Fall 2003/Pasadena
EV523
Young
EV523: EVANGELISM AND MEDIA CULTURE. Scott D. Young.
DESCRIPTION:
- This class aims to design a theology of evangelism that acquires an
appreciation for and a selective appropriation of our media culture. The class
will provide a creative environment to discern the communication patterns in
the biblical text and learn from contemporary technologies of communication.
What does it mean to be witnesses to the Kingdom of God? How are we to
understand Christ and culture? Why should we become competent viewers of
images? How has the proliferation of images irreversibly changed how people
learn? Can evangelism survive and thrive in popular culture? What are the
probing questions intrinsic to the Gospel that challenge the hegemony of media
culture? These crucial queries inform the nexus of evangelism and media culture
to be considered in this course.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
- Reflecting on the inescapable influence of media culture that impacts
church communications.
- Developing a thoughtful theological framework for practicing evangelism in
our culture.
- Identifying ways that inventive evangelism can be authentically Gospel and
visually stimulating.
COURSE FORMAT:
- The course will meet once a week for three-hour sessions for ten
weeks. The class will be in seminar style, utilizing presentation, student work
groups, field trips, guest panelists, media exhibits, and discussion. The class
will invite a variety of perspectives on practices of evangelism and the habits
of media.
REQUIRED READING:
- Brueggemann, W. Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism.
Abingdon, 1993.
- Kellner, D. Media Culture. Routledge, 1995.
- Romanowski, W. Pop Culture Wars. InterVarsity Press, 1996.
- Stephens, M. The Rise of the Image, The Fall of the Word. Oxford,
1998.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Student oral presentation (20% of grade).
- 3-5 page paper reflecting on a particular media experience/notebook on
popular culture (30% of grade).
- 10-12 page paper developing a theology of evangelism in context of a media
culture
(50% of grade).
- 1000 pages reading.
PREREQUISITES:
- None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
- Meets M. Div. core requirement in Evangelism (MIN 3).
FINAL EXAMINATION:
- None.