Fall 2015/Pasadena

TC581

Johnson

TC581: WORSHIP, THEOLOGY, AND THE ARTS TOUCHSTONE (4 Units: 160 Hours). Todd E. Johnson.

DESCRIPTION: This course is the introductory course for all students entering Worship, Theology, and the Arts (WTA) concentrations at the master’s level. This course introduces the students in the WTA concentration to the methodology that will undergird their theological study of Christian worship, along with narrative, performing, and plastic arts. Beginning with Augustine’s philosophy of language and learning as introduced and developed in De Magistro and De Doctrina Christiana, and his assertion that all we have to communicate with are signs, words, and gestures, this course will explore methods of exegeting signs and gestures to supplement the exegesis of words. The course will be divided into modules, each one focusing on the application of this method to Christian worship and two art forms. One module will also focus on the writing and guest lecture of Dr. Cecilia González-Andrieu.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: A student successfully completing this course will (1) articulate the application of Augustine’s theory of communication to worship and the arts; (2) describe in general terms the history and theology of the arts in relation to the Christian faith; (3) describe in general terms the history and theology of Christian worship in relation to the arts; (4) apply the hermeneutic model of interpretation to worship and the arts in a cursory way; (5) complete an in-depth application of this hermeneutic model to one particular artistic expression or element of Christian worship in a specific cultural location.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three-hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus a 10-hour directed learning activity for a total of 40 instructional hours. The 10-hour DLA will be accomplished by watching a film and writing a reflection paper following the prompt provided. It will have some lectures by the professor, discussions of course material, and interaction and reflection on the experience of various art forms.

REQUIRED READING: 1,200 pp. required.

Course Reader [270 pp.].

Garcia-Rivera, Alejandro. A Wounded Innocence: Sketches for a Theology of Art. Liturgical Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0814651124, Pub. Price: $14.95 [115 pp.].

González-Andrieu, Cecilia. Bridge to Wonder: Art as a Gospel of Beauty. Baylor University Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-1602583511, Pub. Price $29.95 [165 pp.].

Edmonds, Ben. Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On and the Last Days of the Motown Sound. Cannongate, 2001. ISBN: 978-1841953144, Pub. Price: $12.00 [150 pp.].

Falsani, Cathleen. The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009. ISBN: 978-0310292463, Pub Price $14.99 [200 pp.].

Levy, Sandra. Imagination and the Journey of Faith. Eerdmans, 2008. ISBN: 978-0802863010, Pub. Price: $18.00 [100 pp.].

Muir, Edward. Ritual in Early Modern Europe. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2005. ISBN: 978-0521602402, Pub. Price: $32.99 [200 pp.].

REQUIRED LISTENING:

Gaye, Marvin. What’s Going On. Motown Records, 1971 [35 minutes].

REQUIRED VIEWING:

Coen, Joel, and Ethan Coen, directors. True Grit. Paramount Pictures 2010 [110 minutes].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Course reading, 1,200 pages (10%). [60 hours].

  2. Watching a film, listening to a recording [3 hours].

  3. Four 250-word posts reflecting on course material, four 100-word responses to classmates’ posts (10%) [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3]. [5 hours].

  4. A 3-4 page reaction paper to Dr. González-Andrieu’s book and lecture (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1 and 2]. [8 hours].

  5. A 4-6 page evaluation of What’s Going On in its original context(s) and its context(s) today using the exegetical method taught for cultural artifacts in class (15%). [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1 and 4]. [10 hours].

  6. A 4-6 page evaluation of the Coen brothers’ version of True Grit in light of Falsani’s book and the method taught for exegeting cultural artifacts in class (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and 4]. [10 hours].

  7. DLA: Watch the film Mr. Holland’s Opus. Write a 750-1,000 word reflection paper on the relationship between art, vocation, and community in the film. In your opinion, are the values of this three-way relationship in the film that resonate with the Christian faith, and what are the values that do not? (10%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2 and 3]. [13 hours].

  8. A 10-12 page synthesis paper approved by the instructor providing an in-depth application of the hermeneutic model learned in class to one particular artistic expression or element of Christian worship in a specific cultural location. [This assignment related to learning outcome #5]. [24 hours]. (25%).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH5 or C2 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Required in Theology and Arts emphasis. Required in the Worship and Music Ministry Emphasis. Required in the Worship, Theology and the Arts emphasis.

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.