Lilias Trotter Global

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January 13 - April 28, 2021 

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Islamic Foundations:
A Christian Analysis of Islam's Source Documents

Course Description:

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     This course sets out to give Muhammad, Islam’s supreme prophet, a hearing through the primary Muslim source texts. The greater part of the course will be devoted to reading through the Qur’an, accompanied by classes on the life of Muhammad. Students will also fully engage with Ibn Ishaq’s early biography of Muhammad. At the end of the term we will explore historical developments subsequent to Muhammad, and begin to wrestle with how we can most accurately interpret his life and the source documents with the help of selected secondary sources.

Anticipated outcomes:
 

• Students will master key Islamic terms and Qur’anic personal names.

• Students will correlate key events in Muhammad’s life to his evolving self-perception and doctrines, and how this impacts the Jews and Christians of his time.

• Students will draw connections between the Qur’an and Islamic behavior, Islamic culture and Muslim rituals. They will differentiate Islam from other monotheistic faiths – and understand Islam based upon its own claims in the Qur’an.

• Students will understand how Muslims use the Qur’an with different interpretations. Students will form a verdict as to the nature of Muhammad, the Qur’an and Islam.

• Students will discern between the Meccan and Medinan revelations according to the Sira and Muslim explanations. They will identify Muhammad’s apocryphal sources and study Muhammad’s use of revelations to resolve personal and leadership issues.

• Students will appraise the legitimacy of Muhammad’s message from a Christian perspective. They will assess competing views of Muhammad and explore the differences between classical and liberal understandings of Islam.

• Students will better understand Islam and be able to discuss it with Muslims, Christians and secularists.

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Course Components:
 

• Offered through Wesley Biblical Seminary, in Jackson, Mississippi for three graduate credits
  for $1090 (that's one third off normal price!) Credit students also pay $100 for WBS online orientation course. You can audit* the course for just $250.

• This is a 15-week online graduate course with once-weekly, three-hour, live ZOOM seminars and interactions with students, some of whom will be practitioners living among Muslims around the world. Students can either participate live or watch the video recording of each week's class at a more convenient time.

• Required reading includes: 

Yusuf Ali. The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an (included on Populi, the course online platform).

Maududi, Sayyid Abul A'la. 1993 (1932, 1960). Towards Understanding Islam (PDF available).

Sookhdeo, Patrick. A Christian Pocket Guide to Islam.  

Ibn Ishaq. The Life of Muhammad (PDF available).

Hegeman, Benjamin. The Christian Art of Studying Islam (PDF available).

*Class auditors are expected to complete all of the reading but are not required to write papers.
 

About the Course Instructor:
 

• MS 620 is taught by Benjamin Hegeman (M.Div., Central Baptist Seminary, Drs., Rijks University of Utrecht (NL), PhD, Rijks University of Utrecht (NL). 
  
  Dr. Hegeman is a life-long kingdom-focused missiological researcher, curriculum-writer, teacher, and consultant with decades of experience in language learning, in cross-cultural missional ministry (Canada, Benin, Niger), and in pastoral care (Canada, Benin, Niger and the US). His primary gifts are in writing, teaching, curriculum-writing, disciple-making, and vision-casting.
  
  He and his wife Christine are career missionaries who enjoy relationships with Christians, traditional worshippers and Muslims. He serves as a teacher, academic dean, school administrator, curriculum-writer, and a church-planter. He is fluent in Dutch, English, French, and Baatonu; with an intermediate reading ability in High German and medieval Dutch.
  
  As adjunct faculty at Houghton College, Dr. Hegeman is leads Bible studies for men and women and is committed to discipling young men one-to-one. He is the co-founder and Academic Dean of The Lilias Trotter Center.
   

  • Contact Information: +1-585-596-0529 (home office) -
     

Questions? Email us at info@liliastrottercenter.org

To begin the registration process, CLICK HERE

IMPORTANT NOTE: Whether taking for credit or audit, start by choosing the “audit” button and follow the rest of the prompts to fill in your personal details. In all subsequent communication with WBS,  please be sure to indicate that you are applying  as an LTC student and eligible for the significantly discounted course price!

This course is part of our partnership with

Wesley Biblical Seminary:

Graduate Certificate in Islam and Ministry to Muslims
 

This 24-credit certificate program will give you a solid foundation in understanding the history and development of both Christianity and Islam. You will investigate deeply the core of Christian and Muslim worldviews. You will gain practical skills in evangelism, discipleship and church planting in Muslim contexts. Courses in this certificate program include:

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1. Islamic Foundations: A Christian Analysis of Islam's Source Documents
      (January 13 - April 28, 2021)

Provides in-depth study of the Qur’an and the biography of Muhammad.
 

2. History of Islam
 

Surveys the development of Islam from 632 AD to present.

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3. Christian Engagement with Muslims

Investigates historical and contemporary Christian approaches to Muslims.

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4. Discipling and Planting Churches among Muslims

Studies principles for fruitful discipling and church planting among Muslims.

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5. The Gospels

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Develops an effective and comprehensive method of studying Scripture for life and ministry.

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6. Philosophy of Christian Religion

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Explores the philosophical presuppositions undergirding Christian theology.

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7. History of Christian Thought

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Traces the history of Christianity and the development of Christian doctrine.

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8. Discipleship and Spiritual Formation

Examines the means of grace necessary for a dynamic Christian life and methods for discipleship in the local church.

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NOTE: All credits earned in the Certificate can be applied towards a
Master of Arts or Master of Divinity degree at WBS.

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