This graduate course provides a rigorous, systematic examination of the doctrine of Christ, addressing both His person (who He is) and His work (what He has accomplished). Students will engage with Scripture, the ecumenical creeds, the Reformed confessional tradition, and significant historical and contemporary scholarship to develop a robust, orthodox Christology.
CHRS501
Christology
A systematic study of the person and work of Christ
New to Haddon?
Apply NowDates
10 weeks
Workload
9 hours per week
Class
Wed 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Online and in-person
Location
Meadowbrook, Logan Queensland Australia
Tuition Fees
Enrol AUD $1,440
Audit fee is 50% of tuition fees
12-week payment plans available
Applications close
20 Mar 2026 at 5:00 pm AEST
Course Overview
This graduate course provides a rigorous, systematic examination of the doctrine of Christ, addressing both His person (who He is) and His work (what He has accomplished). Students will engage with Scripture, the ecumenical creeds, the Reformed confessional tradition, and significant historical and contemporary scholarship to develop a robust, orthodox Christology.
The course is grounded in classical Chalcedonian orthodoxy, affirming that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, two natures united in one person without confusion, change, division, or separation. Building on this foundation, students will explore Christ's threefold office as Prophet, Priest, and King, His states of humiliation and exaltation, and the nature and extent of His atoning work.
As a course within Haddon Institute's Theology Stream, CHRS501 serves as the intellectual backbone of theological education, equipping students to read Scripture Christologically, articulate classical Christian doctrine with precision, and teach Christology responsibly within church and academy.
Please note that this course is a part of the Professional Credential in Theology program. Explore the full program to see how this course sits within the wider course of study.
Course Learning Objectives
1
Articulate the biblical basis for the full deity and full humanity of Jesus Christ, demonstrating competence in exegeting key Christological texts from both Testaments.
2
Explain and defend the Chalcedonian Definition, demonstrating understanding of the historical development of Christological orthodoxy and the heresies it excludes.
3
Expound the threefold office of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King, applying this framework to explain Christ's redemptive work comprehensively.
4
Analyse the states of Christ (humiliation and exaltation), including the nature of His active and passive obedience and their soteriological significance.
5
Critically evaluate contemporary Christological proposals (e.g., kenotic Christologies, functional approaches) against the standard of confessional Reformed orthodoxy.
6
Integrate Christology with covenant theology, demonstrating understanding of Christ as covenant head and mediator of the covenant of grace.
7
Communicate Christological truths with clarity, precision, and pastoral sensitivity in both oral and written formats.
8
Demonstrate growth in personal worship and devotion to Christ through sustained theological reflection on His person and work.
Course Details
Applications close
20 Mar 2026 at 5:00 pm AEST
Timeframe
1 Apr - 3 Jun 2026
Lecture times
Wednesday 8:00 PM ⎯ 9:30 PM
Location
Meadowbrook, Logan Queensland Australia
Duration
10 weeks
Workload
9 hours per week
Credits
2
Tuition Fees
Enrol AUD $1,440
Audit fee is 50% of tuition fees
Assessment
Course Reading Requirements
10%
Due Date
Ongoing
Weight
10%
Class Engagement
10%
Due Date
Ongoing
Weight
10%
Midterm Essay
20%
Due Date
Week 6
Weight
20%
Final Research Essay
35%
Due Date
Start of Week 9
Weight
35%
Viva Voce Oral Defence
25%
Due Date
Week 9 & 10
Weight
25%
About the Lecturer
A strategic ecclesiologist, he has pastored, planted, and revitalised churches in Australia and the United States, leading high-risk mission trips among unreached peoples. Through worldwide seminars, networks, and conferences, Dr. Ireland delivers theological depth, pastoral warmth, and prophetic clarity, fostering church faithfulness and renewal in turbulent times. Holding a Doctor of Education (University of the Cumberlands, USA), Doctor of Ministry (Columbia International University, USA), M.A. in Theology (University of Chester, UK), and B.A. in Theology (Charles Sturt University, Australia), his doctoral research examined leadership, innovation in theological education, and adult learning theories. At the Haddon Institute, he lectures in theology and worldview, leads Spurgeon symposia on spiritual warfare and missional advance, and has authored works such as By Grace Alone (an updated All of Grace) and No Higher Calling: Shepherding God's People According to Paul. Married to Katarina for over 22 years and father to four, he embodies conviction and compassion in scholarship and shepherding.
Lecture Content
1
Prolegomena: Sources and Stakes in Christology
Why Christology matters; sources for Christology (Scripture, creeds, confessions); methodology; Christological heresies overview
Date
30 Mar 2026
2
The Deity of Christ: Biblical Witness and Nicene Settlement
Old Testament anticipations; New Testament witness to Christ's deity; homoousios; Arianism and its refutation
Date
6 Apr 2026
3
The Humanity of Christ: Virgin Birth, True Humanity, Sinlessness
The virgin birth; Christ's complete humanity (body, soul, will); impeccability vs. peccability; temptation without sin
Date
13 Apr 2026
4
The Hypostatic Union: Chalcedon and the Communication of Attributes
Two natures, one person; the Chalcedonian Definition; anhypostasia and enhypostasia; communicatio idiomatum; Nestorianism and Eutychianism
Date
20 Apr 2026
5
Christ the Prophet: Final Revelation and Ongoing Instruction
The threefold office introduced; Christ as the Word; prophetic ministry in His earthly life; ongoing prophetic work through Word and Spirit
Date
27 Apr 2026
6
Christ the Priest: Sacrifice, Satisfaction, and Intercession
Christ's priestly qualifications; the once-for-all sacrifice; propitiation, expiation, reconciliation; heavenly intercession; definite atonement
Date
4 May 2026
7
Christ the King: Davidic Fulfilment and Cosmic Lordship
Davidic covenant fulfilment; Christ's present reign; kingdom inaugurated and consummated; Christ's lordship over all creation
Date
11 May 2026
8
The States of Christ: Humiliation, Exaltation, and the Obedience Imputed
Incarnation, suffering, death, burial; resurrection, ascension, session, return; active and passive obedience; imputation and union with Christ
Date
18 May 2026
9
Viva Voce Oral Defence
8-minute presentation + Q&A based on final research essay
Date
25 May 2026
10
Viva Voce Oral Defence
8-minute presentation + Q&A based on final research essay
Date
1 Jun 2026
Required Readings
Macleod, Donald. The Person of Christ. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1998.
Link Unavailable
Letham, Robert. Systematic Theology, Part 4: The Person and Work of Christ. Wheaton: Crossway, 2019.
Link Unavailable
Recommended Readings
Owen, John. The Glory of Christ. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1994. (Selected chapters)
Link Unavailable