Winter 2018/Fuller Online

IS501

Burton

IS501: PRACTICES OF WORSHIP (4 Units: 160 hours). Bryan Burton

DESCRIPTION:

LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will have demonstrated capacities to critically reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of worship and prayer. (2) Students will have demonstrated through participation in local contexts the capacity to engage in activities and exercises related to Christian spiritual disciplines and practices of worship and prayer. (3) Students will have demonstrated capacities to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic and personal practices of worship and prayer. (4) Students will have articulated how practices of worship and prayer 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: 1,200 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent in viewing.

REQUIRED GENERAL TEXTS (all to be purchased)

Peterson, David. Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. IVP Academic, 2002. ISBN: 978-0830826971, Pub. Price $28.00 [317 pp.].

Smith, James K. A. You are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit. Brazos Press, 2016. ISBN: 978-1587433801, Pub. Price $19.99 [224 pp.]

Webber, Robert. Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God’s Narrative. Baker, 2008. ISBN: 978-0801066245, Pub Price $20.00 [135 pp.]

Bible Reading/Praying the Bible Weekly Spiritual Formation: Reinders, Philip. Seeking God’s Face: Praying with The Bible through the Year. Baker, 2010. ISBN: 978-0801072642. Pub Price $29.95 [125 pp. devotional guide assigned to correspond to the weeks of the course.]

REQUIRED TEXTS FOR CORE PRACTICES

Sabbath-Keeping

Confession

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. “Confession and community” in Life Together. HarperOne, 2009. ISBN: 978-0060608521, Pub. Price $14.99 [pp. 110-122]. (FULLER E-RESERVES)

Praise

Brueggemann, Walter. “Praise as a Constitutive Act” in Israel’s Praise: Doxology against Idolatry and Ideology. Augsburg Fortress Press, 1988. ISBN: 978-0800620448, Pub. Price $19.00 [pp. 1-28]. (FULLER E-RESERVES)

Communion

Wright, NT. The Meal Jesus Gave Us. 2nd edition. Westminster/John Knox, 2015. ISBN: 978-0664261290, Pub Price $14.00 [96 pp.]. (PURCHASE)

Gathering and Sending

Schmit, Clayton J. Sent and Gathered. A Worship Manual for the Missional Church. Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0801031656, Pub. Price $22.00 [52 pp. assigned]. (FULLER E-RESERVE)

Reading and Proclaiming the Word

Charry, Ellen (ed). Inquiring after God. “Inquiring after God when Meditating on Scripture” and “Inquiring after God when Preaching”. Wiley-Blackwell, 2000. ISBN: 978-0631205449, Pub Price $66.95 [50 pp. assigned]. (FULLER E-RESERVE)

Prayer

Kreeft, Peter. Prayer for Beginners. Ignatius, 2000. ISBN: 978-0898707755, Pub. Price $14.95 [130 pp.]. (PURCHASE)

Enacting the Prophetic

Labberton, Mark. The Dangerous Act of Worship. IVP, 2012. ISBN: 978-0830834143, Pub Price $16.00 [22 pp. Chapter 7 “When Worship Talks to Power”]. (FULLER E-RESERVE)

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1,200 pages reading, audio/video. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [60 hours].
Online Vocation Formation Group (VFG) Participation: Students will participate in active learning to foster understanding of and capacity for engaging in theologically-informed reflection in the online classroom and through participation in Vocation Formation Groups. Students will engage in spiritual disciplines and discussion around Sabbath-keeping, confession, praise, and implications of these practices for vocational formation. (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, #2, #3 and #4]. [8 hours]
Directed Exercises and Integrative Reflection through two fieldwork activities assigned. Students will participate in 2 directed fieldwork assignments that allow the student to reflect on worship/prayer practices and disciplines over the course of the quarter. (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 and #3]. [5 hours+5 hours=10 hours].
Weekly Forum Posts including a brief weekly spiritual formation journal post based on Seeking God’s Face: Praying with The Bible through the Year (see #1 above) and other brief forums demonstrating reflection/integration of course materials. (25%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, #2, #3]. [30 hours].
Autobiography: Students will introduce themselves (written or video post) with essential autobiographical information, including “desert island” selections as assigned, as well as a brief autobiographical reflection on student’s current practices/disciples of personal and communal worship. (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [2 hours].
A 1000-1200 word research and reflection paper which presents the student’s understanding of the role of The Bible and the Practices of Worship guided by David Peterson’s Engaging with God (required text for course). (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and #3]. [25 hours].
Signature Assignment: Integration paper that reflects theologically on the practices of this course and their implications for the student’s response to the CIQ and the exercises, habits, and disciplines in writing or revising a Rule of Life (1,200-1,500 words). (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #3, and #4]. [25 hours].

PREREQUISITES: IS500 encouraged. Recommended in first year of study.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.