Fall 2017/Fuller Online
IS500
Parchman
IS500: PRACTICES OF VOCATIONAL FORMATION (4 Units: 160 hours). Karen Parchman, Ph.D.
DESCRIPTION: Christian practices constitute the Christian life. The combined Christian practices of vocational formation, worship, community, and mission facilitate the integration of personal, spiritual, academic, and global formation into the vocational coherence of a Christian leader through reflection, relationships, and practices. IS500 teaches students a method for integrating resources of theological method into faithful responses to the human condition. As an integrative course, it explores the identity and practices of Christian vocational formation as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (listening, discernment, guidance, lament, rhythms of rest, and stewardship) fashioning them into a Rule of Life that shapes and supports the student’s vocation in order to form students who demonstrate capacities to cultivate a theologically reflective practice of Christian discipleship.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will have demonstrated capacities to critically reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of vocational formation. (2) Students will have demonstrated through participation in local contexts and demonstrate the capacity to engage in activities and exercises related to Christian spiritual disciplines and practices of vocational formation. (3) Students will have demonstrated capacities to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic and personal practices of vocational formation. (4) Students will have articulated how vocational practices impact their response to the Central Integration Question (CIQ) and will identify exercises, habits, and disciplines to embody these practices within their sociocultural context.
COURSE FORMAT: This course meets ten weeks online (which includes required synchronous and/or asynchronous participation in vocation and formation groups) for a total of 40 instructional hours. 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: 900 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent time in viewing.
A. Core Textbooks
Placher, William C., ed. Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation. Eerdmans, 2005. ISBN: 978-0802829276, Pub. Price $32.00 [Approx. 105 pp. assigned].
B. Integration Resources
Farrington, Debra K. Living Faith Day by Day. Perigee Books, 2000. ISBN: 978-0399526206, Pub. Price $19.00. [74 pp. assigned].
Labberton, Mark. Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today. IVP Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830836833, Pub. Price $16.00 [Approx. 172 pp. assigned].
Newell, J. Philip. Listening for the Heartbeat of God. Paulist Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0809137596, Pub. Price $11.95 [Approx. 107 pp. assigned].
Palmer, Parker. Let Your Life Speak. Jossey-Bass, 1999. ISBN: 978-0787947354, Pub. Price $18.95. [100 pp. assigned].
C. Core Practices
Listening
Farrington, Debra K. (see citation above) [17 pp. assigned].
Newell, J. Philip. (see citation above) [Approx. 107 pp. assigned].
Peterson, Eugene H. “Lectio divina” in Eat this Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading. Eerdmans, 2009. 79-118. [39 pp.]. Available in eReserves
Lament
Rah, Soon Chan. Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times. IVP, 2015. ISBN: 978-0830836949 Pub. Price. $14.97 (Approx 75 pp.) Available in eReserves
Thompson, John L. “Psalms and Curses: Anger Management on Earth as it is in Heaven” Reading the Bible with the Dead: What You Can Learn from the History of Exegesis That You Can’t Learn from Exegesis Alone, Erdmanns, 2007 (12 pp.) Available in eReserves
Guidance
Farrington, Debra K. (see citation above). [17 pp. assigned].
Johnson, Ben Campbell and Andrew Dreitcer. Beyond the Ordinary: Spirituality for Church Leaders. Eerdman’s, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802847737, Pub. Price $19.50. [17 pp. assigned]. Available in eReserves.
Discernment
Helland, Roger, and Leonard Hjalmarson. Missional Spirituality: Embodying God’s Love from the Inside Out. InterVarsity Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830838073, Pub. Price $16.00 [22 pp. assigned]. Available in eReserves
Barton, Ruth Haley. “Discernment: Recognizing and Responding to the Presence of God” in Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation. IVP Books, 2006. 110-129. [19 pp.] Available in e-Reserves.
Smith, Gordon T. “Listening to God” in Times of Choice: The Art of Discerning God's Will. InterVarsity Press, 1997. 9-24. [15 pp.].Available in eReserves
Palmer, Parker. (see citation above) [Approx. 109 pp. assigned].
Stewardship
Cavanaugh, William T. Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire. Eerdmans, 2008. ISBN: 978-0802845610, Pub. Price $14.00 [25 pp. assigned]. Available in e-Reserves.
Wuthnow, Robert. Crisis in the Churches: Spiritual Malaise, Fiscal Woe. Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0195110203, Pub. Price $60.00 [18 pp. assigned]. Available in eReserves.
Rhythms of Rest
Johnson, Ben Campbell and Andrew Dreitcer. (see citation above) [15 pp. assigned]. Available in eReserves.
Kenneson, Philip D. Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community. InterVarsity Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0830822195, Pub. Price $20.00. [25 pp. assigned]. Available in eReserves
D. StrengthsFinder
Students in IS500 are required to take the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, receive a CoreClarity coaching packet based off of their top 5 strengths, and participate in a 45-minute coaching call with a CoreClarity coach. There will be a $40 charge for StrengthFinder® assessment, Coaching Packet, and Coaching Session which will automatically be charged to your student account.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
900 pages reading and videos, including at least 50 pages of biblical text. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [45 hours].
Online and Vocation Formation Group: Students will participate in active learning to foster understanding of and capacity for engaging in theologically-informed reflecting in the online classroom and through participation in Vocation Formation Groups. Students are required to engage in all of the Vocation Formation Group exercises and activities. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [32 hours+8 hours].
Directed Learning: Students will participate in directed practices and disciplines relating to Lectio Divina over the course of the quarter (10%). Students will also connect in 4 online forums during the quarter in which they will address topics related to practices and disciplines discussed in class (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2, 3, and 4]. [15 hours + 8 hours].
Autobiography. Students will create an autobiography related to practices of vocational formation (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [2 hours].
Integrated Reflections and Activities: Students will engage in 2 contextualized experiences, reflecting theologically on vocation as a result of these experiences. (6 hours + 6 hours) (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [12 hours total].
Fieldwork Activity - StrengthsFinders and CoreClarity Coaching: Students will take the Strengthsfinders/CoreClarity Assessment and debrief the results via a phone call with a professional executive coach to learn more about their strengths and how to better grow them in use for God’s mission in the world. (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1 and #2] [2 hours].
Finances and Vocation. Students will write a financial autobiography, use a practical theology method to reflect on finances, and create a resulting financial plan that supports vocational goals. During the quarter, students will keep a journal and respond to a series of 30 reflection questions that will help them frame their written financial autobiography. (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes LO #1, #2, and#3] [12 hours + 4 hours].
Signature Assignment: Students will write a 100 word CIQ response, and integration paper related to course practices, and a Rule of Life (2,500 words total). (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 3, 4]. [20 hours].
PREREQUISITES: None. Recommended in first year of study.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core integrative requirement in the 120 MDiv Program and the 80 MAT, 80 MATM, 80 MAICS Programs.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.