Fall 2015/Pasadena

IS500

McNichols

IS500: PRACTICES OF VOCATIONAL FORMATION (4 Units: 160 hours). Michael McNichols.

DESCRIPTION: Christian practices constitute the Christian life. The combined Christian practices of vocational formation, worship, community, and mission facilitate the integration of personal, spiritual, academic, and global formation into the vocational coherence of a Christian leader through reflection, relationships, and practices. IS500 is an integrative course that explores the identity and practices of Christian vocational formation as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (Listening, Guidance, Lament, Discernment, Stewardship, Simplicity, Rhythms of Rest, Honoring the Body).

LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of vocational formation. (2) Students will participate in local contexts and demonstrate the capacity to engage in activities and exercisesrelated to Christian spiritual disciplines and practices ofvocational formation. (3) Students will demonstrate the capacity to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic practices of vocational formation. (4) Students will articulate how vocational formation practices impact their response to the Central Integration Question (CIQ) and will identify exercises, habits, and disciplines to embody these practices within their sociocultural context.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three-hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion (which includes 8 hours of participation in vocation and formation groups) plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 968 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent time in viewing.

Biblical Texts [approximately 50 pp. assigned].

Labberton, Mark. Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today. Intervarsity, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830836833, Pub. Price $16.00 [172 pp.].

Placher, William C. Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation. Eerdmans, 2005. ISBN: 978-0802829276, Pub. Price $30.00 [160 pp. assigned].

Wright, N. T. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense. HarperOne, 2010. ISBN: 978-0061920622, Pub. Price $24.99 [70 pp. assigned].

Readings for practices:

Listening

Newell, J. Philip. Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality. Paulist Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0809137596, Pub. Price $10.95 [107 pp.].

Norris, Kathleen. Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith. Riverhead Books, 1999. ISBN: 978-1573227216, Pub. Price $16.00 [7 pp assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Nouwen, Henri. Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith. HarperOne, 2015. ISBN: 978-0060872748, Pub. Price $16.99 [14 pp. assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Guidance

Moltmann, Jürgen. The Source of Life: The Holy Spirit and the Theology of Life. Fortress Press, 1997. ISBN:  978-0800630997, Pub. Price $23.00 [158 pp.]

Howard, Evan B. The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality. Brazos Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-1587430381, Pub. Price $40.00 [31 pp assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Discernment

Johnson, Luke Timothy. Scripture and Discernment: Decision Making in the Church. Abingdon Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0687012381, Pub. Price $22.99 [24 pp. assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Smith, Gordon T. Listening to God in Times of Choice: The Art of Discerning God's Will. InterVarsity Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0830813674, Pub. Price $16.00 [15 pp. assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Stewardship and Simplicity

Cavanaugh, William T. Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire. Eerdmans, 2008. ISBN: 978-0802845610, Pub. Price $14.00 [25 pp. assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Volf, Miraslov. Work in the Spirit: Toward a Theology of Work. Wipf & Stock, 2001. ISBN: 978-1579106416, Pub. Price $27.00 [81 pp. assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Rhythms of Rest and Honoring the Body

Peterson, Eugene. The Contempletive Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction. Eerdmans, 1993. ISBN: 978-0802801142, Pub. Price $18.00 [9 pp. assigned]. Available on e-reserves.

Online articles and videos (available on course Moodle page) [equivalent of approximately 40 pages].

Students in IS500 are required to take the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, receive a CoreClarity coaching packet based off of their top 5 strengths, and participate in a 45-minute coaching call with a CoreClarity coach. There will be a $40 charge for StrengthFinder® assessment, Coaching Packet, and Coaching Session which will automatically be charged to your student account.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 968 pages reading and videos, including at least 50 pages of biblical text. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [48 hours].
2. Students will participate in weekly Moodle forums, reflecting on assigned readings and scripture texts. (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [14 hours].
3. Classroom: for each practice, students will engage, reflect, create (utilizing instruction, participation, presentation, discussion, engaging practice-based theology cycle for theological reflection, case studies). In class, students will also share an autobiography related to Christian vocation. (autobiography constitutes 10% of grade) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3] [22 hours].
4. Vocation Formation Group (VFG) - In a Vocation Formation Group, students will engage spiritual disciplines, practices, and discussion. Students will study the Bible, and share and listen to stories related to the practices. Students will also complete the StrengthsFinder Inventory and participate in a 45-minute phone interview with a Core Clarity Coach. (Vocation Formation Group Leader (VFGL) will let professor know if students have been present and engaged). (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 4] [2 hours + 8 hours].
5. Students will participate in directed practices and disciplines over the course of the quarter. (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [15 hours].
6. Four fieldwork activities and reflections. (25%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [16 hours].
7. Signature Assignment: Research paper related to the student’s Central Integration Question (CIG), course practices, and Rule of Life (2,500 words total). (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 3, 4] [25 hours].
8. Distributed Learning Activities (DLAs). Using the study guide for Called (fuller.edu/called), participate in regular forum discussions on Moodle. (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3] [10 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None. Recommended in first year of study.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core integrative requirement in the 120 MDiv and the 80 MAT, 80 MATM, 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.