: Intercultural Communication (2 credits)

The need to acquire the knowledge and skills in intercultural communication is growing in the globalized word. Developing the ability and competence in cross-cultural communication is not simply relevant but crucial today. This course aims to introduce the basic knowledge and skills necessary for developing healthy intercultural relationships. To archive this goal, this course will explore the fundamental concepts and variables in cross-cultural communication. In addition, students will learn cultural patterns that help students to objectify both their own and other cultural ways of communication in order to foster healthy intercultural relationships. The cultivation of positive attitudes towards different cultures is essential. The necessary components and basic skills for effective intercultural communication will be discussed. In this course, a special emphasis will be given to the intercultural communication in the Japanese context. This specific emphasis is intentional and it aims at helping students for their cultural adjustment in the Japanese culture and society.

BST401 Old Testament Exegesis (2 credits)

The objective of this course is to develop critical competencies in the arts of interpretation of, and theological reflection on, the Old Testament. In the course readings, lectures, discussions, and presentations, students will give attention to the following: problems related to the original Hebrew text and its translation; assumptions, aims, methods, and tools of various exegetical approaches; historical and literary contexts of interpretation; similarities and differences among various traditional and modern approaches; relationships among biblical texts (such as the relationship between the Old Testament account and New Testament references to it); possible relationships among biblical and non-biblical texts; and similarities and differences among Jewish and Christian interpretations from early to modern times as represented in biblical translation, commentary, retellings, and the like.

THEO401 Systematic Theology III: Holy Spirit (2 credits)

The concluding course in a sequence of four courses in Christian theology, and a continuation of Systematic Theology II. The main part of the course will focus on soteriology and ecclesiology – the doctrines of justification, sanctification, church, sacraments, etc. This includes a discussion of Christ’s incarnation, life, death, descent into hell, resurrection, and ascension. We will also discuss eschatology – the doctrine of the last things.
There is much common ground on these topics with the Lutheran, Reformed/Calvinist, and Wesleyan/Arminian theological traditions that inform much of modern evangelicalism. Yet evangelicals even within these traditions debate many issues. The course explores the coherence and interrelation of doctrinal topics, their roots in biblical sources, and their expression and development within the wider church. The course is focused specifically on doctrine and not on practice or ethics, but with the assumption that the knowledge of God and oneself is integral to Christian living. However, we will be touching on Christian living in relation to sanctification and law/virtue.

RHU220E Humanities II: Christian Ethics (2 credits)

This course introduces students to the principles of ethics from a Christian perspective. Christian ethics address both the theory and practice of Christian living. Since Christianity assumes and builds on basic ethical concepts shared with humanity in general, the course introduces the classical cardinal virtues (justice, temperance, prudence, courage) along with specifically Christian virtues. In addition to the concept of virtue, the course discusses the role of biblical commands, especially the ten commandments, as a basis for Christian practice. Students will be introduced to various contemporary debates on the sources and norms for Christian ethics, including theories of divine command and natural law. In addition to the theoretical foundations of ethics, students will apply theories to specific practical topics, including marriage and sexuality, business and wealth, and justice in society. They will consider such topics both from the perspective of biblical teaching and contemporary debate. Through consideration of both theory and practice, students will be better equipped to think about how to live as responsible Christians in the world.

SCH310E Christian History and Tradition I: Ancient and Medieval Church History (2 credits)

This course is designed to introduce the student to the history of Christianity from antiquity to the late Middle Ages. Its primary aim is to acquaint the student with the historical and theological developments of key figures, movements, and doctrines of the period. Students will learn about major problems faced by the church during this time, such as Gnosticism and Arianism, and influential people, such as Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. Another goal is the development of a critical historical perspective on the Christian church and its applications to the practicalities of the modern Christian church and the Christian life. The course will proceed chronologically with a focus on eastern and western Christianity, but also with recognition of the global spread of Christianity.

