Fall 2015/Pasadena
IS500
Bolsinger
IS500: TOUCHSTONE: PRACTICES OF VOCATIONAL FORMATION (4 Units: 160 hours). Tod Bolsinger.
DESCRIPTION: Christian practices constitute the Christian life. The combined Christian practices of vocational formation, worship, community, and mission facilitate the integration of personal, spiritual, academic, and global formation into the vocational coherence of a Christian leader through reflection, relationships, and practices. IS500 is an integrative course that explores the identity and practices of Christian vocational formation as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (Listening, Guidance, Lament, Discernment, Stewardship, Simplicity, Rhythms of Rest, Honoring the Body).
LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of vocational formation. (2) Students will participate in local contexts and demonstrate the capacity to engage in activities and exercisesrelated to Christian spiritual disciplines and practices ofvocational formation. (3) Students will demonstrate the capacity to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic practices of vocational formation. (4) Students will articulate how vocational formation practices impact their response to the Central Integration Question (CIQ) and will identify exercises, habits, and disciplines to embody these practices within their sociocultural context.
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 (which includes 8 hours of participation in vocation and formation groups).
REQUIRED READING: 907 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent time in viewing, including:
A. Placher, William C. Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation. Eerdmans, 2005. ISBN: 978-0802829276, Pub. Price $30.00 [approx. 150 pages assigned].
B. Labberton, Mark. Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today. IVP, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830836833, Pub. Price $16.00 [176 pages].
C. Garber, Steven. Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good. IVP, 2014. ISBN: 978-0830836666, Pub. Price $16.00 [150 pages assigned].
D. Palmer, Parker. Let Your Life Speak. Jossey-Bass, 1999. ISBN: 978-0787947354, Pub. Price $18.95. [Approx 100 pp assigned]
E. Phillips, Susan. The Cultivated Life: From Ceaseless Striving to Receiving Joy. IVP, 2015. ISBN: 978-0830835980, Pub. Price $17.00 [approx 125 pages assigned].
F. 30 online articles and viewing of 40 videos [200 pages equivalent].
CORE PRACTICES: Listening, Guidance, Lament, Discernment, Stewardship, Simplicity, Rhythms of Rest, Honoring the Body.
Students in IS500 are required to take the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, receive a CoreClarity coaching packet based off of their top 5 strengths, and participate in a 45-minute coaching call with a CoreClarity coach. There will be a $40 charge for StrengthFinder® assessment, Coaching Packet, and Coaching Session which will automatically be charged to your student account.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
PREREQUISITES: None. Recommended in first year of study.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core integrative requirement in the 120 MDiv and the 80 MAT, 80 MATM, 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015).
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.