MANILA ADVENTIST COLLEGE

1975 Cor. Donada & San Juan Sts., Pasay City

COURSE SYLLABUS
for
REL 103 God and Human Life
1st Semester A.Y. 2021-2022

General Education Department

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 SYLLABUS APPROVAL SHEET

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I. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLEGE

PHILOSOPHY
True education values Christlike and service above knowledge and skills
VISION
The premier, Christ-centered and research-oriented institution of learning
MISSION
Equipping students for life and preparing them for eternity

A. INSTITUTIONAL OUTCOMES (IO)

Graduates of (MAC) are expected to exhibit the following outcomes:

Living Faith. A growing, transforming relationship with God, applying biblical

truths expressed in the Seventh-day Adventists beliefs and spirituality in
response to global and personal issues.

Professional Competence. Expertise and leadership in their academic or

professional discipline, continually improving through lifelong learning.

Social Responsibility. Commitment and engagement to improve the quality

of life for all people and care of the environment.

Selfless Service. Application of knowledge to real-world challenges with the

spirit of unselfish service, fulfilling God’s calling in their life work.

Balance Lifestyle. Pursue wholeness by maintaining a balanced healthy

lifestyle – spirituality, mentally, physically, and socially.

B. PROGRAM OUTCOMES (PO)

All graduates are expected to:
PO INSTITUTIONAL
PROGRAM OUTCOMES (PO)
No. OUTCOMES (IO)
1 Develop advanced critical thinking, conceptual and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
analytical skills.
2 Develop the appreciation of culture, ethical, and global 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
issues and their impact on daily living and practices.
3 Demonstrate skills in scientific and scholarly research methods 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
and their application in life’s situation
4 Contribute to the advancement of their professions and to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
the expansion of knowledge relating to current theories,
practices, and issues.
5 Enhance values formation necessary for effective decision- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
making in complex environment by integrating theoretical
insights with practical knowledge so as to strengthen ability to
perform in the workplace.

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II. INFORMATION ABOUT THE TEACHER

NAME: Raymer Paglinawan Modillas Jr.

Position: Chaplain
Office Address: Pastor Care Services Department
CPE Room
Adventist Medical Center Manila
Email Address: raymermodillas@gmail.com
Consultation Hours: By appointment

III. INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE

Course Title: God and Human Life

Credit Units: 3 units
Prerequisite: none
Contact hours/semester 60 hours
Class Schedule: Wednesday & Friday
Class Venue: MS Teams/Google Meet

A. Course Description
This course is an exploration of different worldviews and religions in search of the
answers to life’s fundamental questions. The goals of the course are to lead the
students to truth and a belief in a Creator God and the Bible.

B. Learning Outcomes and Objectives

On successful completion of this course, a student should be able to:

Program
No. Learning Outcomes Outcomes
(PO)
Analyze various secular and religious views on God, the
1 world, and human origins, identifying their strengths and 1
weaknesses.
Develop personally relevant guidelines for discovering the
2 1
truth from God’s Word.
Discover the purpose of God’s actions in human history as
3 1
recorded in the Bible.
Realize how a belief in God may assure personal existential
4 3, 4, 5, 6
significance.
Choose to develop a deeper personal relationship with the
5 4
God of the Bible.

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 C. Course Policies and Behavioral Expectations:
1. Netiquette. Since most of our activities will be online, you are expected to
practice netiquette in all situations. Be guided with the following:
 During video conferences (MS Teams/Google Meet), make sure to mute
your microphone when needed, and unmute when being asked to talk.
 Avoid placing unacceptable photos as your profile picture, including in
your MS Teams profile.
 Make sure you address your teacher and classmates properly during
online forums and video conferences.
 Send messages in a professional, courteous manner in chatrooms and
e-mails.
 Use sentence cases rather than all capitals when communicating.
 Ask permission before recording video conferences.
2. Proactivity. You are expected to be proactive while engaging in both
synchronous and asynchronous modes of learning online. Engagement
and participation in the online portal, or activities in MS Teams, will be
regularly checked. Your teacher will communicate with you through e-mail,
text, Messenger, or other means at least once a week. Make sure that you
are ready for discussions and questions when you engage in video
conferencing by studying your readings ahead of time.
3. Punctuality. You will be expected to send in requirements promptly through
the MS Teams. Reasonable time will be given for your work, but late work of
more than 2 weeks will already be given deductions.
4. Consultations. You are expected to consult with the teacher in multiple
modalities. (See information about the teacher) When doing SMS, make
sure to introduce yourself in ALL introductory messages. You may address
concerns through Messenger Group Chat, or personal messaging,
whichever applies.

