Summer 2015/Fuller Live!
Irvine & Pasadena
IS501
Jensen
IS501: PRACTICE OF WORSHIP (4 Units: 160 hours). Paul Jensen.
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 to shape their own understanding and practice 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 is a five-week intensive that meets twice weekly for three-hour sessions for a total of 30 instructional hours in the classroom (including 8 hours of small group). Class sessions will include lectures, large and small group discussions, videos from “expert witnesses.” There will also be 10 hour of Directed Learning Activities (DLAs) comprised of two group retreats with debrief with class members and professor. 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: 978-0802809834, 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:
Humphrey, Edith M. “Worship.” Pages 848-50 in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Zondervan, 2011.
Jensen, L. Paul. “Jesus’ Rhythms of Spirituality and Mission.” Pages 70-111 in Subversive Spirituality: Transforming Mission through the Collapse of Space and Time.” Pickwick, 2009.
Johnson, Todd. “Vision of God.” Pages 823-24 in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Zondervan, 2011.
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.
Witvliet, J. and Carrie Steenwyk. “Liturgical Spirituality.” Pages 159-166 in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Zondervan, 2011.
Scorgie, Glen. “Wonder.” Pages 845-46 in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Zondervan, 2011.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1,100 pages of required reading, 350 of which will be read communally with your small group called JIGSAW reading. You will read only 50 of these pages and benefit from the reading of your small group each of whom read [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3]. [73 hours]
A 2,000-2,500 words paper presenting the student’s owns understanding of the Bible’s perspective(s) on worship or prayer, and the use of the Bible in worship or prayer (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [14 hours].
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 (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2] [8 hours].
A 1,250 words participant-observation report of a cross-cultural worship service (12%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] [10 hours].
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 (8%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] [5 hours].
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 (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1] [10 hours].
Practice of worship and prayer: two one-day prayer retreats to be done as a class (5 hours each for worship, prayer, silence, solitude and debrief); (30%) [These assignments are related to learning outcome #4] [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.