Winter 2016/Houston
IS502
Huffman
IS502: PRACTICE OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY (4 Units: 160 hours). Rev. Dr. Kristin Miller Huffman.
DESCRIPTION: This is an integrative course that explores the identity and practices of Christian community as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (e.g., hospitality, prayer, promise-keeping, Scripture reading, reconciliation, and testimony).
LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of community; (2) Students will demonstrate the capacity to engage Scripture, tradition, and other resources to reflect theologically on the historic practices of Christian community in particular contexts; (3) Students will demonstrate the capacity to embody specific practices of Christian community within their socio-historical context; (4) Students will articulate biblical and theological understanding of the community of God as a people called, gathered, and sent by God.
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 (including 7.5 hours of participation in vocation and formation groups) plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.
REQUIRED READING: 1000 pp. of required reading.
Please indicate how many pages are to be read per book. If you assign the entire book you may say [250 pp.], if a certain section only [150 pp. assigned].[XX pp.].
Bolsinger, Tod. It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian. Brazos, 2004. ISBN: 978-1587430893, Pub. Price $20.00 [selected readings].
Brueggemann, Walter. Mandate to Difference: An Invitation to the Contemporary Church. Westminster John Knox, 2007. ISBN: 978-066423127, Pub. Price $20.00 [selected readings].
Pohl, Christine. Living into Community: Cultivating Practices That Sustain Us. Eerdmans, 2011. ISBN: 978-0802849854, Pub. Price $20.00 [178 pp. assigned].
Readings on eReserves on Core Practices:
Christian Education/Formation
Everist, Norma Cook. “A Community of Teachers & Learners” and “Creating Different Learning Environments to be Different Together,” in The Church as Learning Community. Abingdon, 2002. ISBN: 978-0687045006, Pub. Price $31.00 [pp. 21-101].
Smith, James K.A. “Introduction: Beyond Perspectives” and “Homo Liturgicus: The Human Person as Lover, “ in Desiring the Kingdom. Baker 2009. ISBN:978-0801035777, Pub. Price $22.99 [pp. 17-35 and 37-73].
Hospitality/Inclusion
Branson, Mark Lau and Juan Martínez. Churches, Cultures and Leadership. InterVarsity, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830839261, Pub. Price $25.00 [74 pp. assigned]. Readings include the following chapters:
“Introduction.” 11-28.
“Practical Theology and Multicultural Initiatives.” 33-57.
“Missional Ecclesiology and Church Context.” 59-76.
“Sociocultural Structures, Ethnicity, and Churches” 78-94.
Conde-Fraser, Elizabeth. “From Hospitality to Shalom” in A Many Colored Kingdom. Baker, 2004. ISBN: 978-0801027437, Pub. Price $24.00 [pp. 167-201].
Wimberly, Anne-Streaty. “Called to Listen: The Imperative Vocation of Listening in Twenty-First Century Faith Communities.” International Review of Mission LXXXVII, No. 346:331-341.
Discernment
Bedford, Nancy. “Little Moves Against Destructiveness,” in Practicing Theology by Miroslav Volf and Dorothy Bass. Eeerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802849311, Pub. Price $22.00 [pp. 157-183].
Testimony/Story-telling
Daniel, Lillian. Tell It Like It Is: Reclaiming the Practice of Testimony. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005. ISBN: 978-1566993180, Pub. Price $17.00 [selections]
Required Articles:
Branson, Mark Lau and Juan Martínez, “Sociocultural Structures, Ethnicity, and Churches” and “Practices for the Calling,” in Churches, Cultures and Leadership. InterVarsity, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830839261, Pub. Price $25.00 [pp. 78-94 and 232-244 assigned].
Greene-McCreight, Kathryn. “Darkness” in Darkness is my Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness. Brazos Press, 2006 [pp. 19-35 assigned].
Olds, Jacqueline and Richard Schwartz, “The Elephant in the Room,” in The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-first Century. Beacon Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0807000359, Pub. Price $19.00 [pp. 1-12 assigned].
Roxburgh, Alan. “Practices of a Missional People,” in Journal of Missional Practice Fall 2013 (online http://themissionalnetwork.com/index.php/alan-j-roxburgh [10 pp. assigned].
Yoder, John Howard. “The Fullness of Christ” in Body Politics. Discipleship Resources, 1992. ISBN: 978-0836191608, Pub. Price $14.99 [pp. 61-70 assigned].
Biblical Texts: Minimum 100 pages of assigned reading of Scripture (Specific passages will be provided in the Syllabus).
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Please be sure that your assignments add up to at least 160 hours.
Read assigned 1000 pp. and view posted videos as scheduled; complete report sheet (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 & #4] [72 hours].
A descriptive autobiographical essay (1,000-1,200 words) on experiences of Christian community, with specific attention to practices, including what the student believes about the roots and consequences of those practices (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [4 hours].
Eight short (250 words), regular written reflections on course readings, videos, and scripture in light of LOs in Moodle forums and limited substantive engagement with the posts of other students (125 words). (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 & #4] [14 hours, including 10 hours of DLAs].
Participate weekly (8 out of 10 weeks) in the life of a congregation as a participant-observer; conduct two interviews with individuals/families to hear their stories; reflect on practices from an integrative perspective, participate in your small group discussions about your churches and their practices; write a summary paper on your research and reflections (2,200-2,500 words) (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 & #3] [35 hours].
In a class small group, engage scripture reading and other practices (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3].
Revise your response to the Central Integration Question ("At this point in your Christian journey, how do you envision your calling to God's mission in the world?") integrate your experiences, readings, lectures and reflection on Christian community. Discuss and revise, if necessary based on feedback from your small group (1,000 – 1,200 words) (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2 & #4] [5 hours].
PREREQUISITES: None. 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.