Course Requirements
 Class attendance and participation - Students are expected to participate
in class discussions and react to lectures and reports. Pertinent comments
that reflect critical thinking are encouraged. Class participation will be
graded based on the student’s participation log.
 Read the assigned text for the week. Reading materials are assigned for
some weeks. The student is to read the material first, then read again to
take notes. To help the student focus on the core concepts in each
material, a study guide is provided. The notes for each material will be
checked by the teacher every week. The class lecture and discussion will
already be based on the assigned text before the meeting.
 Weekly Quizzes based on lectures. The weekly quiz is usually several
questions in multiple-choice format and one essay question that will be
based on the lecture. The short essay should not be more than five (5)
sentences. Start with a sentence that expresses the answer to the question

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 then the next three sentences for providing information that supports that
idea. The final sentence to draw a conclusion, a restatement of the answer.
Thus, students are expected to take down important notes during lectures.
 Book Report. This is a written report that includes the main thesis of the book,
a summary, and a reflection. (12 font size, Times New Roman, Double
Space, 2-3 pages only)
 Exam. There will be midterm and final exam based on the topics covered
within the schedule of topics.

Midterm Paper/Final
In about four double-spaced, 12 point, typewritten pages, address the following issues
as they relate to your chosen passage. Include a cover sheet.
Choose from the following Bible texts:
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Isaiah 43:10-13
Isaiah 53:1-3
John 1:1-4, 14
Philippians 2:5-11
Hebrews 1:1-3, 8, 10-12
2 Timothy 3:15-17

History of the time (5 points)

Social issues (5 points)
Geography (5 points)
Major theme of book (5 points)
How passage relates to theme (5 points)

a. Read your passage in five different versions of the Bible. Then tell what five versions of
the Bible you used. (10 points) b. Write your own paraphrase or version of the text. (10
points) c. After consulting a Bible commentary, write two or three paragraphs describing
the history of the time, the social issues (living conditions, state of the government), and
something about the geographical area in which your passage was written. Then add a
paragraph discussing who wrote your passage. (20 points total)
d. Identify the major theme of the book from which the passage was taken and discuss
how your passage relates to that theme. (10 points total)
e. Choose TWO words from your passage that contribute significantly to your
understanding of the passage. After consulting Bible dictionaries, write a short paragraph
describing how these words are used in other parts of the Bible. (10 points)
f. Write a paragraph discussing THREE other places where your passage is quoted or
referred to in the rest of the Bible, or where a similar theme is treated. Consult a good
Bible with marginal references, a concordance to aid you in finding these passages. (15
points)
g. Discuss how TWO commentaries interpret your passage; be sure to tell which two
commentaries you consulted. (15 points)
h. In one paragraph, discuss how this passage can be applied to your life. (10 points)

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Choices and Plans Paper
Write a 5-page paper discussing how you will handle making choices throughout your
life. Consider how to make proper moral decisions and overcome temptations. Include
with this a model for how you plan to reach toward sanctification and/or more upright
living. Discuss also making wise plans in accordance with God's will. Explore how you plan
to seek and recognize God's will. Discuss, for example, decisions you might make
concerning career choice, or if you already have a career path, difficult decisions you
might make in that career. Discuss also what you will do in the times when you make the
wrong decision. Use Scripture and any class materials to help you.

Analytical Book Review

Compare, contrast, and evaluate John Stott's Basic Christianity in the context of Ellen
White's Steps to Christ. List how much of both you have read. Discuss what you like and
dislike about both. Consider not just what the Bible says about the subject matter, but
what you know from your own personal faith journey. How have you seen or not seen the
ideas in these books real in your own life? Include bibliography. Your review should be
about 5 double-spaced, 12 point, typewritten pages.

Learning Activities

1. Analytical reading – thinking carefully, critically, and deeply while

reading. This would involve analyze the author’s arguments, evaluate
their evidence and reasoning, and examine how they use language
and text structure to construct meaning
2. Rhetorical argumentation – learning primarily through answering the
essay questions in the quizzes and in the preparation of the reports.
Typically, deductive or inductive arguments will be used to prove a
point.
3. Reflection -- enable students to systematically explore the implications
of living with a belief in God.
4. Journaling – writing three things learned in class and one question in
relation to the topic discussed.

