DESCRIPTION: This course provides the student with a study of the principles and processes of communicating from one society to another. It focuses particularly on the communication of the Gospel and the relevance of the Incarnation as God's model for intercultural communication.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will

1. develop a working knowledge of principles and procedures of communicating from one culture to another;

2. gain an in-depth understanding of God's model of communication and its implications for effective communication today;

3. become familiar with foundational concepts and skills underlying the effective introduction of innovation in a society;

4. acquire an ability to successfully analyze and apply these insights to communicating the Gospel within varying cultural contexts.

Conducted via the Internet, the ten weekly lessons align with Fuller's academic calendar. The course involves reading, writing, use of libraries and other resources, and interactive discussion. Each week, students and the instructor will interact with the material through journaling, threaded discussions, and research.

Gudykunst, William B. Bridging Differences: Effective Intergroup Communication. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2004. ISBN: 0-7619-1511-7, Price: $69.95.

Kraft, Charles H. Communication Theory for Christian Witness. Rev. ed. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1991. ISBN: 0-88344-763-0, Price: $13.72.

Samovar, Larry A., Richard E. Porter, and Edwin R. McDaniel. Intercultural Communication: A Reader. 13th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2012. eISBN: 1-111-56252-0, Price: $68.99, or ISBN: 978-1-111-56252-6, Price: $130.96.

Smith, Donald H. Creating Understanding: A Handbook for Christian Communication across Cultural Landscapes. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991. ISBN: 0-310-53121-7, Price: $16.92.

CHOOSE ONE;

Chandler, Paul-Gordon. Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road: Exploring a New Path between Two Faiths. Lanham: Cowley Publications, 2008. ISBN: 0-7425-66-3-3, Price: $14.39.

Madeiras, Carl. Muslims, Christians, and Jesus: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-7642-0567-5, Price: $10.19.

Young, William P. The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-9647292-3-0, Price: $6.49.

CHOOSE ONE:

Howley, Kevin. Understanding Community Media. Los Angeles: Sage, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-4129-5905-6, Price: $46.95.

Finnegan, Ruth. Communicating: The Multiple Modes of Human Interconnection. New York: Routledge, 2002. eISBN: 0-203-99400-0, Price: $36.76, or ISBN: 0-415-24118-9, Price: $41.29.

Dodd, Carley H. Dynamics of Intercultural Communication. 5th ed. or most recent. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1998. ISBN: 0-697-32725-6, Price: $62.00.

Lingenfelter, Sherwood, and Marvin Mayers. Ministering Cross-Culturally. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986. ISBN: 978-0-8010-26478, Price: $8.50.

Samovar, Larry A., Richard E. Porter, and Edwin R. McDaniel. Communication between Cultures. 7th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. ISBN: 0-495-56744-2, Price: $76.74.

1. Five proposition summaries (250 words each) with specific application/stories from ministry.

2. Five online analytical forum discussions.

3. Weekly threaded discussions and/or journal entries.

4. A 1,500-word communication case study: an analysis of a cross-cultural ministry situation with possible strategies for communicating the Gospel more effectively.

5. A 1,000-word analysis of a written ministry report for its relevance to a specific cultural context.

6. A 2,500-4,000-word term paper related to your case study. ThM Students: A 5,000-word term paper.