Winter 2016/Pasadena

IS503

Natogma

IS503: PRACTICES OF MISSION (4 Units: 158 hours). Abdulai Emmanuel Natogma.

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. IS503 is an integrative course that explores the identity and practices of Christian mission as a people called, gathered, and sent by God. Together, professor and students study and enact historic Christian disciplines necessitated by this distinctive identity (Witness, Mercy, Reconciliation, Inter-Religious Dialogue, Inculturation, Friendship, Creation Care, Advocacy).

LEARNING OUTCOMES: (1) Students will reflect on their current and past experiences of Christian practices of mission; (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 mission; (3) Students will demonstrate the capacity to engage scripture, tradition, and contemporary resources to reflect theologically on historic practices of mission; (4) Students will articulate how mission 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 READING1,200 pages of required reading and/or the equivalent time in viewing.

Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011. ISBN: 1570759111, $35.00 [208 pp. assigned].

Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission, Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. Orbis Books, 2011. ISBN: 978-1570759482, Pub. Price $35.00 [140 pp.].

Documents of Vatican II. http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/ [200 pp.].

Hartch, Todd. The Rebirth of Latin American Christianity. Oxford University Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-0199843138, Pub. Price, $24.95 [100 pp.].

Muck, Terry and Frances S. Adeney. Christianity Encountering World Religions, The Practice of Mission in the Twenty-first Century. Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0801026607, Pub. Price $30.00 [120 pp.].

Newbigin, J.E. Lesslie. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. Eerdmans, 1989. ISBN: 978-0802804266, Pub. Price $25.00 [119 pp.].

Sunquist, Scott W., Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013. ISBN: 978-0801036156, Pub. Price, $34.99 [411 pp. assigned].

Walls, Andrew F. The Missionary Movement in Christian History, Studies in the Transmission of Faith. Orbis Books, 1996. ISBN: 978-1570750595, Pub. Price $26.00 [110 pp.].

D. CORE PRACTICES: (available on eReserves).

Witness:

Tucker, Ruth A. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. 419-436. The Zondervan Corporation, 1983.

Mercy:

Newbigin, J.E. Lesslie. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. Eerdmans, 1989.

Reconciliation:

Bevans, Stephen B., and Roger P. Schroeder. Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Orbis, 2011.

Inter-Religious Dialogue:

Sunquist, Scott W., Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory. Baker Academic, 2013.

Inculturation:

Muck, Terry and Frances S. Adeney. Christianity Encountering World Religions, The Practice of Mission in the Twenty-first Century. Baker Academic, 2009.

Friendship:

Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission, Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. Orbis Books, 2011.

Creation Care:

Hennigan, Tom. Caring About Creation for the Right Reasons. Answers Vol. 10. No.4. (2015): 58-62.

Advocacy:

Sanneh, Lamin O. Whose Religion is Christianity: The Gospel Beyond the West. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Lausanne Covenant Documents http://www.lausanne.org/en/documents/all.html.

Robert, Dana L. American Women in Mission, A Social History of Their Thought and Practice. Mercer University Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0865545496, Pub. Price $40.00.

Sanneh, Lamin. Disciples of All Nations, Pillars of World Christianity. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0195189612, Pub. Price $19.95.

Shenk, Wilbert R. Changing Frontiers of Mission. Orbis Books, 1999. ISBN: 978-1570752599, Pub. Price $28.00.

Wright, Christopher J.H. The Mission of God, Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. IVP Academic, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830825714, Pub. Price $40.00.

Course Reader including articles by: Lamin Sanneh, John Azumah, Musa Dube, Bryant Myers, Chuck van Engen.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 1,200 pages reading and videos, including at least 50 pages of biblical text [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [60 hours].

2. Classroom: for each practice, students will engage, reflect, create (utilizing instruction, participation, presentation, discussion, engaging practice-based theology cycle for theological reflection, case studies) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, #2, #3]. [32 hours].

3. 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 (10%). (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].

4. Students will participate in directed practices and disciplines over the course of the quarter (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [15 hours].

5. Four fieldwork activities and reflections (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [8 hours + 8 hours = 16 hours].

6. Autobiography related to core course concept (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [2 hours].

7. Signature Assignment: 100 word CIQ response, Integration paper related to course practices, and Rule of Life (2,500 words total) (30%). [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.