Summer 2006/Pasadena
Two-week Intensive: July 3-14
ET573
Bacote
ET573: GLOBAL EMPIRE OR CHRIST'S KINGDOM? SHOULD CHRISTIANS RUN THE WORLD?
Vincent E. Bacote.
DESCRIPTION: Should Christians seek political and social power? This course
aims to help students understand the goal of Christian social engagement. Is
the goal to faithfully witness to divine power, seek power, or both? Or does it
depend upon the nation-state from which the Christian comes? The course will
consider the impact of globalization and political power on our world, and
in conversation with Liberationist, Catholic, Anabaptist, and
Neo-Calvinist perspectives, begin to develop an approach to living with
fidelity to Christ's kingdom today.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) begin to understand
globalization and its cultural, economic, and political effects on the church;
(2) interact critically and sympathetically with the various Christian
approaches to the core questions of the course; (3) consider the importance of
Christian engagement in society; (4) begin to develop their own theological
approach to Christian public engagement in light of the challenges in our era;
(5) begin to develop an approach to ministry that recovers or creates ways of
shaping Christian life as a response to some of the challenges of
globalization.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Students will begin to develop a theological basis for
understanding the practice of faithful Christian discipleship in the midst of
the unique challenges of our era. It is vital that leaders of the church
prepare themselves to present an understanding of social and political power
that recognizes their proper use and deforming capacities.
COURSE FORMAT: The course is a two-week intensive, meeting daily for four
hours of lecture/discussion and some presentations.
REQUIRED READING:
- Avram, Wes, ed. Anxious About Empire: Theological Essays on the
New Global Realities. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2004.
- Budde, Michael. The (Magic) Kingdom of God: Christianity and Global
Culture Industries. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998.
- Heslam, Peter S. Globalization: Unravelling the New Capitalism.
Cambridge: Grove Books, 2002.
- Webb, Stephen H. American Providence: The Global Destiny of American
Christianity. New York: Continuum, 2004.
- Course Reader. Readings from James K. A. Smith, Introducing Radical
Orthodoxy; John Bolt, A Free Church, A Holy Nation: Abraham Kuyper's
American Public Theology; Craig A. Carter, The Politics of the Cross:
The Theology and Social Ethics of John Howard Yoder; James W. Skillen,
In Pursuit of Justice: Christian-Democractic Explorations and With or
Against the World? America's Role among the Nations; and others to be
determined.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Students will keep a journal for interaction with the reading material
(25%).
- A midterm exam on Friday (25%).
- Prepare a class presentation for July 14. Depending upon class size, this
may be a group project. This will reveal your developing thought about the core
questions of the course and provide an opportunity for feedback from the
professor and fellow students as you write your research/position paper
(15%).
- A research/position paper of 8-10 pages (12 point Times New Roman font with
one inch margins) that will present your answer to the central question of the
course. While the aim is to present the student's perspective, the paper should
be conversant with a range of theological perspectives. Due on August 4
(negotiable with the professor) (35%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.