Spring 2020/Fuller Online

LD515

Pollock

LD515: PRESBYTERIAN POLITY, HISTORY, AND LEADERSHIP (4 Units: 160 hours). Rev. Darren Pollock, PhD.

DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to assist in preparing students for pastoral leadership within the Presbyterian Church (USA) context. The course will help equip students to pass the Presbyterian Polity ordination exam, educate them in Presbyterian history, and train them in pastoral leadership for Presbyterian churches.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will (1) demonstrate the ability to use the Book of Order to determine proper ways to govern the church using Presbyterian polity; (2) will be prepared to pass the Presbyterian Polity ordination exam of the Presbyterian Church (USA); (3) shall demonstrate an understanding of the significant events in Presbyterian history; and (4) shall demonstrate an ability to reflect spiritually and theologically about pastoral leadership.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course will teach students concepts and skills for Christian formation and discipleship, which is consistent with the SOT/SIS PLOs that state that, “Students will have demonstrated capacities to cultivate a theologically reflective practice of Christian discipleship.” (MDiv, MAT, MATM, MAICS), “Students will have demonstrated capacities to engage diverse cultural contexts for transformational discipleship, mission, and ministry,” and “Students will have demonstrated capacities for being theologically reflective practitioners for Christian ministry.”

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours, which is outlined below in the assignment and assessment section. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: c. 1030 pages of required reading.

Armstrong, Loetscher, and Anderson, eds. The Presbyterian Enterprise: Sources of American Presbyterian History. Wipf and Stock, 2001. ISBN: 978-1579107499, Pub. Price $31.00. Not available as an e-book [c. 50 pp. assigned]

The Book of Order, 2013-2015. The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part II. The Office of the General Assembly. Item number: 534771, Pub. Price $10.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [200 pp. assigned].

Coalter, Mulder, and Weeks, eds. The Re-Forming Tradition: Presbyterians and Mainstream Protestantism. Westminster John Knox Press, 1992. ISBN: 978-0664252991, Pub. Price $30.00. Not available as an e-book [25 pp. assigned]

Heifetz, R. and Linsky, M. Leadership on the Line. HBSP, 2002. ISBN: 978-1578514373, Pub. Price $35.00. Not available as an e-book [c. 120 pp. assigned]

Leith, John H. Introduction to the Reformed Tradition. John Knox Press, 1980. ISBN: 978-0804204798, Pub. Price $30.00. Not available as an e-book [c. 30 pp. assigned]

Longfield, Bradley. Presbyterians and American Culture: A History. Westminster John Knox Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0664231569, Pub. Price $30.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [203 pp. assigned].

Moorhead, James. Princeton Seminary in American Religion and Culture. Eerdmans, 2012. ISBN: 978-0802867520, Pub. Price $60.00. Not available as an e-book [c. 60 pp. assigned]

Wilton, Carlos E. Principles of Presbyterian Polity. Geneva Press, 2016. ISBN: 978-0664503451, Pub. Price $20.00. Not available as an e-book [163 pp. assigned]

Selected Articles:

Cormode, S., “Multi-Layered Leadership,” Journal of Religious Leadership [35pp]

Ely, R. and Meyerson, D., “Theories of Gender in Organizations,” Working Paper #8, Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons College (www.simmons.edu/som/docs/cgo_wp8_DNC.pdf) [46pp]

RECOMMENDED READING:

Balmer and Fitzmier, The Presbyterians. Praeger, 1994. ISBN: 978-0275948474, Pub. Price $33.95. Available as an e-book from Fuller Seminary.

Bolman, L. and Deal, T., Reframing Organizations. Jossey-Bass, 2008. ISBN: 978-1119281825, Pub. Price $36.00. Available as an e-book from Fuller Seminary.

Gray, Joan S., and Joyce C. Tucker. Presbyterian Polity for Church Leaders. 4th ed. Geneva Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0664503154, Pub. Price $22.00. Available as an e-book from Fuller Seminary.

Thuesen, Peter J. Predestination: the American Career of a Contentious Doctrine. Oxford Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0199832392, Pub. Price $26.95. Available as an e-book from Fuller Seminary.

Zimmerman, Doris P. Robert’s Rules in Plain English. 2nd ed. Collins Reference, 2005. ISBN: 978-0060787790, Pub. Price $7.99. Not available as an e-book.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. c. 1030 pp. of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4] [65 hours].
  2. Two instruction hours per week with class activities such as video lectures, PowerPoint presentations,etc. [20 hours].
  3. 250-word weekly forum posts responding to a prompt question from the professor (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] [10 hours].
  4. 250-word weekly forum responses (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] [10 hours].
  5. “Question of the Week” (5%, 2 hours) Each week students will post a question seeking clarification or further detail about anything in the readings or lectures for the week—the types of questions they might ask during a lecture in an in-person class. Each week one question will be selected for a 5-minute video response, with the author of each “winning” question receiving extra credit [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4].
  6. Two Presbyterian Polity exams—one taken midway through the quarter and one near the end [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] (30%) [20 hours].
  7. Signature Assignment: Leadership Paper (2,500 words) demonstrating the ability to think reflectively on pastoral leadership. [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 4] (25%) [25 hours].
  8. Final exam covering readings and lecture about Presbyterian history (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [10 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None. Auditors will be required to complete all assignments.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the LDR requirement for the 120 MDiv and 80 MATM Programs (Fall 2015).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes—take home.

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. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.