Fall 2014/Fuller Live!

Pasadena, Menlo Park, and Houston

MD575

Scott

MD575: CHILDHOOD: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE (4 Units: 160 Hours). David H. Scott.

DESCRIPTION: This course is a survey of the recent interdisciplinary field of Childhood Studies as a source of greater understanding for mission and ministry. It presents ways to integrate insights from theology, history, sociology, and cross-cultural psychology in order to consider specific topics in ministry with children such as spiritual development, the relationship between globalization and children/youth, children’s rights, and the more extreme challenges that some children and youth face globally.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will be able to: (1) analyze children and assess the social phenomenon of childhood in a given context using theological, anthropological, sociological, historical and cross-cultural psychological theories in an interdisciplinary fashion; (2) explain the contributions of a variety of notable Christian theologians throughout the history of the Church on contemporary theological understandings of children; and (3) make recommendations for enhancing ministry and mission effectiveness based on new insights.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three-hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 1,577 pages of required reading total.

Course Reader [150 pp.]

Bunge, Marcia J., ed. The Child in Christian Thought. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802846938, Pub. Price $40.00 [~30 pp. assigned, depending on small group].

Corsaro, W. A. The Sociology of Childhood. 4th ed. SAGE, 2013. ISBN: 978-1452205441, Pub. Price $50.00 [472 pp. assigned].

Hay, David and Rebecca Nye. The Spirit of the Child. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006. ISBN: 978-1843103714, Pub. Price $26.95 [172 pp. assigned].

Lancy, David F. The Anthropology of Childhood: Cherubs, Chattel, Changelings. Cambridge University Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0521716031, Pub. Price $44.00 [376 pp. assigned].

Stearns, Peter N. Childhood in World History. Routledge, 2011. ISBN: 978-0415598095, Pub. Price $31.95 [173 pp. assigned].

Strange, W. A. Children in the Early Church: Children in the Ancient World, the New Testament and the Early Church. Wipf & Stock, 2004. ISBN: 978-1592446681, Pub. Price $17.00 [123 pp. assigned].

Wells, Karen. Childhood in a Global Perspective. Polity Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0745638379, Pub. Price $24.95 [185 pp. assigned].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. DLAs: Online Theological Interactions (5%). [10 hours] [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2].

2. 1,577 pp. of required reading [79 hours].

3. Two 1,500 word integrated analyses of a particular child being studied based on a total of at least 4 hours of observation (25%). [4 hours observation, 12 hours research and writing] [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1].

4. A group online project focused on one historical theologian’s teaching about children (25%). [10 hours reading, research, and group work] [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2].

5. A 3,000 word assessment of a ministry or mission with children in a particular context that you have studied and/or with which you have experience. It must that includes recommendations for enhancing their work with children based on insights from the course (25%). [12 hours writing] [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3].

6. An exam on the class material and reading (20%). [4 hours preparation, 1 hour exam] This assignment is related to learning outcome #1 & 2].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Required class for Children at Risk emphasis. Option to meet the C1 or C2 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION:Yes.