1. The Faith in Action Study Bible. You will find this text to be a lifelong resource for biblical study and thoughtful action. It is full of helpful articles, maps, and charts. Whenever a biblical reading is assigned students will be expected to read all of the surrounding tables, articles, and individual book introductions as well to increase understanding of both context and application.

2. God’s Big Picture GBP (Vaughn Roberts)

3. Message of Creation MOC(David Wilkinson)
These two books will provide theological guidance for the daily assigned reading in the scriptures. There are specific bible studies and commentary that will accompany the mandatory bible reading.

4. Journey Back To Eden (Glen Scorgie)
This book will guide us through the discussion of male-female relationships, providing a historical overview of the biblical development of this essential theme. We are essentially created to be in relationship with God, each other and the world. The “each other” part of the web will be considered in this book.

5. Engaging God’s World: Cornelius Plantinga. Dr. Plantinga writing specifically to college students takes the reader through the biblical story of shalom from creation, fall, and redemption to the application of the story to a vocation in the kingdom of God.

6. The Land (WalterBrueggemann)
Everyone lives somewhere, in some specific place with specific characteristics. This book will consider the land of Israel as a a gift, a promise, a challenge, and a threat. We will see how this theme provides continuity and discontinuity in the development of the theme of shalom.

7. Good News About Injustice (Gary Haugen)
This book is really two books in one. Parts 1 & 2 discuss the biblical emphases on injustice and the human responsibility to be able to act against injustice and for the oppressed. Part 3 provides a case study application through the life of Gary Haugen, the founder of International Justice Mission.

8. Jesus I Never Knew (Phillip Yancey)
This classic takes a look at the life, teaching, and ministry of Jesus through fresh eyes, helping us to see Jesus in untypical and yet extremely powerful ways.

9.. Living in Color: Randy Woodley. Pastor Woodley argues for God’s love and shalomic delight in creation’s diversity. He explores how Christians can think biblically about culture, race, ethnicity, and reconciliation.

Upper-Division Option
The upper-division option requires that students read and discuss weekly together the book by Miroslav Volf entitled “Exclusion and Embrace” with a T.A. At the beginning of the semester please submit a list of open weekday evening hours when you could get together with other students to discuss the book. Students should be advised that this book’s content is both very challenging and very rewarding. A reflection paper on Volf’s idea’s on exclusion and embrace, written to Volf in the form of a letter which will be sent to him, will be due at the last discussion session. Having more than one absence from the weekly discussion groups will result in an automatic 20 percent reduction in your paper’s grade.

Service Learning
Through coordination with the Teaching Assistant for the class, a regular service learning opportunity will be provided for the practical application of shalom through service. The opportunity and requirements will be explained at the first class session. For students who choose this option, the service learning component will comprise 20 % of the final grade.
Students will note be required to write the final integration paper (100 pts.) and their reflection papers will each be worth 30 instead of 40 points. (30% instead of 40% final grade).