Spring 2013/Fuller Online
ST555
García-Johnson
ST555: TEOLOGÍA DE LA COMUNIDAD LATINA [Theology of the Latino/a Community].
Oscar A. García-Johnson.
DESCRIPTION: This course introduces the student to the major themes and specialized disciplines that deal with U.S. Latino(a)/Hispanic communities. The approach is practical and intends to forge a critical environment for interpreting religious practices, culture, ministry models, and social structures that so far have shaped the contours of Latino living. The end product is a critical ecclesiology for churches whose constituency is the Latina community or whose intention is to embrace such a community and issues at some point.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Doing ministry among Latinos encompasses a set of multicontextual, polyvalent, polyglot, interdisciplinary skills, to name some. We believe this course is foundational for ministers, leaders, students, and theologians involved (or wishing to be involved) with Latinos in the United States.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) cognitively, a foundational understanding of the main issues affecting Latinos in the U.S. and beyond; (2) ministry-related, a hermeneutics of religious practices, leadership, and missions; (3) contextually, a social ethics situated in the Latino context and shaped by biblical values; (4) spiritually, an every day spirituality for the people of God—a communal expression of faith shaped by the Spirit of the Global God.
COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar. Course content will be presented through introductory and summative video presentations and written essays provided at the start of each 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. Given the practical methodology of this course, the class environment will allow for a variety of learning experiences including video-lectures, film analysis, group blogs, etc. Students are expected to study beforehand the required readings for the week and take part in the ensuing discussion. It will require independent study, group projects, and presentations.
REQUIRED READING:
Bonino, José Miguez. Rostros del Protestantismo Latinoamericano. Nueva Creación, 1995. ISBN: 978-0802809346, Pub.price $10.00 [167 pp.].
Carroll Rodas, Daniel. Cristianos en la Frontera. Creación, 2009. ISBN: 978-1599794310, Pub.price $9.99 [172 pp.].
García-Johnson, Oscar. The Mestizo/a Community of the Spirit. Pickwick, 2009. ISBN: 978-1556357190, Pub.price $19.00 [156 pp.].
Isasi-Díaz, María, Timoteo Matovina, y Nina Torres-Vidal., eds. Camino a Emaús: Compartiendo el ministerio de Jesús. Augsburg Fortress, 2002. ISBN: 978-0814629567, Pub.price $9.95 [105 pp.].
Miranda, Roberto. En La Tierra de los Peregrinos. Palabra y más, 2009. ISBN: 978-9945408225, Pub.price $15.00 [296 pp.].
Villafañe, Eldin. El Espíritu Liberador: Hacia una ética social Pentecostal hispanoamericana. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997. ISBN: 978-0802809391, Pub.price $25.00 [264 pp.].
eReserve: a comprehensive collection of articles and chapters on Latin American and U.S. Latino/a ecclesial issues.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Attendance and participation (10%).
Each week students will reflect upon a chapter of Camino a Emaús, post their impressions on Moodle, and interact with two members of their group (10%)
Four book reviews, 1000 words. (40%).
One film review, 500 words (5%)
Students will choose a research topic from the general group project and do a group presentation (10%).
At the end of the quarter each student will submit his or her research paper of 4000 words based on the group research project (25%).
PREREQUISITES: Spanish.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective. Meets concentration requirement for MDiv Multicultural concentration in Hispanic Church Studies.