DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to introduce students to theological reflection going on outside of North America as this develops against the backdrop of the religious context. The focus will be on major philosophical and religious traditions and the interaction of Christianity with these traditions. The emphasis will be on a comparative study which makes use of social science methods and develops a biblical and critical perspective.

Ministry is now carried out in a world perspective in which cross-cultural issues are unavoidable. Since the Church outside of North America is now larger than that in the West, and since much creative thinking emanates from these churches, responsible ministry today requires the development of critical listening skills.

Class will meet twice a week for 1-1/2 hour sessions. This course will survey theological reflection in three major areas of the world: Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. For each area lectures will first focus on the major religious traditions of the region and then study the rise of local theologies in those contexts. Lectures and readings will cover selected topics being discussed by theologians (both formal and informal) from these regions. Finally an attempt will be made to interact with these materials from the perspective of western theology.

Batstone, David, ed. New Visions for the Americans. Fortress, 1993.

Bujo, Bénézet. African Theology in its Social Context. Orbis, 1992.

Dyrness, William A. Learning about Theology from the Third World. Zondervan, 1990.

Pieris, Aloysius. Love Meets Wisdom: A Christian Experience of Buddhism. Orbis, 1988. (OP.)

Bediako, Kwame. Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of Non-Western Religion. Orbis, 1995.

Dyrness, William A. Emerging Voices in Global Christian Theology. Zondervan, 1994.

__________. Invitation to Cross-Cultural Theology: Case Studies in Vernacular Theologies. Zondervan, 1992.

Geertz, Clifford. "Religion as a Symbolic System." Interpretation of Cultures. Basic Books, 1973.

Martin, David. Tongues of Fire. Oxford, 1990.

Neill, Stephen. Christian Faith and Other Faiths. InterVarsity, 1984. (OP.)

Schreiter, Robert. Constructing Local Theologies. Orbis, 1985.

Scotchmer, David. Symbols of Salvation: Interpreting Highland Maya Protestantism in Context. Ph.D. Dissertation. SUNY.

Smith, Huston. The World's Religions: Completely Revised and Updated Edition of The Religions of Man. Harper, 1991.

Grading will be based in equal part on three short (2-4 pp.) reviews of three required texts (Bujo, Batstone, and Pieris) and a longer (15-20 pp.) paper focusing on one of the three areas discussed in class. The reviews can focus on a particular issue raised in the books, but in general should cover the relation of Christian theology to indigenous religious traditions, and should reflect a knowledge of the larger argument of the book.

The longer project will be a comparative study of a Christian belief or practice and a corresponding belief of the indigenous religious tradition. This project should make use of the required reading (and any other sources available). Class attendance and participation will be factors in evaluation.