DESCRIPTION: This doctoral seminar is open to a limited number of master's level students by special permission. The biblical adage "to be in the world and not of it" has had a wide-ranging history of interpretation. As Christendom appears more distant in the rear view mirror of the church, this concept's interpretation and application becomes more important. In particular it raises questions about Christianity being a multinational and multicultural faith that has tended to be narrow in the range of in its expressions of worship. Only in the last quarter century have issues of faith and culture come front and center in liturgical scholarship the way it has in missiology. This class will explore the relationship of cultures, their values, symbols, and rituals to Christian worship. It will explore national and ethnic cultures, as well as generational, class, artistic, and technological cultures. We will focus on gaining an understanding--leading to an application--of theories of culture and worship.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The speed and magnitude of cultural change is staggering. This raises the question of how--or even if--the church ought to respond to such changes in its ministries, and particular its worship. Having a combination of cultural awareness and theological astuteness will greatly enhance the choices made among the liturgical and pastoral options.

COURSE FORMAT: The seminar will meet weekly for three-hour sessions. It will have some lectures by the professor and guest lecturers, but will be mostly seminar presentations and discussions.

REQUIRED READING:

Course Reader. 200 pp.

Black, Kathy. Culturally Conscious Worship. Chalice, 2000. 150 pp.

_______. Worship Across Cultures. Abingdon, 1998. 220 pp.

Bolger, Ryan & Eddie Gibbs. Emerging Churches. Baker, 2005. 250 pp.

Chupungco, Anscar. Liturgical Inculturation. Pueblo, 1992. 170 pp.

_______. Liturgies of the Future. Paulist, 1989. 200 pp.

_______. Worship: Progress and Tradition. Pastoral Press, 1995. 175 pp.

Haldeman, Scott. Toward Liturgies that Reconcile. Ashgate, 2007. 180 pp.

Hatch, Nathan. The Democratization of American Christianity. Yale University Press, 1989. 220 pp.

Hawn, C. Michael. One Bread, One Body. Alban, 2003. 225 pp.

_______. Gather into One. Eerdmans, 2003. 300 pp.

Costen, Melva. African American Worship. Abingdon, 1993. 160 pp.

Francis, Mark. Shape a Circle Ever Wider. Chicago: LTP, 2000. 125 pp.

González, Justo, ed. ¡Alabadle! Hispanic Christian Worship. Abingdon, 1996. 135 pp.

Maynard-Reid, Pedrito. Diverse Worship. InterVarsity Press, 2000. 250 pp.

Power, David. Worship: Culture and Theology. Pastoral Press, 1990. 280 pp.

Schmidt, H. & D. Power, eds. Liturgy and Cultural Religious Traditions. Seabury, 1977. 100 pp.

Wainwright, Geoffery & Karen Westerfield Tucker, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Worship. Oxford University Press, 2006. 900 pp.