Traditional Undergraduate
Christian Thought in the Humanities
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Credits
124
Course Length
16 weeks (semester)
Delivery Method
Traditional On-Campus, Lancaster
Why Study Christian Thought in the Humanities at LBC?
LBC | Capital’s Christian Thought in the Humanities program seeks to cultivate wisdom in students through the study of human thought, culture and artifacts. Students will learn to see God as the author of human creation and the love of God as the ultimate purpose for studying human creation.
The Arts & Sciences Department designed the Christian Thought in the Humanities program to provide students with a degree that deepens their understanding of God and broadens their understanding of humanity. The major takes advantage of the disciplines already part of the Arts & Sciences core curriculum while offering students the opportunity to dig deeper into courses that help them see the world, its cultures, its societies and its people according to the light of Scripture.
The program, also with specializations in Literature, Rhetoric & Writing and History, prepares students to move into humanities graduate degree programs after graduation as well as serve as teachers in Christian schools, classical schools and homeschool environments. The end of all education is to know God through the study of his creation. This program was created to give students that kind of education.
Bachelor's Program Scope
Christian Thought in the Humanities (124 Credits)
Bible & Theology Core 43 Credits
Arts & Sciences Core 37 Credits
Christian Thought in the Humanities Core 26 Credits
Specialization 18 Credits
View the Academic Catalog for the complete curriculum plan, course descriptions and complete program details.
Schedule a Visit
Want to learn more about this major or the traditional undergraduate programs at Lancaster Bible College? Consider scheduling an in-person or virtual campus visit to see the campus and talk with our admissions counselors.
Program Distinctive - What makes this program at LBC unique?
The Humanities degree at LBC is designed to integrate wisdom and beauty across disciplines to help students gain a deeper understanding of the truth and goodness of the Triune God.
Career Paths
The Christian Thought in the Humanities bachelor’s degree prepares students for a wide range of technical and/or ministry contexts. Here is a sampling of careers and opportunities this degree affords:
- Graduate School
- Teaching in private Christian and/or Classical schools
- Technical Writer
- Editor
- Copywriter
- Archivist
- Public Relations
- Politics
Program Goals – In this program, students will…
- Employ reasonable thought and argumentation in evaluating human culture.
- Articulate an understanding of how and why God is the final object of human thought, expression and creativity.
- Develop a biblical framework for understanding and evaluating the virtues of human culture.
- Cultivate an appreciation of the diversity and dignity of human beings as well as their weaknesses and flaws.
- Understand the self and others in light of cultural artifacts and masterpieces.
Core Courses for a Christian Thought Student
LAN 230 Survey of Classical Rhetoric to Modern Contexts
EDU 204 Instructional Design
LIT 300 Elective
HIS 300 Elective
PHI 301 Philosophy of Religion
POL 200/300 Elective
SCI 351 Evolution/Creation- Chance or Design
HUM 430 Cultivating Christian Thought in the Humanities
HUM 450 Humanities Practicum I
HUM 451 Humanities Practicum II
Visit the catalog for the complete listing and descriptions.
Customize Your Humanities Major with a Specialization
By combining the core course plan with one of these 18-credit specializations, you can customize your course of study to better meet your educational goals.
History Specialization
A history specialization will provide students an opportunity to pursue the true, the good and the beautiful through the examination of human history. History is the story of the human effort to create lasting significance and meaning in a world poisoned by death. In each eon of history, people have engaged the struggle to make things right, even if they did not know the Creator who alone is the author, sustainer and redeemer of all things. At LBC, students will examine the human pursuit of the eternal through cultural expressions, economic development, political institutions and philosophical investigations. In this way, since God created humanity in his image, students will stretch to see, know and love God who is the good, true and beautiful, and who alone can satisfy every heart and enlighten every mind.
Students choosing to earn a specialization in History will take the following courses:
- HIS 310 History and the Christian Imagination (3)
- History Electives – choose 5 courses for 15 additional credits
- HIS 201 – US History I
- HIS 202 – US History II
- HIS 203 – Ancient History
- HIS 204 – Modern World: World War I to the Present
- HIS 205 – Greece, Rome and the Early Church
- HIS 210 – Origins and Legacies of the 1960s
- HIS 280 – World Wars
- HIS 301 – Arab-Israeli Conflict
- HIS 302 – American & French Revolutions: The Birth of the Modern Era
- HIS 303 – The American Civil War
- HIS 304 – American Religious History
- HIS 305 – Renaissance and Reformation
- HIS 480 – Dawn of the American Century: Progressivism and Pragmatism
Rhetoric & Writing Specialization
A writing-rhetoric specialization will provide students the opportunity to place writing at the center of their Christian thought and humanities major. Rhetoric is a disciplined art corresponding with a process of logical thought and the creation of purposeful oral, written and visual compositions to promote understanding in the context of human experiences and interactions. A writing-rhetoric concentration equips students to think logically and communicate effectively so they become more acute, attentive interpreters of the world around. Undergirded by a growing love for God, His Word and others, this concentration equips students to be reflective, articulate thinkers and proficient writers who actively participate in current academic, cultural and professional conversations.
Students choosing to earn a specialization in Rhetoric and Writing will choose 6 courses from below for a total of 18 credits:
- LAN 202 Creative Writing
- LAN 204 Advanced Public Speaking
- LAN 235 Writing in Service to Others
- LAN 265 Professional Writing for the Helping Professions
- LAN 311 Writing for News Media
- LAN 316 Scriptwriting for Stage and Screen
- LAN 317 Grant Writing Essentials
- LAN 335 Freelance Writing
- LAN 340 Business Writing
- LAN 342 Writing on Social Issues
- LAN 350 Writing for Publication
Literature Specialization
A literature specialization will provide students with avenues to explore the good, the true and the beautiful through an examination of human creative activity in the literary arts. Literature represents the written exploration of experience—human and divine—across the centuries and across cultures, and it has both a challenging and a binding force in human civilizations since its origins thousands of years ago. Students in the literature specialization will learn ways of recognizing the technique and craftsmanship of great literary writers across time and will have the opportunity to explore the ways in which literature has shaped culture, been shaped by culture and communicated goodness, truth and beauty in ways that transcend culture. The critical thinking and cultural analysis skills developed in this specialization are broadly applicable across disciplines, but they will be particularly relevant for students who desire to go on to graduate school or seminary, as well as those who may seek careers as cultural commentators or teachers in college or private Christian schools.
Students choosing to earn a specialization in Literature will take the following courses:
- LIT 340 Literature and the Christian Imagination (3)
- Survey Elective: choose 2 courses for total of 6 credits
- LIT 101 Poetry, Fiction, and Drama
- LIT 202 World Literature
- LIT 205 Contemporary American Literature
- LIT 222 Nonfiction: Essays and Memoirs
- LIT 229 The Short Story and Novella
- LIT 230 Dramatic Literature
- LIT 240 Literature for Children and Young Adults
- Upper-Level Elective: choose 3 courses for a total of 9 credits
- LIT 305 Science Fiction
- LIT 307 African American Women Writers
- LIT 321 C. S. Lewis
- LIT 325 American Literature before 1865
- LIT 326 American Literature 326 to Present
- LIT 327 Major British Writers
- LIT 328 Shakespeare
- LIT 330 Women Writers