The New Geneva Christian Leadership Academy 
 
Advancing the Kingdom of Christ through Scholarship, Leadership and Action

PHIL 200 Political  Philosophy
COURSE NOTES
 

General Instructions and Course Overview:

Mission: This course, as with most of the courses at New Geneva,  is primarily structured as a correspondence class, which includes lectures, readings, research, analysis and tactical brainstorming. After being instructed and stimulated from the course materials, and with guidance from the professor, each student will be challenged to actually use the learned material for the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ. Carefully planned strategy and logistical effects based tactics is the goal of this course.

 
Requirements: Each student is to show an in-depth understanding of the material presented, and must be able to accurately analyze government policy in order to dispute erroneous modern governmental polity in light of the material presented.

Syllabus Outline and Assignments

Reading List:

   1. Christianity and the State by RJ Rushdoony : Chalcedon/Ross House Books
www.chalcedon.edu/store/ Under American History and the Constitution

   2. Antigone by Sophocles

   3. The Influence of Historic Christianity on Early America by Archie Jones,
www.chalcedon.edu/store/ Under Taking Dominion

   4. The Establishment and Limits of Civil Government by James M. Willson.
Pub.  American Vision
www.americanvision.org  ISBN 0-915815-54-0

Assignments:

1. Read Rushdoony’s Christianity and the State. Outline each chapter with any additional comments you may have on the principles submitted by the author. Try to draw out the principles and strategies set forth in the book - list tem.

2. Take notes on each audio lecture. Outline the material. Be sure you understand the development of political theory and policy that is discussed.

3. Read Antigone and write a brief analysis on natural law and consider the weakness of the claim that the 'law of nature' is a reliable standard for justice and equity. 3-5 pages are sufficient double-spaced.

4. Read The Establishment and Limits of Civil Government and write chapter summaries.

5. Read The Influence of Historic Christianity on Early America, then outline the book and analyze the subject matter in a brief report.

Note: These books along with the audio lectures will give you a sufficient overview of the historical development of political philosophy, the components of these ideas and how they have influenced political thinking throughout the ages up until our postmodern era. Upon completion of the entire course all lecture notes and book report outlines must be handed in electronically via email or on a CD ROM disk.

Contact Hours: The student, on a need to basis, should schedule contact hours with the professor. It is the duty of the student to initiate the session being mindful of schedule differences. During the span of any given course there should be at least 2 contact sessions for questions and/or discussions.

Email contact: The student is encouraged to contact the professor via email whenever a question arises or whenever help is needed on a project.