RELG 200
Biblical and Theological Foundations of Benevolence

RELG 200 is a six-week course that consists of three major components: lectures, learning labs, and hands-on service. Each lecture is followed by a lab in which students dialogue about issues such as benevolence, social gospel, paternalism, justice, the role of the church, etc. In addition, the course explores foundational truths regarding the nature of Christian service and the responsibility to care for the needs of others. There are six lectures and six lab sessions. In addition, students must complete ten hours of service between the first lecture and a day near the end of the semester, usually a few days before finals begin.

The lectures are taught by seasoned professors.
  • Tom Doolittle, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry 
  • Mike Hayes, Ed.D. - Vice President for Student Development
  • Jerome Boone, Ph.D. - Professor of Old Testment and Christian Formation
  • Lisa Stephenson, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology 
  • Terry L. Cross, Ph.D. - Professor of Theology
The ten-hour service requirement can be met in a variety of ways. Before completing service projects, check with your lab preceptor to ensure that you will get credit for the work. Some lab sections choose to complete group projects, while others encourage their students to serve individually. For additional assistance in locating approved service projects, please contact the Leonard Center.

The syllabus for the course covers information on the text, lecture dates, contact information, bibliography, and student evaluation. To access a current copy of the syllabus, click here.

The course carries one credit and is part of the religion minor that each student must complete before graduating.

Please click here to go to the School of Religion page.

RELG 200 Testimonies

“Now, I am walking away from this class with more to consider and think about. There are some issues that I can no longer ignore, and I have the responsibility to act. Having a better understanding of benevolence has stretched me to the point of no return. I feel like I have more questions than answers in comparison to when I started, but maybe this is the sign of true learning and future growth.”
~ Aaron Skaggs

“We…often reach out to others for selfish reasons or don’t reach out at all. Some people are genuine about being servants and sincerely reach out to others, but many of us concentrate on bettering ourselves instead of giving of ourselves.”
~ Stephanie Griffith
 
leonard-center
Lee University
PO Box 3450
Cleveland, TN
37320-3450
Phone
(423) 614-8614
Fax
(423) 614-8617
service@
leeuniversity.edu