Summer 2011/Pasadena
Two-week Intensive: August 1-12
TC509
Taylor
TC509: THEOLOGY AND POP CULTURE. Barry Taylor.
DESCRIPTION: This course will engage students in a two-way dialogue between pop
culture and theology, with particular emphasis upon music, movies, TV, art,
fashion, and sports. Students will develop a biblical, theological, and
historical understanding of these art forms and a critical understanding of the
advertising, consumerism, and celebrity that drives pop culture.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Ministry in a postmodern context must
contend with the rising impact of technology and entertainment. This course
will equip students to think critically and theologically about pop culture.
Special attention will given to finding God in pop cultural art forms and
crafting compelling and creative online responses to issues of race, gender,
economics, and justice.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will develop critical grids for evaluating pop
cultural products. Students will find points of contact
(Anknüpfungspunkte) between God and popular culture. Students will
sharpen their skills as interpretive leaders for church, ministry, and
therapeutic settings. Students will engage in public theology, joining the
broad conversation regarding faith and culture.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will utilize lectures, discussions, pop cultural
forms, and student input. The class will meet daily for four-hour sessions for
two weeks.
REQUIRED READING/VIEWING:
- Detweiler, Craig, and Barry Taylor. A Matrix of Meanings.
Baker Academic, 2003. ISBN-13: 9780801024177; ISBN-10: 080102417X. Publisher
price: $28.00.
- During, Simon, ed. The Cultural Studies Reader. Routledge, 1993.
ISBN: 9780415374132. Publisher price: $45.95.
- Lynch, Gordon. Understanding Theology and Popular Culture.
Blackwell, 2005. ISBN: 9781405117487. Publisher price: $38.95.
- Stevens, Tim. Pop Goes the Church. Power Publishing, 2008. ISBN-13:
9780979017490; ISBN-10: 0979017491. Publisher price: $16.95.
- One book tied to the art form/discipline chosen for students' research
project.
- Current issues of magazines, newspapers, online publications.
- Selected recordings and events including movies, art exhibit and/or fashion
show, a sporting event.
RECOMMENDED READING: Reading list will be provided in class.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: This class will emphasize practical theology.
Course grade will be based upon
- Class attendance and participation (10%);
- Ten journal entries corresponding to class/chapters in A Matrix of
Meanings (10%);
- Two online posts/reviews aimed at the general public, creating points of
contact between theology and pop culture (20%);
- Two 2-page book reviews (20%);
- One 12-15 page research paper that concentrates upon one particular
postmodern trend and one pop cultural form. Special emphasis will be placed
upon the practical ministry application of the research (a sermon series, a
Bible study guide, a Young Life talk) (40%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective. Fulfills requirement for the MA in
Theology (Theology and the Arts format; and specialized requirements for the MA
in Worship, Theology, and the Arts, and for the MDiv Concentration in Worship,
Theology, and the Arts; meets the MACL in Integrative Studies requirement for
an interdisciplinary course (IDPL); meets the culture (CULT) requirement in
Cultural Literacy for MA programs.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (April 2011)