Spring 2016/Pasadena

TC500

Taylor

TC500: THEOLOGY AND CULTURE (4 Units: 159 hours). Barry Taylor.

DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to contemporary culture, its philosophies and practices, and the challenges and opportunities it presents to effective Christian ministry and mission.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) be able to articulate an understanding of the nature of cultural change in Western societies; (2) reflect on methodological issues raised by various Christian attitudes and responses to culture; (3) develop theological and missional tools for proclaiming the Gospel and contextualizing faith in contemporary cultures.

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 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours. Each week, students and the instructor will interact with the material and each other through journaling, threaded discussions, web-based research, and presentations.

REQUIRED READING: Approximately 1,200 pages from the required texts:

Anderson, Ray S. An Emergent Theology of Emerging Churches. InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830833917, Pub. Price $18.00 [236 pp.].

Detweiler, Craig, and Barry Taylor. A Matrix of Meanings. Baker Academic, 2003. ISBN: 978-0801024177, Pub. Price $28.00 [352 pp.].

Gray, Ann, and Jim McGuigan. Studying Culture: An Introductory Reader. St. Martins Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0340676882, Pub. Price $45.00 [352 pp. assigned].

Laderman, Gary. Sacred Matters: Celebrity Worship, Sexual Ecstasies, The Living Dead and Other Signs of Religion in the United States. New Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-1595584847, Pub. Price $17.95 [224 pp.].

Taylor, Mark C. About Religion: Economies of Faith in Virtual Culture. University of Chicago Press, 1999. ISBN: 978-0226791623, Pub. Price $30.00 [304 pp.].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Lynch, Gordon. Understanding Theology and Popular Culture. Routledge, 2005. ISBN: 978-1405117481, Pub. Price $38.95 [254 pp.].

Sarup, Madan. Identity, Culture and the Postmodern World. University of Georgia Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0820318677, Pub. Price $35.00 [192 pp.].

Tickle, Phyllis. The Great Emergence. Baker Books, 2008. ISBN: 978-0801013133, Pub. Price $17.99 [176 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Course reading, 1,200 pages. [60 hours].

2. Weekly threaded discussions on culture/theology. Two posts of 250 words/week, one response of 100 words/week required. (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1]. [25 hours, including 10 hours of DLAs].

3. A personal course journal. 250 words/week required. (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [10 hours].

4. Two 500 word book reviews. (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1 and 2]. [6 hours].

5. A project offering theological insights into an aspect of contemporary culture to be chosen by the student and given advance approval in writing by the professor. The student will synthesize in a 12-15 page paper the issues raised in this course on culture, theology and Gospel around a particular chosen aspect of culture. (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3]. [28 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective. C2 and C3. Meets MDiv core requirement in General Ministry/ Spirituality (MIN1). Required course for the MA in Theology (2007 Theology and Arts format). Meets the MACL in Integrative Studies requirement for an interdisciplinary course (IDPL); meets the culture (CULT) requirement in Cultural Literacy for MA programs. Option to count in the Theology and the Arts emphasis, Worship and Music Ministry emphasis, Worship, Theology and the Arts emphasis, and Youth, Family and Culture emphasis.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.