Spring 2018/Fuller Online

PR535

Pasquarello

PR535: Preaching the Bible as Christian Scripture (4 Units: 160 hours). Dr. Mike Pasquarello III

DESCRIPTION: This course provides opportunities for practicing and reflecting upon preaching from Scripture as a unified witness to the God of Israel that finds its center in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Integrating biblical, theological, and pastoral exegesis, this course cultivates habits of reading, thinking, and speaking appropriate to building up communities of disciples in the service of God’s mission. PR535 is designed as a 4-unit practicum in preaching that follows PR500 in the sequence of required preaching courses. The course provides students with an opportunity to work the “Developing” and “Mastery” levels of competence by preparing, preaching, listening to, responding to, and assessing sermons in a classroom setting. Instructors lead students through the following steps: assessing one’s prior preaching experience; setting personal goals for the class; preparing and preaching sermons; receiving feedback on sermons and engaging in self- assessment; making specific plans for continued growth and improvement; reflecting on one’s experience during the class; setting goals for continued learning and growth in preaching after completion of the class.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course students will have demonstrated (1) competence in biblical interpretation through faithful use of the whole canon of Scripture in proclaiming the gospel; (2) capacities for engaging listeners in preaching as a formative activity in the context of worship; (3) an understanding of how the theology of the Church and its historical developments, including the practice of preaching, inform the proclamation of the gospel in the present; (4) competence in preaching as a theologically reflective practice that serves the Church’s vocation of proclaiming the gospel in the whole of life; and (5) competence in preaching from the Bible as Christian Scripture, as a “means of grace” which calls attention to the initiative and activity, as both judgment and mercy, of the Triune God in the present.

COURSE FORMAT: The class is conducted online for the equivalent of 40 instructional hours (160 total hours of course work) and includes posts and video presentations by the professor, class discussion, individual and collaborative learning activities, required reading and written responses, and the preparation and preaching of three (3) sermons to listening groups comprising a minimum of 5 members. Sermons address the particular contexts of listening groups and are videoed and posted on the class Canvas site. Students receive feedback, evaluative comments, and guidance for continued learning and development from the listening group, class members, and the professor. Students engage in self - assessment and reflection after preaching each sermon. In addition to online discussions following each sermon, students have the opportunity to consult individually with the professor through a variety of venues.

REQUIRED READING: 602 pages required. If you have previously read any of the required texts, please contact the instructor for an alternative text.

Barth, Karl. Homiletics. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley and Donald E. Daniels. Westminster John Knox, 1991. ISBN: 978-0664251581, Pub. Price $30.00 [136 pp.].

Lohfink, Gerhard. Does God Need the Church?: Toward a Theology of the People of God. Michael Glazier, 1999. ISBN: 978-0814659281, Pub. Price $39.95 [326 pp. assigned]

Massey, James Earl. Stewards of the Story: The Task of Preaching. Westminster/John Knox, 2006. ISBN: 978-0664229818, Pub. Price $20.00 [126 pp.].

Selected passages of Scripture [approximately 30 pages]

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

602 pages of required reading (16%). [This assignment is related to outcomes # 1, 2, 3, 4] [30 hours].
Prepare and preach two (2) sermons and provide a self-assessment (these assignments have 2 parts): (a) Prepare and preach a sermon, with particular attention to the place of preaching in worship and preaching as a catechetical/formative practice of the church. Preaching will include sermons from both the Old and New Testaments. Students will submit exegetical notes with each sermon. The professor will provide guidelines for exegetical work. (b) Complete a substantive homiletic self-assessment after each sermon that reflects specifically on both strengths and weaknesses and sets goals for continuing improvement and growth in preparing and preaching sermons (42%). [This assignment is related to outcomes #1, 2, 4]. [60 hours]. Please note that sermons require a minimum of 5 “listeners” who will be recruited by the student. Students who have access to preaching for a congregation or group/ministries within congregations should consider these as options. Ministries outside the congregation are also acceptable: nursing homes, shelters, retirement communities, prison ministries, chaplaincy settings, etc. What matters is that the Word of God is proclaimed in a manner that is faithful and appropriate.
Preach a third sermon and provide an essay that includes assessment with theological reflection (2 parts): (a) Prepare and preach a sermon. Submit notes on biblical interpretation that support the sermon, including an assessment of the preaching context(s) [liturgical, ecclesial, social, cultural, economic, etc.] Exegetical work should emphasize interpreting texts within the whole biblical canon for proclaiming the gospel. (b) Write a 300-word assessment that reflects theologically on the sermon in light of the course objectives and the evaluation sheet provided in the syllabus (14%). [This assignment is related to outcomes # 1, 4]. [20 hours].
Regularly and actively participate in various course activities via Canvas (20%). [This assignment is related to outcomes # 1, 2, 3, 4]. [40 hours].
Write a 1200 word final paper that reflects theologically on: (1) the student’s work and experience during the class and sets goals for continued growth in the practice of preaching; (2) the student’s vocational plans to serve God’s mission through the ministry of the Word, including theological reflection on the particular challenges, opportunities and characteristics of one’s anticipated ministry context(s); and (3) continued learning and formation appropriate for the ministry of the Word within and/or beyond congregational life (5%). [This assignment is related to outcome # 4]. [7 hours].
Write an initial 900 word “preaching autobiography” that describes and reflects on: 1) the student’s experience of preaching - as a student and participant in communities of faith; 2) the student’s hopes and goals for the class; 3) the student’s understanding of the ministry of the Word as a form of leadership that serves God’s mission (3%). [This assignment is related to outcome # 4] [3 hours].

PREREQUISITES: PR500. It is recommended that students take preaching courses towards the end of their program. Students must be able to gather a listening group of at least 5 people for each sermon that will be delivered.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the P1 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Meets the core requirement in Preaching and Communication (MIN2) in the 144 MDiv program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.