Fall 2013/Fuller Online
MC500
Dougherty
MC500: CHURCH AND MISSION IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT. Traver K. Dougherty.
DESCRIPTION: This course serves as a broad introduction to the Church and churches in historical and contemporary contexts. Students will explore a broad variety of ecclesiological formations, exploring the nature of churches, their liturgies, communal life, and their mission in the world. In this course, students will begin to compare and contrast the historical and contemporary church with their own particular tradition.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) examine the global church through the study of local churches in their particular historical and cultural contexts; (2) cite their own relationship to churches outside their ecclesiastical tradition, examining their own assumptions in the process; and (3) develop an understanding of the nature and mission of the Church and churches, both theologically and sociologically.
COURSE FORMAT: Conducted online, the ten weekly lessons align with Fuller’s academic calendar. The course involves input from the professor, readings, and various forms of media. Each week, students and the instructor will interact with the material through journaling, threaded discussions, and research.
REQUIRED READING:
Hanciles, Jehu. Beyond Christendom. Orbis, 2008. ISBN: 978-1570757907, Pub. Price $35.00 [430 pp.].
Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. An Introduction to Ecclesiology. InterVarsity Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0830826889, Pub. Price $20.00 [200 pp.].
Van Gelder, Craig. ed. The Missional Church & Denominations. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008. ISBN: 978-0802863584, Pub. Price $27.00 [288pp.].
Choose TWO of the following:
Bolger, Ryan K. ed. Gospel after Christendom. Baker Books, 2012. ISBN: 978-0801039430, Pub. Price $29.99 [416 pp.].
Kung, Hans. The Catholic Church: A Short History. Modern Library, 2003. ISBN: 978-0812967623, Pub. Price $14.00 [272 pp.].
Miller, Donald, and Tetsunao Yamamori. Global Pentecostalism. University of California Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0520251946, Pub Price $25.95 [263 pp.].
Ware, Timothy. The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN: 978-0140146561, Pub. Price $17.00 [368 pp.].
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Students will visit four churches from four traditions over the course of the term and create a group project in response to those traditions (40%).
Students will reflect and dialogue on readings and church visits in online journals with other group members (20%).
Students will either write a 3000-word term paper or do a group project, comparing their own tradition (in terms of nature, liturgy, community, mission, and organization) to other historical and/or contemporary churches (40%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: A required core competency course in the MACCS degree (CSCC). Seminary core requirement (SCR) for MATM, MAICS, MAFS, MACL (effective Winter 2010). Meets MDiv core requirement in Missions (MIN 8). Meets globalization (GLBL) requirement for SOT MA programs.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.