 

Elective (Winter 2023) *Elective courses vary from 1 to 2 credits.
RSS220E Social Sciences II: Christian Education (2 credits)

Christian education has various meanings. However, it is foundational to the expression of your faith and relates deeply to your own faith formation as well as others. One relates to it not only in his or her current status as a college student in a Christian institution, but also in the past and future as a person of faith. Also, learning history helps one to look back at his or her roots and to decide his or her future course. This class observes how people, theories, and movements influenced the formation of Christian education. We will learn the actual practices of Christian education from ancient times and the Middles Ages, from the Renaissance to the Reformation, and all the way to modern times and the 20th century. On this basis, we will ponder our own approaches to Christian education for the present and future. Students will investigate specific approaches to Christian education through various projects. Though we will learn mostly the history of Christian Education in the West, we will take our various cultural backgrounds into consideration and construct flexible applications

SGS204E Global Studies IV: Introduction to African Culture (2 credits)

This course introduces students to Africa’s varied and complex history, culture and society. It examines how a range of people, including students, children, women, and more organize their lives, respond to daily challenges, and interact with the outside world. This class will use multiple sources including films, literary texts, and websites to encourage critical analysis and use of information. It will also promote participatory and practical learning through interviews and presentations by students from Africa. This course is open to students from both the English and Japanese track. It will be taught by two instructors, one from Africa and the other from Japan.

LJA360E Japanese Extensive Reading and Listening II (2 credits)

This course aims to help students acquire and effectively use Japanese through Extensive Reading and Listening, which we call Tadoku. A large amount of Japanese input through Tadoku helps students to improve their output by speaking and writing more fluently. In order for students to be successful at Tadoku, they are encouraged to keep the following four rules: (1) Start with simple and easy materials. (2) Read without using a dictionary. (3) Skip unknown words. (4) When stuck, or when something becomes uninteresting, find something else. Students are required to keep a Tadoku log, write brief reflections about book they read, and share their Tadoku experience with other students.

SBS430E Biblical Studies III: Approaches to Biblical Interpretation (2 credits)

There is no objective interpretation. Since God is infinite, we expect God’s Word to be universal, but we human beings are finite. Although the Bible is the Word of God, we cannot ignore the fact that we human beings are fallible. God is eternal, omnipresent and omnipotent, but we are confined in time and space. When God revealed Himself to human beings, he had to condescend to make Himself understood to those addressed. God could not simply speak the absolute Truth to communicate with human beings whose understanding was severely limited. God adapted Himself to have His message understood to those whose understanding is narrowly limited. Our worldview is constructed and formed since we were born into the world. Our worldview is our frame of our interpretation and understanding. With the help of the worldview we can understand things in our world, but at the same time our understanding is inevitably limited by our worldview. We must transcend the time and space if we are serious about interpreting and understanding God’s Word. Since God is eternal, omnipresent and omnipotent, His Truth is also eternal, omnipresent and omnipotent. Just because we are reading the Word of God, we should not deceive ourselves that we are infallible.

RGB370E Great Books VII: Christian Classics (2 credits)

Expanding students’ exposure to seminal literary works across time, space, and culture, this course focuses specifically on the major contributions to orthodox Christian theology made by figures such as Origen, Augustine, Luther, and Kierkegaard. The impact of these commentaries, treatises, letters, sermons, etc., has continued to ripple down though the ages, shaping the way the church understands the nature of its confession of faith and relation to the world. The instructor will vary the readings for each offering of this course. Students can anticipate rigorous engagement with primary source material through close reading of assigned texts and insightful question formulation. This course adopts a Socratic-style structure for in-class discussion, so all students should be prepared for thoughtful interaction with their peers and instructor regarding the material’s original impact and contemporary relevance.

CCW120E Christ and the World II: Issues Facing the Church through Time (2 credits)

This course introduces students to Christ’s relevance in their contemporary context by exploring the church’s call to perceptive biblical engagement in the most pressing conundrums and fractures besetting all corners of culture, local and global. From the impact of religious extremism, to the rise of naturalistic atheism, to the popularity of pluralism, the church’s concept of God continues to require reevaluation and articulation. Simultaneously, the church grapples with embodying a biblical concept of community that dignifies all image-bearers. For instance, presently salient—particularly for Japan—is navigating issues of gender and sexuality. The church faces fresh challenges in its relation to power as structures consolidating influence now incorporate complex international and economic dynamics. As technological advancement ushers in an unprecedented information age and exposes environmental crises, the church encounters a new set of hermeneutical hurdles, considering if and how the Bible speaks to such matters. With issues multiplying and modulating at a dizzying pace, this course seeks to invigorate students’ pursuit of a Christian liberal arts education as an invaluable asset for coming to think and relate in redemptive kingdom-oriented ways that bear the life-renewing presence of Christ into His world today.

