Fall 2016/Pasadena

TC581

Callaway

TC581: WORSHIP, THEOLOGY, AND THE ARTS TOUCHSTONE. (4 Units: 160 Hours). Kutter D. Callaway.

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.

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 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING:

Course Reader [approx. 150 pp.].

Edmonds, Ben. Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On and the Last Days of the Motown Sound. Cannongate, 2001. ISBN: 978-1841953144, Pub. Price $15.99 [160 pp.].

Falsani, Cathleen. The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers. Zondervan, 2009. ISBN: 978- 0310292463, Pub. Price $14.99 [240 pp.].

Garcia-Rivera, Alejandro. A Wounded Innocence: Sketches for a Theology of Art. Liturgical Press, 2003. ISBN: 978-0814651124, Pub. Price $14.95 [150 pp.].

González-Andrieu, Cecilia. Bridge to Wonder: Art as a Gospel of Beauty. Baylor University Press, 2012. ISBN: 978- 1602583511, Pub. Price $29.95 [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 $39.99 [200 pp. assigned].

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.

“Connection Lost,” Modern Family, S6 E16 (available on Amazon streaming, Hulu plus), 21 minutes.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Course reading, 1,300 pages. [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1-5] [60 hours].

  2. Class attendance/participation, which includes weekly lessons, video lectures, online material, and watching/listening to/reading various art forms each week. [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3]. [30 hours].

  3. Weekly online posts (250-400 words) reflecting on course material (10%) [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3 and 4]. [10 hours DLA].

  4. A 400-500 word synthesis paper on a worship service or artistic/cultural performance you have attended (10%). [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3]. [5 hours].

  5. A 750-1,000 word reaction paper to Dr. González-Andrieu’s book and video lecture (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1 and 2]. [10 hours].

  6. A 1,000-1,500 word 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. Watch the “Connection Lost” episode of Modern Family. Write a 750-1,000 word reflection paper on the relationship between technology, art/aesthetics, and community in the episode. In your opinion, what are the values of this three-way relationship in the TV show that resonate with the Christian faith, and what are the values that do not? (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2 and 3]. [10 hours].

  8. A 2,500-3,000 word 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 (35%). [This assignment related to learning outcome #5]. [25 hours].

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.