Contingency Plan for Missed classes: additional reading reports and

assignments

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 D. Course Contents
Integration of
Specific Objectives Teaching
Faith, Values,
Topics and Time 1. cognitive Student Learning Strategies/ Evidence of Outcomes/
and Learning /
Allotment 2. affective Outcomes Methods/ Evaluation
Service
3. psychomotor Activities
Learning
1.5 Orientation and Knowledge New students,
Wk 1 acquaintance  Importance of  Sharing None new beginning,
and new
Orientation and studying this course. opportunities.
class Discussion of the Skill  Journaling God is the God
organization content of the  Interpersonal of all good and
course syllabus: relationship  Brainstorming perfect
 information about Attitude beginnings.
the university:  Openness
philosophy,
mission, vision,
institutional
outcomes, core
values and
program
outcomes
 requirements of
the course: course
outcomes, and
the course outline
 Class organization
and seating
assignments

Why the study of

God and Human
Life course is
important?

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9 Knowledge
Wk 2 – Wk 4 Discussion on:  Definition of  Critical
Exploring  Definition of worldview reading of  Checking of notes
worldviews worldview, its  Different kinds of assigned text  Quiz
characteristics. (1 worldviews and their  Notetaking  Report (1 hr.)
hr.) characteristics.  Charting
 How to discover, Skill  Journaling
develop, and test  Discovering,  Quiz after
it? (2 hrs.) developing, and lecture
 Different kinds of testing worldviews.  Discussion
worldviews: Attitude and reflection
similarities,  Realize personal (1 hr.)
differences, and worldview and how it
distinctive. (4 hrs.) is affecting his/her
personal life.
6.5 Knowledge  Checking of notes
Wk 5 – Wk 6 Discussion on:  Epistemology  Watch the  Quiz
Means of  The validity of  General Revelation movie “The
Knowing the Truth social science  Special Revelation Case for
(general  Illumination Christ.” (2.5
revelation of God  Inspiration hrs.)
– creation) and  Canonization  Journaling
theology (special Skill  Notetaking
revelation – Word  Develop personally  Quiz after
of God) in search relevant guidelines for lecture
for truth. (3 hrs.) discovering truth.  Discussion
Attitude and reflection
 Receptivity to God’s (1 hr.)
way of revealing truth

6 Knowledge
Wk 7 – Wk 8 Discussion on:  Origin of God  Notetaking
Beliefs of God  Characteristics of God  Journaling

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  What created Skill  Watch the  Checking of notes
God? How do we  Critical thinking video “God of  Quiz
define God? Attitude Wonders” (2
 Different views on  Worship the Creator hrs.)
God (3 hrs.) God  Quiz after
lecture
 Discussion
and reflection
(1 hr.)

7.5 Knowledge God gave man

Wk 9 – Wk 10 Discussion on:  Evolution & Creation  Notetaking and woman the
ability to
Origin of the  Different views on  The evidences of the  Journaling procreate in the
Universe/World the origin of the Creation Story  Watch videos context of
world Skill “Origins of the  Checking of notes marriage to
 Evolution vs.  Assessing the Universe 101 |  Quiz strengthen their
Creation (3 hrs.) evidences of Creation National marriage bond
and provide an
Attitude Geographic” atmosphere of
 Worship the Creator & “Incredible sharing God’s
God Creatures That paternal care
 Respect and care for Defy Evolution and protection
the creation of God 1-3” (3.5 hrs.) to His creation.
 Quiz after
lecture
 Discussion
and reflection
(1 hr.)

24 Knowledge  Critical  Checking of notes God gave man

Wk 11 – Wk 14 Discussion on:  Naturalism view of reading report  Quiz and woman the
ability to
Origin of Man  Different views on man, Postmodernism of the book  Reading Report procreate in the
the origin of the view, and Christian Purpose Driven context of
man (2 hrs.) Theism view Life (20 hrs.) marriage to

