Spring 2015/Fuller Online

MT501

Mainiero

 

MT501: DOING THEOLOGY IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS (4 Units: 170 Hours). Andrew J. Mainiero.

 

DESCRIPTION: This course provides a basic introduction to theological reflection as this has developed in various places and is currently emerging in a global context. The goal is to provide the background and terminology necessary for students to begin exploring theology as an expanding conversation about the meaning of Scripture and the Christian life that extends itself through history and around the world.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES: The goal of this course is to help students to begin to construct their own theology in a variety of cultural, ecclesiastical, and spiritual traditions and contexts, in critical dialogue with differing theological perspectives. Students completing this course will be able to: (1) Identify the basic “loci” (subjects) and structure of Christian theology; (2) Synthesize basic structures and “loci” of Christian theology with a range of cultural, contextual and global matters; (3) Evaluate the theology of an influential Christian thinker in the history of the church; (4) develop their own theology in critical dialogue with various views.

 

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. The course material is designed to guide each student in the development of a major paper in which the student reflects on a theological “loci” in relationship to a twenty-first century issue and context.

 

REQUIRED READING: Approximately 1,160 pages of reading.

Brown, Robert McAfee. Unexpected News: Reading the Bible with Third World Eyes. 1st ed. Westminster Press, 1984. ISBN: 978-0664245528, Pub. Price $20.00 [168 pp.].

OR González, Justo L. Santa Biblia: The Bible through Hispanic Eyes. Abingdon Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0687014521, Pub. Price $18.00 [200 pp.].

OR Kirwen, Michael C. The Missionary and the Diviner: Contending Theologies of Christian and African Religions. Orbis, 1987. ISBN: 978-0883445846, Pub. Price $17.00 [134 pp.].

OR Lee, Sang Hyun. From a Liminal Place: An Asian American Theology. Fortress Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0800696689, Pub. Price $29.00 [200 pp.].

OR Twiss, Richard. One Church Many Tribes: Following the Jesus Way God Made You. Regal, 2000. ISBN: 978-0830725458, Pub. Price $15.00 [219 pp.].

OR a book selected from a global and multi-tradition bibliography provided in the syllabus.

Dyrness, William, and Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, eds. Global Dictionary of Theology. InterVarsity Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0830824540, Pub. Price $50.00 [10 articles approximately 120 pp.].

Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Riverhead Books, 2008. ISBN: 978-0525950493, Pub. Price $24.95 [251 pp.]. OR a book selected by the student related to the student’s final paper (meeting the guidelines in the syllabus) OR the student may choose to do an interview assignment (according to the guidelines in the syllabus) in place of this reading assignment.

McGrath, Alister. Christian Theology. 5th ed. Blackwell, 2011. ISBN: 978-1444335149, Pub. Price $48.00 [400 pp.].

Ott, Craig, and Harold Netland, eds. Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity. Baker, 2006. ISBN: 978-0801031120, Pub. Price $30.00 [350 pp.].

 

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Assigned readings for the course (1,160 pp.) [Learning outcomes 1 and 4] [76 hours].

  2. Online participation including instructional content and group forums. Each two week module of the course will involve roughly 2 hours listening to class content, 1 hour of written forum posts and replies and 2 hours in creating and responding to forums posts related to the student’s chosen ministry context (25% of the final grade) [Learning outcomes 1,2 and 4] [40 hours total].

  3. Personal responses/reflections (1/2 page each) to 10 articles selected from The Global Dictionary of Theology [Learning outcomes 2 and 4] [5 hours, 10% of the final grade].

  4. Three reading responses, 1-2 pages each [Learning outcomes 2 and 4] [6 hours, 15% of the final grade].

  5. Student choice of: reading response (1-2 pages) to a book related to their final paper topic OR a summary and personal reflection (2-3 pages) regarding an interview conducted by the student [Learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4] [3 hours, 5% of the final grade].

  6. A biographical executive summary (5 pages) of the theology of a significant Christian thinker [Learning outcomes 1 and 3] [10 hours, 15% of the final grade].

  7. Integrative major paper (12-15 pages) on a global theological topic [learning outcomes 1,2 and 4] [30 hours, 30% of the final grade].

 

PREREQUISITES: None.

 

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Seminary core requirement (SCR) for MATM, MAICS, MAFS, MACL (effective Winter 2010). Option to meet the C1 and C5 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program.

 

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.