Fall 2009/Pasadena
TC591
Mathis

TC591: THEOLOGY AND THE ARTS CAPSTONE COHORT (4 units). Eric Mathis.

DESCRIPTION: The master's project is an integrative and culminating portion of the MA-WTA, MA-WMM, and MAT-TA degree programs. It provides students the opportunity to carefully and reflectively integrate their course work with their particular areas of artistic, ministerial, and/or cultural interest. The incorporation of applied fine and worship arts, course work, research, spirituality, and theological reflection lead to the development of a summative thesis or project (which will be undertaken in the Winter quarter).

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Whether students are preparing to be theologically trained artists, cultural critics, or worship artists, their work will depend upon their ability to integrate theology and practice. This course will provide the integrative tools for the students to begin working toward a summative project.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who pass this course will have demonstrated that they

know the work of others in the integration of theology and the arts;
understand the range of artistic identities and vocations within the church and articulate their own relationship to these vocations;
recognize theological themes and issues relating to the production of artistic and/or liturgical projects;
can think critically and theologically in the production of their own creative projects;
are prepared to move forward in the development of a summative project or final paper.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet weekly for three-hour periods during the first nine weeks of the quarter. During week ten and finals week, students will meet privately with the instructor to discuss potential summative project ideas. Plenary class periods will involve lectures and presentations by guest artists and worship practitioners, discussion of reading material, student presentations, and group discussion on project idea development.

REQUIRED READING:

: Begbie, Jeremy, ed. Beholding the Glory: Incarnation through the Arts. Baker, 2000. (153 pages); Brown, Frank Burch. Good Taste, Bad Taste, and Christian Taste: Aesthetics in Religious Life. Oxford University Press, 2000. (300 pages); Kapikian, Catherine. Art in Service of the Sacred. Abingdon, 2006. (175 pages); Turner, Steve. Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts. InterVarsity Press, 2001. (130 pages)

: In addition, each student will read one book (approximately 200 pages, to be negotiated with instructor) in his or her particular area of artistic or liturgical interest.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: The final grade for this course will be determined by (1) class attendance and participation in discussion (25%); (2) success in doing two student presentations (report on the book they have read, worth 10%; and an annotated bibliography on sources relevant to their subject, 10%); (3) completion of assigned readings (30%); and (4) a final project (consisting of a detailed summative project description, bibliography, resource list, and timeline) (25%).

PREREQUISITES: Students are eligible (and encouraged) to take this course after completing 48 units of their degree program.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: This cohort course meets the four-unit core requirement for work toward a master's project in the MAT-TA, MA-WTA, and MA-WMM degrees.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/09)