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  Purpose of Human  Five purposes of  Notetaking strengthen their
Beings human beings  Answer marriage bond
and provide an
Skill Activity Sheet atmosphere of
 Adaptability to truth in the sharing God’s
 Self motivation Workbook (1 paternal care
Attitude hr.) and protection
 Having a purposeful  Quiz after to His creation.
life lecture
 Motivated  Discussion
and reflection
(1 hr.)
4 Knowledge  Notetaking  Checking of notes All human
Wk 15 Discussion on:  Definition and  Watch video  Quiz opinion must be
under the strict
Sin and Suffering  Different views on different kinds of Sin “Cosmic scrutiny of
the origin of sin and  Views on Sin Conflict” (1 hr.) Scripture and
suffering  Answer to why there’s  Quiz after the universal
 The solution to sin suffering lecture principles of
and suffering (2 hrs.)  Salvation/Redemption  Discussion God’s
character and
Skill and reflection attributes.
 Critical Thinking (1 hr.)
 Adaptability to truth
Attitude
 Received salvation in
Jesus Christ
1.5
Wk 16 Final Exam
Review & Final
Examination
60 TOTAL HOURS

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 E. Course Schedule:

Date Topic Reading Video/Movie to For Submission

Assignment Watch
Week 1 Orientation Course Syllabus ------------------- 1. Answers to 4 Life’s
How do we view How do we view Fundamental Questions
things? things? (ppt) 2. Journal 1
3. Study Guide Questions
Week 2 How Do We View pp. 19-25 of Journal 2
Things? 2 Foundations of Quiz 1
Christian Thought (video clips on
by Mark P. human issues /
Cosgrove questions)
Week 3 Different kinds of Animism Journal 3
worldviews and their Atheism Quiz 2
characteristics. Postmodernism Reports on assigned worldview
Theism -------------------

Week 4 How to discover, pp. 64-71 of Journal 4

develop, and test Foundations of ------------------- Quiz 3
worldviews. Christian Thought
by Mark P.
Cosgrove
Week 5 Means of Knowing The Case for Activity Sheet for Means of
the Truth ------------------- Christ Knowing the Truth
Week 6 Definition of Journal 5
Epistemology, Quiz 4
General Revelation, ------------------- -------------------
Special Revelation,
Illumination,
Inspiration, &
Canonization

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Week 7 What is God like? God of Wonders Activity Sheet for Origin of
------------------- God
Week 8 Different views on Reading Material ------------------- Journal 6
God on Views of God Quiz 5
Week 11 Origin of the Origins of the
Universe ------------------- Universe 101 & -------------------
Incredible
Creatures That
Defy Evolution 1-
3
Different views on the One Chapter per Activity Sheet for Origin of the
origin of the world student from Universe
(Evolution vs. Understanding ------------------- Reports on assigned chapter
Creation) Creation by Journal 7
Humberto Rasi Quiz 6
Week 12 Origin of Man Reading Material Activity Sheet for Origin of
Naturalism view of on How We Man
man, Postmodernism Became Journal 8
view, and Christian Human… ------------------- Quiz 7
Theism view
Week 13 Purpose of Human The Purpose (audiobook
Beings Driven Life available in -------------------
YouTube)
Week 14 Purpose of Human The Purpose (audiobook
Beings Driven Life available in -------------------
YouTube)
Week 15 Purpose of Human The Purpose (audiobook
Beings Driven Life available in -------------------
YouTube)
Week 16 Different views on the pp. 9-15 of Steps Cosmic Conflict The Purpose Driven Life Book
origin of sin and to Christ by Ellen Report
G. White

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 suffering and the
solution to it.
Week 17 Review/ Pointers for Final Examination
Final Examination ------------------- -------------------

E. Grading System:
Grading System (Student Handbook, Article XIV, Section 3, page 87)
Student Score
Grade = ------------------------- X 50 + 50
Perfect Score

Components: Percentile Numeric

Performance Task (reflection/position paper ) = 40% 98 – 100 1.00
Examinations 30% 95 – 97 1.25
Written Work/Attendance 30% 92 – 94 1.50
TOTAL 100% 89 – 91 1.75
86 – 88 2.00
83 – 85 2.25
80 – 82 2.50
77 – 79 2.75
75 – 76 3.00
74 and below 5.00

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IV. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Required course Text

1. God and Human Life (Discovery) Workbook.
2. Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

Recommended Course References

1. Steps to Christ by Ellen G. White
2. Foundations of Christian Thought by Mark P. Cosgrove
3. Understanding Creation by Humberto Rasi

(Supplemental DVD/Movies - Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution 1-3 by

Dr. Jobe Martin, God of Wonders DVD by Eternal Productions, Cosmic
Conflict by Amazing Facts, & The Case For Christ by Pure Flix Entertainment)

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