| Course Purpose |
Kwansei Gakuin was founded in 1889 by Rev. Walter Russell Lambuth, a missionary of the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. Ever since its founding, Kwansei Gakuin has educated the young based on the principles of Christianity. Throughout its history, the introductory courses for Christianity have been at the heart of our education. The main purpose of “an introduction to Christianity A and B” is therefore to provide students, specifically students with little or no exposure to Christianity, with the world view and the value system of Christianity through studying the Bible and the history of Christianity. Also this course explores the spirit and ideals of establishing of Kwansei Gakuin and its history.
“An Introduction to Christianity A” focuses on the following topics: (1) History of Kwansei Gakuin, (2) Reasons for studying Christianity and other religions, (3) The Bible, (4) Life and teachings of Jesus Christ, (5) Cultures of Christianity, and (6) Brief history and contemporary status of Christianity. |
| Learning Goals |
| Students will acquire basic knowledge of (1) the history of Kwansei Gakuin, (2) importance of studying religions, (3) the Bible, (4) the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, (5) cultures of Christianity, and (6) brief history and contemporary status of Christianity. |
| Topic |
| Session 1 | Orientation. Lecture introduction. |
| Session 2 | The founding spirit of Kwansei Gakuin and the significance of studying Christianity |
| Session 3 | Basic knowledge of Christian studies: The life and teachings of Jesus Christ (1) |
| Session 4 | The life and teachings of Jesus Christ (2) |
| Session 5 | Basic knowledge about the Bible (1): What is the "Old Testament"? |
| Session 6 | Basic knowledge about the Bible (2): What is the “New Testament”? |
| Session 7 | Christian doctrine (1): What does it mean to “believe”? |
| Session 8 | Christian doctrine (2): What kind of being is the Christian god? |
| Session 9 | Christian doctrine (3): What kind of being is “Man”? |
| Session 10 | Christian doctrine (4): How does the church interpret "Christ"? |
| Session 11 | Christian doctrine (5) What does it mean to be “saved”? |
| Session 12 | Christian doctrine (6): What is "Grace" and "The church"? |
| Session 13 | Christian doctrine (7): How should Christians live? ("Ethics") |
| Session 14 | In-class exam |
＊＊This content is based on April 1, 2025. For the latest syllabus information and details, please check the