Spring 2016/Houston

IS503

Parchman

IS503: PRACTICE OF MISSION (4 Units: 163 hours). Karen Parchman.

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, Inter-Religious Dialogue, Inculturation, Friendship, Creation Care, Advocacy).

LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of mission. (2) Students will participate in local contexts and demonstrate the capacity to engage in activities and exercises related to Christian spiritual disciplines and practices of mission. (3) Students will demonstrate the capacity to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic practices of mission. (4) Students will articulate how mission practices 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 hybrid course meets nine weeks online (with at least 12 instructional hours) combined with one week on campus (28 hours which includes 8 hours of 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: *Books to Be Purchased by Students

*Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. ISBN: 978-1570759116, Pub. Price $35.00 [208 pp. assigned].

Roxburgh, Alan. “Practices of a Missional People,” in Journal of Missional Practice. Fall 2013 (onlinehttp://themissionalnetwork.com/index.php/alan-j-roxburgh. [10 pp. assigned].

*Walls, Andrew and Cathy Ross. Mission in the Twenty-First Century: Exploring the Five Marks of Global Mission. Orbis Books, 2008. ISBN: 978-1570757730, Pub. Price $28.00 [200 pp. assigned].

Bible Reading: Exodus; Acts 1-28 [50 pp. assigned].

CORE PRACTICES READINGS:

Reconciliation

Jones, Gregory L. “Forgiveness” in Practicing Our Faith. Jossey-Bass, 2010. ISBN: 978-0470484111, pp. 133-148. In eReserves.

Witness

Palmer, Parker, "Across the Great Divide: Rejoining Soul and Role", in A Hidden Wholeness. San Fransico: Jossey-Bass. 2004, ISBN: 978-0470453766, pp. 13-30. In eReserves.

Palmer, Parker, "The Truth Told Slant: The Power of Metaphor", in A Hidden Wholeness. San Fransico: Jossey-Bass. 2004, ISBN: 978-0470453766, pp. 89-112. In eReserves.

“Why Evangelism is Always Non-Negotiable”

Mercy

Mother Theresa on Mercy (approximately 30 minutes of viewing time)

Kirk, J. Andrew. What Is Mission? Theological Explorations. Fortress Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0232523263, pp. 96-117. In eReserves.

Advocacy

“How does World Vision Work?”

Bryant Myers: A Biblical View of Poverty and Development

Sloane, Andrew."Justifying advocacy: a biblical and theological rationale for speaking the truth to power on behalf of the vulnerable." Evangelical Review of Theology 36, no. 2 (April 2012): 176-186. In eReserves.

Inculturation

Greenman, Jeffrey P. and Gene L. Green. Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective. (IVP 2012). (pp 50-86) In eReserves.

“Crossing Cultures” TEDtalk by Justin Ryan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFyrwvD40-g

Friendship

Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility. IVP Books, 2006. Pp.11-36.

Lee, T.J., "Different Bridge, Different Story" in Reconciling Race, Fuller Magazine, Issue #4, 2015.  http://fullermag.com/different-bridge-different-story/

Interreligious Dialogue

*Muck, Terry and Frances S. Adeney. Christianity Encountering World Religions, The Practice of Mission in the Twenty-first Century. Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0801026607, Pub. Price $30.00 [102 pp. assigned].

Creation Care

Kirk, J. Andrew. What Is Mission? Theological Explorations. 164-183. Fortress Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0232523263. Pp. 164-183. In eReserves.

Video: Our Father’s World

OPTIONAL PRACTICE:

Healing, Signs, and Wonders

Kraft, Charles. Christianity with Power. Wipf & Stock, 2005. ISBN: 978-1597523097, Pub. Price: $21.99.

Grudem, Wayne. Ed. Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? Zondervan, 1996. ISBN: 978-1597523097, Pub. Price: $15.99.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 800 pages reading and videos, including at least 50 pages of biblical text. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [40 hours].

2. Classroom: for each practice, students will engage, reflect, create (utilizing instruction, participation, presentation, discussion, engaging practice-based theology cycle for theological reflection, case studies) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #3]. [20 hours].

3. Vocation Formation Group (VFG)-In a Vocation Formation Group, students will engage spiritual disciplines, practices, and discussion. Students will study the Bible, and share and listen to stories related to the practices (10%). (Vocation Formation Group Leader (VFGL) will let professor know if students have been present and engaged) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, and #4]. [8 hours].

4. Students will participate in directed practices and disciplines over the course of the quarter. (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [8 hours].

5. Four fieldwork activities and reflections (350-500 words each). (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [8 hours + 12 hours = 20 hours].

6. Autobiography related to core course concept (250 words). (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1]. [3 hours].

7. In-person or via social media, students will engage a non-Christian person or group in spiritual conversation, followed by a reflection paper. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [8 hours].

8. Three 500-word reflections on the reading, experience, and lecture topics and how your understanding of mission is changing in both thinking and practice. Choose one mission practice or concept to write a reflection (5% each, 15% total). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3] [10 hours].

9. Observe and describe in 1,250 words the social and religious landscape of a target community and ask how a church plant might effectively engage this context (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [18 hours].

10. Signature Assignment: 100 word CIQ response, Integration paper related to course practices, and Rule of Life (2,500 words total). (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 3, 4]. [25 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None. Recommended in first year of study. PASS/FAIL students must earn a grade of 74% or higher to pass.

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

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.