Winter 2016/Pasadena
IS501
Johnson
IS501: PRACTICES OF WORSHIP (4 Units: 160 hours). Todd E. Johnson.
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. IS501 is an integrative course that explores the identity and practices of Christian worship as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (Sabbath-Keeping, Confession, Praise, Gathering & Sending, Reading & Proclaiming the Word, Prayer, Communion, Enacting the Prophetic).
LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of worship; (2) Students will participate in local contexts and demonstrate the capacity to engage in activities and exercises related to Christian spiritual disciplines and practices of worship; (3) Students will demonstrate the capacity to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic practices of worship; (4) Students will articulate how worship 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 a flipped classroom format (which includes 8 hours of participation in vocation and formation groups).
REQUIRED READING/VIEWING: 1,000 pp. of required reading and/or the equivalent in viewing.
The Holy Bible. CEB, NRSV, and TNIV translations are acceptable. [60 pp. assigned].
Course Reader. Found on eReserves through our course Moodle site. [555 pp. assigned].
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Harper One, 2009. ISBN: 978-0060608521, Pub. Price $14.99 [100 pp. assigned].
Anderson and Foley. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals. Jossey-Bass, 2001. ISBN: 978-0787956486, Pub. Price $18.95 [100 pp. assigned].
Caccamo, James F., Todd Johnson, and Lester Ruth. Living Worship: A Multimedia Resource for Students and Leaders. Brazos Press, 2006. ASIN: 1587432951, Published Price $27.99 [15 hours of viewing and reading assigned]. (available to purchase online at the Archives bookstore).
Gilbert, Grundy, Myers and Perdew. The Work of the People: What we do in worship and why. Alban Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-1566993371, Pub. Price $19.00 [90 pp. assigned].
Meyers, Ruth. Missional Worship, Worshipful Mission. Eerdmans, 2014. ISBN: 978-0802868008, Pub. Price $26.00 [150 pp. assigned].
CORE PRACTICES:
Sabbath-Keeping
Olson, Dennis, “Sacred Time: The Sabbath and Christian Worship,” in Carol Bechtel, ed. Touching the Altar. Eerdmans, 2008, pp. 2-32. In eReserves.
Stookey, Lawrence. Calendar: Christ’s Time in the Church. Abingdon, 1996, pp.17-52 . In eReserves.
Confession
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Harper One, 2009., pp.110-122.
Anderson and Foley. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals. Jossey-Bass, 2001, pp. 3-19, 167-183.
Meyers, Ruth. Missional Worship, Worshipful Mission. Eerdmans, 2014, pp. 128-149.
Praise
Ford, David and Daniel Hardy. Living in Praise: Worshipping and Knowing God. Baker, 2005, pp. 1-59. In eReserves.
Gathering and Sending
Meyers, Ruth. Missional Worship, Worshipful Mission. Eerdmans, 2014, pp. 46-73, 181-196.
Gilbert, Grundy, Myers and Perdew. The Work of the People: What we do in worship and why. Alban Books, 2007, pp. 19-43, 93-99.
Reading and Proclaiming the Word
Anderson and Foley. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals. Jossey-Bass, 2001, pp. 36-56.
Meyers, Ruth. Missional Worship, Worshipful Mission. Eerdmans, 2014, pp. 74-107.
Gilbert, Grundy, Myers and Perdew. The Work of the People: What we do in worship and why. Alban Books, 2007, pp. 45-70.
Prayer
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Harper One, 2009, pp.76-89.
Meyers, Ruth. Missional Worship, Worshipful Mission. Eerdmans, 2014, pp. 108-127.
Gilbert, Grundy, Myers and Perdew. The Work of the People: What we do in worship and why. Alban Books, 2007, pp. 71-92.
Communion
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Harper One, 2009, pp.17-75.
Meyers, Ruth. Missional Worship, Worshipful Mission. Eerdmans, 2014, pp. 150-180.
Enacting the Prophetic
Anderson and Foley. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals. Jossey-Bass, 2001, pp. 20-35, 125-166.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Harper One, 2009, pp. 90-100.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1,000 pages reading and 10 hours of multimedia and videos, including at least 60 pages of biblical text [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [62 hours].
Classroom: for each practice, students will engage, reflect, create (utilizing instruction, participation, presentation, discussion, engaging practice-based theology cycle for theological reflection, case studies) (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #3]. [32 hours].
Vocation Formation Group (VFG)-In a Vocation Formation Group, students will engage spiritual disciplines, practices, and discussion. Students will study the Bible, and share and listen to stories related to the practices (5%). (Vocation Formation Group Leader (VFGL) will let professor know if students have been present and engaged) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, and #4]. [8 hours].
Students will participate in directed practices and disciplines over the course of the quarter (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [15 hours].
Four fieldwork activities and reflections (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [8 hours + 8 hours = 16 hours].
Autobiography related to core course concept (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [2 hours].
Signature Assignment: 100 word CIQ response, Integration paper related to course practices, and Rule of Life (2,500 words total) (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #3, and #4]. [25 hours].
PREREQUISITES: None. Recommended in first year of study.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core integrative requirement in the 120 MDiv Program and the 80 MAT, 80 MATM, 80 MAICS Programs.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.