DESCRIPTION: The origins of theatre are in the simple act of one person
telling another person a story. Drama occurs, in part, when one tells the story
by manifesting--incarnating--the story. As Christian disciples we are invited
to tell the story of the gospel by our embodying the story in our daily lives.
This course will serve as an introductory survey of issues found at the
intersection of theology and theatre. It will cover the nature of narrative in
worship and evangelism, explore the place of drama in worship, examine theatre
which addresses religious and theological themes, and evaluate the place of
Christians in theatre. All this will be done against the backdrop of the
prevailing cultural narratives as well as a developing culture of
sensationalism.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: The primary goal of this course is to develop a
conversation between theology and theatre. Exploring criteria from theology and
theatre (such as incarnation and performativity), we will provide criteria for
both the appraisal of theatre as well as Christian rituals. To do this the
students will (1) explore current themes in contemporary North American
cultural narratives, (2) learn the history of the relationship between
Christianity and theatre, (3) become familiar with theological models of
evaluating theatre, (4) apply these historical and theological categories to
both the dramatic qualities of the Christian faith as well as to theatre.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: When a person attends a performance, such as a concert
or a play, there is an expectation that "something will happen." Whether this
is understood through Aristotelian catharsis or sensory stimulation, one is
disappointed when these expectations are not met. How does the Christian faith
evaluate these cultural expectations? How ought the church respond when these
criteria are placed upon the church's evangelism and worship? This class
invites a two-way dialogue which evokes wisdom from the theatre arts on how to
improve the communication of the gospel in a media-driven culture, while at the
same time offers a Christian appraisal of the cultural expectations placed on
the dramatic arts as an incarnate art form.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet weekly for three-and-a-half-hour sessions
of lecture and discussion of readings, as well as various approaches to
applying the concepts in this class to pastoral praxis and theatre. It will
require students to attend an Easter Vigil outside of class and attend a play
with the class. Guest lectures will be offered by Christians in the theatre
arts. The course grade will be based on projects involving case studies and
other exercises of applications of course material.
REQUIRED READING: