Fall 2019/Online

IS503

Mainiero

IS503: PRACTICES OF MISSION (4 Units: 160 hours). Andrew J. Mainiero.

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 have articulated 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.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course will provide students with further opportunity to develop and/or master skills in integrating theological and missiological content with life experience and context through engaging a variety of spiritual practices related to the practice of mission, which is consistent with the SOT/SIS PLO “Students will have demonstrated capacities to cultivate a theologically reflective practice of Christian discipleship.” (MDiv, MAT, MATM, MAICS). Content in this course contributes to all MAICS learning outcomes (MAICS). This course may also contribute to various learning outcomes in the MAGL related to integrating theology and praxis in ministry and mission, and related to spiritual formation (MAGL).

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: 652 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent time in viewing.

  1. Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. ISBN: 978-1570759116, $35.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [96 pp. assigned].
  2. Katongole, Emmanuel and Chris Rice. Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing. IVP, 2008. ISBN: 978-0830834518, Pub. Price $18.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [130 pp. assigned].

OR

McNeil, Brenda Salter. Roadmap to Reconciliation: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness and Justice. IVP, 2015. ISBN: 978-0830844425, Pub. Price $18.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [130 pp. assigned].

  1. McNeil, Brenda Salter. A Credible Witness: Reflections On Power, Evangelism And Race. IVP, 2008. ISBN: 978-0830834822, Pub. Price $17.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [130 pp. assigned].

OR

Harper, Lisa Sharon. The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right. WalterBrook, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-60142-857-8, Pub. Price, $19.99. [120 pp. assigned]

Bible Readings from Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Esther, John, Acts, Pauline Letters and Revelation [c. 50 pp. assigned].

See below for additional readings assigned for core practices [total 376 pp. assigned].

Creation Care

Wright, Christopher J.H. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830825714 [Chapter 10 pp. 324-356]. Available on eReserves.

Gnanakan, Ken R. ”Creation and Ecology” from The Global Dictionary of Theology, editors William A. Dyrness and Veli-Matti Karkkainen. IVP Press, 2008, 207-214. Available on eReserves.

Woodly, Randy S. Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision. William B. Eerdmans Pub. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-8028-6678-3 [Chapter 4 pp. 67-93; Chapter 6 pp. 111-136]. Available on eReserves.

Reconciliation

“Reconciliation as the Mission of God: Faithful Christian Witness in a World of Destructive Conflicts and Divisions.” Lausanne Occasional Paper #51 (2005). Presented at the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, Pattaya, Thailand, Sept 29 to Oct 5, 2004 [Introduction and all of section I (15 pages) then 4 case studies 5-10 pages chosen by students from section II. Total pages 20 - 25]. Free download from: https://www.lausanne.org/content/lop/lop-51

Hart, Drew G.I. Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism. Herald Press, 2016. Chapter 5, “Whiteness Matters” (pp. 97 – 116). Available on eReserves.

Emerson, Michael O., Christian Smith. Divided By Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. Oxford University Press, 2000. Chapters 1 and 2 pp. 5 – 50. Available on eReserves.

Kendall, Frances E. Understanding White Privilege: Creating Pathways to Authentic Relationships Across Race. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group 2013, Chapter 8 pp. 138 – 152.

Advocacy

“Introduction to Advocacy,” Advocacy e-lab, last modified Feb 17, 2014. Watch online at: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdvocacyeLab.

“Advocacy in the Foster Care System of Los Angeles County” video interviews available online.

Mercy

Grisez, Germain. The Way of the Lord Jesus, Volume 2: Living a Christian Life. Franciscan Pr, 1993. ISBN: 978-0819909619, Pub. Price $17.99, http://www.twotlj.org/G-2-6-F.html. Chapter 6: Love, Justice, Mercy, and Social Responsibility.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta on Mercy on Irish Television, 1974. Published on Aug 31, 2013. Watch online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th2QzJwy8tI

Smith, Efrem. “Compassion, Mercy and Justice” chapter 3 in The Post Black and Post White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multiethnic World. Jossey-Bass, 2012, 41-64. Available on eReserves.

Witness

Bosch, David J. “Evangelism: Theological Currents and Cross-currents Today.” International Bulletin of Missionary Research 11, no. 3 (July 1987): 98-103. Available on eReserves.

DeYmaz, Mark. “The Prayer of Christ” chapter 1 from Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church: Mandate, Commitments and Practices of a Diverse Congregation. Jossey-Bass, 2007, 3 – 12. Available on eReserves.

Inculturation

Martinez, Juan F., “Acculturation” from The Global Dictionary of Theology editors William A. Dyrness and Veli-Matti Karkkainen. IVP Press, 2008, pp. 1 – 2. Available on eReserves.

Pocock, Michael, Gailyn Van Rheenen, and Douglas McConnell. "Contextualization." in The Changing Face of World Missions: Engaging Contemporary Issues and Trends. Baker Academic, 2005, 321-348. Available on eReserves.

Neelankavil, Tony, From Inculturation to Interculturality: A Methodological Move in Asian Churches’ Encounters with Cultures, in The Church and Culture in India, Inculturation: Theory and Praxis, ed. by Paul Pulikkan & Paul M. Collins, Delhi: ISPCK, 2010, pp. 11-24. Available on-line.

Friendship

Cleveland, Christena. Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart. InterVarsity Press, 2013. Chapter 9, “Creating Positive Crosscultural Interactions” (pp. 152-176). Available on eReserves.

Robert, Dana L. “Global Friendship as Incarnational Missional Practice.” International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 39 no 4 (Oct 2015): 180-184.

Interreligious Dialogue

“Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct.” World Council of Churches, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, World Evangelical Alliance International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct 2011) 194-196.

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

Mission As Presence

Mainiero, Andrew J. “A Mission Theology for Multiethnic Church Formation in North America”. Available online (27 pp.).

Roozen, David A., William McKinney and Jackson W. Carroll. “Religious Presence, Its Definition and History” from chapter 1 in Varieties of Religious Presence: Mission in Public Life. The Pilgrim Press, 1984, pp. 15 – 22. Available on eReserves.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 652 pages reading and videos, including 50 pages of biblical text [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [48 hours].
  2. Online Instruction 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. (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #3 and #4]. [32 hours+8 hours].
  3. Mission Project: Students will develop their own mission project related to their understanding of God’s call on their lives. This project will relate to the CIQ answer reshaped in the course and include implementation of certain practices of mission studied during the quarter. The project will be student directed and focused. It will require some investigation and the development of a creative presentation meant to be given to an organization, church etc. that might help facilitate the project for the student. The development of the project is the requirement for the course but it is hoped that the student will be motivated to implement the project in the future (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #4]. [10 hours].
  4. Autobiography: Students will create an autobiography related to the practices of mission (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [2 hours].
  5. Directed Exercises and Integrative Reflection: Students will weekly participate in the disciplines of missiological Bible reading and intercession as well as exercises outside of the classroom related to the core practices of the course and reflect on these experiences in a way that integrates experience with course content. These exercises will include possible visits to a formal religious expression of another religion or ethnicity or multiethnic church, and possible interviews and engagement with those of a different racial identity, culture, undocumented status etc. A short integrative write up of 500 words related to the class reading and Directed Exercises will be assigned each week. (35%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, #2 and #3.] [40 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. (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #3, and #4]. [20 hours].

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

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core integration requirement in the 120 MDiv and the 80 MAT, 80 MATM, 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015).

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. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.