Winter 2015/Pasadena

IS501

Johnson

IS501: PRACTICE OF WORSHIP (4 Units: 160 hours). Todd Johnson.

DESCRIPTION: The course will explore practices oriented toward the formation of God’s people through personal and corporate prayer and worship, in light of the Bible, history, theology, cross-cultural studies, and ritual studies.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated the ability to (1) articulate their understanding of the vital relationship between Scripture, prayer, and worship; (2) draw on the church’s historical and multi-cultural worship traditions in their own formulation of the nature of personal and corporate prayer and worship; (3) articulate an understanding of how Christian worship worldwide is an embodied social act, embedded in cultures and societies; (4) apply their understanding of the life of personal and corporate prayer and worship to their own lives and the lives of a congregation; and (5) construct a plan for their lives of personal and corporate prayer and worship while a student at Fuller Seminary.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets twice weekly for two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion (including 8 hours of small group). The class will include lectures, large and small group discussions, videos from “expert witnesses,” and group offerings of prayer services with feedback from the class. There will also be required work through the Moodle portal for small group interaction.

REQUIRED READING: 1,100 pages of required reading

The Holy Bible. CEB, NRSV, and TNIV translations are acceptable [50 pp.].

Bradshaw, Paul. Two Ways of Praying. OSL Publications, 2008. ISBN: 978-1878009593, Pub. Price $19.95 [100 pp.].

Farhadian, Charles E. Christian Worship Worldwide: Expanding Horizons, Deepening Practices. Eerdmans, 2007. ISBN: 978-0802828538, Pub. Price $22.00 [170 pp.].

Foster, Richard and Emilie Griffin, eds., Spiritual Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups on the Twelve Spiritual Disciplines. HarperOne, 2007. ISBN: 978-0060628727, Pub. Price $16.99 [150 pp.].

Hawn, Michael. Gather into One: Praying and Singing Globally. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 978-080209834, Pub. Price $31.50 [120 pp.].

Peterson, David. Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. IVP Academic, 2002. ISBN: 978-0830826971, Pub. Price $26.00 [200 pp.].

Ross, Melanie C. Evangelical Versus Liturgical? Defying the Dichotomy. Eerdmans, 2014. ISBN: 978-0802869913, Pub. Price $17.00 [150 pp.].

Course Reader [160 pp.] including:

Pederson, A. M. “The nature of embodiment: Religion and science in dialogue.” Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science 45:1 (2010): 264-272.

Witvliet, J. “The Cumulative Power of Transformation in Public Worship: Cultivating Gratitude and Expectancy for the Holy Spirit’s Work.” Pages 41-58 in Worship That Changes Lives: Multidisciplinary and Congregational Perspectives on Spiritual Transformation. Edited by Alexis D. Abernethy. Baker, 2008.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 1,100 pages of required reading [This assignment is related to learning outcome #]. [73 hours]

  2. A 2,000-2,500 words paper presenting the student’s owns understanding of the Bible’s perspective(s) on worship, and the use of the Bible in worship (35%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [14 hours].

  3. Three 250 words reflections on the readings posted in small groups in Moodle Forums. Two 50 word responses to classmates for each post are expected to reflect on the readings as well (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [8 hours].

  4. A 1,250 words participant-observation report of a cross-cultural worship service (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [10 hours].

  5. Presentation in small groups of one’s description and assessment of one’s own ecclesial tradition’s practices of personal and corporate prayer and worship (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] [5 hours].

  6. Writing a 1,250 words life rule for the student’s time in seminary, demonstrating integration of course materials into both the reasoning and the rule itself (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [10 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None. Recommended in first year of study.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core integrative requirement in the 120 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.