DESCRIPTION:

This course will explore the psychological issues affecting Hispanic families in the United States, within the context of pastoral ministry. Students will learn about acculturation stress and its impact on self-identity. The concept of immigration and family dynamics will be explored in detail as it pertains to families of origin and the church family. Students will be challenged to understand their own family dynamics by articulating the behavioral scripts from their cultural heritage through the study of the life of Joseph as an immigrant. The focus of the class will be interactive and applied to ministry.

Clergy are the most sought after people during times of family transitions. In addition to the usual changes expected in families (births, adolescence, marriage, illness, death, etc.) Hispanic families face the added stressor of defining their cultural identity in a context where they are an ethnic and, in many cases, a linguistic minority. Therefore the role of the minister in aiding these families through the process of acculturation is crucial, particularly among the second generation or the children of the immigrant parents.

The class will meet once a week for three and a half hours, using the following format: two hours of formal lectures; one hour of discussion with (a) group dynamics based on the discussion of real life situations faced by students in their church settings, and (b) role playing in class. There will be five invited guests to present on topics of their expertise and conduct laboratory sessions.

Suárez-Orozco, M. M. and M. M. Páez, eds. Latinos: Remaking America. (David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.) Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.

Jimenez, F. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1997.

Assigned readings from the psychological and popular literature available via Internet.

1. Each student will submit three reading reports (60%).

2. Each student will develop a genogram of their family of origin (5%).

3. Each student will write up a three-page description of "What is my culture?" (5%).

4. Each student will write up a one-page summary related to the origin of their family surname (5%).

5. Each student will present one case study or write up a description of the acculturation level of their church families with implications for ministry (15%).

6. Each student will watch one movie about ethnic/immigrant experiences and write a two-page report addressing identity, acculturation and generational issues (10%).

Spanish.

Meets MDiv core requirement in Pastoral Counseling (MIN 5).

None.