Fall 2018/Pasadena

MB524/824

Ramirez-Johnson

MB524/824: CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY FROM THE MARGINS (4 Units: 160 hours). Johnny Ramirez-Johnson.

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DESCRIPTION: Developing an epistemology of diversity and cultural contextualization via truth seeking by reading selected biblical passages from the margins. Challenging the limits of discrete anthropological and theological epistemologies by gesturing toward a transdisciplinary understanding of an emerging practical theology for the purpose of contextualizing Christian theological thinking. Enabling students’ cultural, racial and ethnic exploration for self-awareness and facilitating engagement with diverse communities.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated: (1) the ability to use anthropological tools for building an epistemology that accounts for diversity following Christian theological views; (2) an understanding of a theology of diversity in the service of mission focus thinking; and (3) engagement with diverse approaches to epistemology building for research purposes.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three-and-a-half-hour sessions for a total of 35 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 5 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 1,000 total number of pages required.

Barrett, Stanley R. Anthropology: A Student's Guide to Theory and Method. 2nd. Edition, University of Toronto Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0802096128, Pub. Price $34.95 [250 pp. assigned].

Gill, Rosa Maria and Vasquez, Carmen Inoa. The Maria Paradox. Putnam Adult, 1996. ISBN: 978-0399141591, Out of Print (copies available online) [200 pp. assigned].

Hume, David and Steinberg, Eric. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. 2nd edition, Annotated. Hackett Classics, 1993. ISBN: 978-0872202290, Pub. Price $8.50 [50 pp. assigned].

James, W. The Varieties of Religious Experience [with Biographical Introduction]. Modern Library, 1909. ISBN: 978-1500779146, Pub. Price $8.99 [50 pp. assigned].

X, Malcom and Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Random House Publishing Group, 1999. ISBN: 978-0345915368, Pub. Price $20.00 [200 pp. assigned].

Course Reader [250 pp. assigned].

REQUIRED READING MB 824 ONLY:

500 pages within their research area (schedule a meeting with instructor to decide on the readings).

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 1,000 pages of required reading. [65 hours]. (NOTE: Additional 500 pp. assigned reading for PhD, CMR MB824 students, to be selected in consultation with instructor).
2. Completion of three 3-page essays (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, & 3]. [15 hours].
3. A research essay on an assigned topic [3,000 words] (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, & 3]. [30 hours]. (NOTE: Additional 500 words for paper for PhD, CMR MB824 students, to be focused on mission focus application of topic).

a. Students will have the option of participating on a race study conducting one in-depth interview.

b. The paper could be on the race research or a topic of the student’s choice.

c. PhD or MTh/ThM students will choose topic pertaining their own research project.

4. Weekly forum participation discussing assigned readings, biblical texts read or previous class dialogue with one original 150 words contribution and one response to another student’s original writing 100 words long (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [15 hours, including 5 hours of DLAs].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet requirement in the 80 MAICS (2017).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.