DESCRIPTION:

This course explores new ways to contextualize the gospel for today's post-modern culture. Its underlying premise is that the renewal of worship will be fundamental to the evangelistic enterprise, and the affirmation and renewal of congregational spirituality will therefore be a vital component in effective faith-sharing. The course includes practical exploration of new ways to facilitate this, based on an awareness of the emerging post-modernity and incorporating insights from the New Testament as well as the experience of the world church. In the process it takes account of current debates on the theology of creativity and the arts and related discussions of creation-centered spirituality and the impact of New Age thinking on the Christian community.

Who we are has a profound impact on our thinking about God, and the ways in which we structure our churches. This course is designed (a) to facilitate students in working through their own spiritual quest, by exploring new avenues of spirituality and personal creativity; (b) to help students appreciate the spiritual search of western culture today; (c) to explore new ways of being church. The classes themselves will model culturally relevant ways of worship and faith-sharing.

The class will meet in four-hour sessions daily for two weeks. Classes will include plenaries, small groups, practical training, and experiential exploration of personal spirituality and creativity--with a variety of formats and a strong emphasis on learning by doing.

Dempsey, Ron. D. Faith Outside the Walls. Smyth & Helwys, 1997.

Drane, John. Faith in a Changing Culture. HarperCollins, 1997.

Fischer, Kathleen R. The Inner Rainbow: The Imagination in Christian Life. Paulist, 1983.

Fung, Raymond. The Isaiah Vision. WCC, 1992.

Hagberg, Janet and Robert Guelich. The Critical Journey. Word, 1989.

Hilborn, D. Picking up the Pieces: Can Evangelicals Adapt to Contemporary Culture? Paulist, 1983.

Liesch, Barry. The New Worship. Baker, 1996.

Lyon, David. Postmodernity. Open University Press, 1994.

Munger, R. B. My Heart--Christ's Home, rev. ed. InterVarsity, 1992.

Tilley, Terrence W. Story Theology. Liturgical Press, 1990.

Wuthnow, Robert. The Crisis in the Churches. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. Orbis, 1991.

Coupland, Douglas. Generation X. St. Martins Press, 1991.

Fox, Matthew. Whee! We, Wee All the Way Home. Santa Fe: Bear & Co., 1981.

Hoekema, David and Bobby Fong. Christianity and Culture in the Crossfire. Eerdmans, 1996.

Sample, Tex. U. S. Lifestyles and Mainline Churches. Westminster John Knox, 1990.

Wink, Walter. Transforming Bible Study. Abingdon, 1990.

1) Attendance: students who miss more than three class meetings will not receive a passing grade. 2) Preparation: students will be expected to engage in adequate advance preparation and participate fully in all activities in class meetings. 3) Written work, to consist of (a) a personal course journal with an entry for each class meeting, to count for 40% of the final course grade; (b) a final paper of approximately ten pages, or its equivalent, on a subject to be proposed by the student and given advance approval in writing by the professors (counting for 60% of the final course grade).