Winter 2019/Online

IS503

King

IS503: PRACTICES OF MISSION (4 Units: 161 hours). Roberta R. King.

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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. IS503 is an integrative course that explores the identity and practices of Christian mission as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (witness, mercy, reconciliation, advocacy, creation care, friendship, inculturation, and inter-religious dialogue) 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 mission; (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 mission (3) Students will have demonstrated capacities to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic and personal practices of mission; (4) Students will articulate how practices of mission 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: 832 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent time in viewing, including 50 assigned pages from the Bible.

Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. ISBN: 978-1570759116, Pub. Price $35.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [208 pp. assigned].

Bible: Exodus and Luke. [50 pp. assigned].

Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christ-like Humility. InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830833788, Pub. Price $18.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [200 pp. assigned].

Finke, Greg. Joining Jesus on His Mission: How to Be An Everyday Missionary. TenthPower Publishing, 2014. ISBN: 978-1938840029, Pub. Price $15.99 [75 pp. assigned].

Sunquist, Scott W. Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013. ISBN: 978-0801036156, Pub. Price $34.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [193 pp. assigned].

Video and Website viewing [7 hours] – TBA (i.e. The Mission, 1 TV Episode, and websites)

E-Reserves Course Reader: See below for additional chapters assigned for Core Practices [TOTAL: 106 pp. assigned]

CORE PRACTICES:

1. Witness

Finke, Greg. Joining Jesus on His Mission: How to Be An Everyday Missionary. TenthPower Publishing, 2014. [Required Text].

Medearis, Carl. “Love your Neighbor: Practical Ways to Reach Out to Muslims.” Chapter 8 in Muslims, Christians, and Jesus: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationship. Bethany House, 2008. [pp. 151-184]. Available on e-Reserves.

Sunquist, Scott W. Ch. 9 “Church: The Community of Worship and Witness” in Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013. . Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text]

Sunquist, Scott W. Ch. 10 “Witnessing Community: Evangelism and Christian Mission” in Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013. . Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

2. Mercy

Kirk, J. Andrew. What Is Mission?: Theological Explorations. Fortress Press, 2000. [pp. 96-117.] Available on e-Reserves.

3. Reconciliation

Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Chapter 5 Unraveling a “Complex Reality” in Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

4. Dialogue

Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Chapter 2: “’We Were Gentle Among You:’ Christian Mission as Dialogue,” in Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

McConnell, C. Douglas. "Missional Principles and Guidelines for Interfaith Dialogue." Evangelical Interfaith Dialogue 1, no. 1 (Winter 2010): 3-5. Available on e-Reserves.

5. Inculturation

Pocock, Michael, Gailyn Van Rheenen, and Douglas McConnell. "Contextualization." Chap. 12 in The Changing Face of World Missions: Engaging Contemporary Issues and Trends. Baker Academic, 2005. [pp. 321-48]. Available on e-Reserves.

6. Friendship

Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility. IVP Books, 2006. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

7. Creation Care

Kirk, J. Andrew. What Is Mission?: Theological Explorations. Fortress Press, 2000. [pp. 164-183]. Available on e-Reserves.

8. Advocacy

Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Chapter 7 “Letting God and Speaking Out” in Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

Sunquist, Scott W. Ch. 11 “Urban Community: Mission and the City” in Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

Sunquist, Scott W. Ch. 12 “Global Community: Partnership in Mission” in Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [Required Text].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Bosch, David J. "Evangelism: Theological Currents and Cross-Currents Today." International Bulletin of Missionary Research 11, no. 3 (1987): 98-103.

Medearis, Carl. Muslims, Christians, and Jesus: Gaining Understanding and Building Relationships. Bethany House, 2008. ISBN: 978-0764205675, Pub. Price $15.99.

Pocock, Michael, Gailyn Van Rheenen, and Douglas McConnell. The Changing Face of World Missions: Engaging Contemporary Issues and Trends. Baker Academic, 2005. ISBN: 978-0801026614, Pub. Price $30.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 832 pages reading and videos, including at least 50 pages of biblical text, 7 hours of video, TV, and website viewing [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #3]. [62 hours].
2. Online and 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. (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #3 and #4]. [32 hours+8 hours].
3. Autobiography: Students will create an autobiography related to practices of mission (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [2 hours].
4. Directed Exercises and Integrative Reflection: Student will participate in disciplines and exercises outside of the classroom over the course of the quarter related to the core practices of the course and reflect on these experiences in a way that integrates experience with course content. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2 and #3] [20 hours].
5. Three fieldwork activities and reflections (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [6 hours + 6 hours = 12 hours].
6. Final Integrative 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 their current Rule of Life. (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: Meets a core integrative requirement in the 120 MDiv Program and the 80 MAT, 80 MATM, 80 MAICS Programs.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.