Spring 2008/Pasadena
WS519
Johnson

WS5519: WORSHIP MINISTRY AND THE SEASONS OF LIFE. Todd E. Johnson.


DESCRIPTION: This course will explore both the practical and theoretical dimensions of worship leadership. It will examine issues relating to the planning and implementing of worship on the feasts, fasts and other holy days of the Christian calendar across various Christian traditions. It will also explore the creation and use of pastoral rites throughout the life cycle. This course will focus on the ways in which Christian worship can be adjusted and adapted to specific times in the life of a church and the life of its people. Special attention will be paid to the rites of marriage and burial across Christian traditions. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in the planning process of our all-seminary chapels.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: There are four goals for learning that will drive this course. First, the student will understand the importance and centrality of corporate worship to the mission and ministry of a congregation. Second, the student will learn the seasons of the Christian year and those days and seasons that are relevant to their own tradition. Third, the student will develop a greater understanding of the pastoral dimensions of liturgical ministry in pastoral rites. Fourth, the student will be able to articulate and apply a praxis-theory-praxis methodology for liturgical ministry.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: One of the open doors the church has to the wider world are special moments in a person's life and Christian holidays throughout the year. This course will enable the student to consider the role ritual plays as a pastoral tool in crucial junctures in the life of faith of individuals and communities. It will help the student to negotiate the public-pastoral tension in Christian services such as Christmas, Easter, weddings and funerals. This course will provide students with an invaluable opportunity to develop skills in pastoral liturgy.

COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet twice weekly for two-hour meetings. It will involve lecture and discussion of reading material, as well as various forms of applying the concepts in this class to liturgical praxis. The course grade will be based on projects involving case studies and other exercises of applications of the course material.

REQUIRED READING:

Course Reader.

Anderson, Herbert, and Edward Foley. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals: Weaving Together the Human and the Divine. Jossey-Bass, 1998.

Capps, Donald. Life Cycle Theory and Pastoral Care. Wipf and Sock, 2002.

Stookey, Lawrence. Calendar: Christ's Time in the Church. Abingdon, 1996.

Westerhoff, J. H., III, and W. H. Willimon. Liturgy and Learning Through the Life Cycle. Order of St Luke Publications, 1994.

A book of worship and/or a minister's manual that could be used in the student's tradition.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Chilton, Bruce. Redeeming Time. Hendrickson, 2002.

Hynes, Mary Ellen. Companion to the Calendar. Liturgy Training Publications, 1993.

Evans, Abigail. Healing Liturgies for the Seasons of Life. Westminster/John Knox, 2004.

ASSIGNMENTS: (1) Completion of assigned readings, participation in our class discussions and attendance. (2) Plan services for Christmas and Easter within the student's tradition. (3) Plan a wedding and funeral service within the student's tradition. (4) The final assignment is to plan an entire worship in response to a case study. This will be annotated by the reasons behind the student's choices.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective for general MDiv; required course for MDiv Worship, Theology and the Arts concentration and the MA in Worship, Theology and the Arts.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (2/08)