Theology

Last updated June 2, 2003

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Although I cherish my roots in Seventh-day Adventist Christianity, I have struggled with questions about Jesus' divinity and the role of women in Christianity. In addition, my experiences as a medical student at the University of Rochester have prompted me to write a theology of letting go for families facing the loss of a loved one. The papers below trace the evolution of my thinking through courses at Walla Walla College and The Divinity School at Vanderbilt University. I enjoy hearing about others' spiritual and theological journeys. Please feel free to email me.

-- Shelley Schoepflin Sanders

Christology

Jesus Christ: Saving Parable of God

July 20, 2000, Shelley Schoepflin Sanders

My most recent working Christology was written for Bernard Cooke's Christology class at Boston College. Written with my family in mind as the audience, the paper reimages what it means to say that Jesus is Christ and Savior.

Infinite God, Finite Metaphor: A Study of the Metaphorical Jesus

June 6, 1997, Shelley Schoepflin Sanders

If God is truly infinite, then how can God be manifest in the finite human being Jesus of Nazareth? This senior project for the humanities seminar at Walla Walla College represents my first comprehension of Jesus as a historical figure, as well as my first efforts to understand Jesus as a metaphor for God.

Feminist theology

Women and Christianity: Can Two Walk Together, Except They be Agreed?

August 1997, Shelley Schoepflin Sanders

Does Christianity liberate or marginalize women? Can a "male" God save women? My first attempts to grapple with these questions resulted in this lengthy paper, composed for Janice Staab's feminist philosophy course at Walla Walla College.

Letting Go

Knowing the Truth: Seeking Authentic Humanity at the End of Life

July 6, 2003, Shelley Schoepflin Sanders

As a third year medical student, I encountered a family whose experience of death touched me deeply. Through my interactions with this family, I sensed the need to expand my personal theology to integrate the process of letting go of a loved one at the end of life. This paper is my Masters Project at The Divinity School at Vanderbilt University.