RGB120E Great Books II: Japanese Literature (2 credits)

Expanding students’ exposure to seminal literary works across time, space, and culture, this course focuses specifically on important works of Japanese literature. Literature nurtures your inner self by exposing you to human reality. Experiences in the literary world broaden your worldview, which helps you to grow in your understanding of other human beings and relate to them in the real world. Being informed of Japanese mentalities through pivotal modern/contemporary works helps Christians deepen their understanding of Japanese people outside of Christian communities. Each literary work in our selection offers unique and important insights into Japanese culture and its core values, which have been intricately cultivated under internal and external influences throughout history. Students may read the selections in English, Japanese, or any other available translation. We will learn from each other as we share and discuss each other’s discoveries in class. The titles for Winter 2023 will be announced before Fall 2023.

BST230 The Prophets (2 credits)

In this course, students will gain an overview and understanding of prophecy in ancient Israel. They will do so while reflecting on ways in which Old Testament prophets’ lives and messages have impacted communities of faith and the broader world down through the centuries to the present day. Students will work to develop competence in reading and interpreting Old Testament prophetic literature in a number of ways. They will examine the central messages and themes of the major and minor prophets in their historical and canonical contexts; learn about the social, political, and religious cultures of the pre-exilic, exilic, and post-exilic periods; learn to identify sub-genres within prophetic literature; practice identifying and articulating key themes that occur throughout the prophetic books; consider the significance of biographical information about the prophets for interpreting their books; examine relationships between certain prophetic books and other Old Testament books, as well as relationships between certain prophetic books and the New Testament; compare and contrast traditional and modern approaches to selected books while reading and discussing secondary literature; and consider the significance of prophetic literature and the ‘prophetic imagination’ in both religious and secular interpretation.

SGS205E Global Studies V: Crucial Issues in Asia (2 credits)

In recent years, the role of local faith actors has been gained positive interests among social scientists and secular entities. They recognize those long-neglected, often eschewed group of people as one of the essential partners in solving public issues. Despite these global trends, there is still a lack of its understanding in the Japanese church and society in general.
This course is an invitation for starting conversations around the contemporary role of faith by overviewing the ways in which local faith actors in Asia address some key local issues such as corporal punishment against children, gender discrimination, reconstruction after disaster, and disability exclusion.
As students become familiar with the positive role of faith actors who are trying to live out Christian mission, they also recognize some tensions in doing so. Local faith actors are often overwhelmed by the demands of contextualizing their traditional understanding of scripture and communicating it in their own faith communities when they encounter rather-new moral concepts introduced from outside. In addition to the lecture, the course provides opportunities for students to critically analyze the meaning of these tensions as well as to seek some constructive proposals for overcoming them through discussions and student presentations.

SCH320E Christian History and Tradition II: The Reformation and Modern Church History (2 credits)

To be updated soon.

RHU210E Humanities I: Survey of Western Philosophy (2 credits)

To be updated soon.

SPT220E Practical Theology II: Public Speaking (2 credits)

The chief aim of this course is to develop speech organization with an emphasis on practical speech-making and delivery. Over the period of the term each student will have the opportunity to organize, prepare and present a variety of speeches (to inspire, to demonstrate, to inform, to persuade, etc.). These speeches will prepare you to present in various settings, but also become more equipped for speaking in church or ministry settings. In addition to preparation and delivery, students will learn how to evaluate the speeches of others based on the stated purpose of each speech. As a result of the opportunities to practice public speaking and speech evaluation, students will be prepared to be effective communicators in their futures.
Method of Instruction: Reading, video, discussion, and lots of practice.

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