Winter 2017/Fuller Live!
Pasadena and Seattle
TC551
Johnson
TC551: THEOLOGY AND THEATRE (4 Units: 160 hours). Todd Johnson.
DESCRIPTION: This course explores the theological meaning of the event known as theatre. Theatre occurs, in part, when one tells the story by manifesting—incarnating—the story. As Christian disciples we are invited to tell the story of the gospel by embodying it in our daily lives. This course will explore three theological categories that define the theatrical event: Incarnation, Community and Presence. These three categories will be developed in light of their theological corollaries: Christology, Trinity and Sacramentality. Using these three categories, this course will explore the history of theatre and its relationship to the Church, as well as the current issues existing between theatre and the Christian faith. We will do this against the backdrop of prevailing cultural narratives and a developing culture of sensationalism.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: The primary goal of this course is to develop a conversation between theology and theatre as a universal cultural phenomenon. Exploring criteria from theology (incarnation, community, presence) and theatre (ritual, performance, rehearsal), we will use theatre to illumine theology and theology to shed light on theatrical processes. To do this the students will (1) identify points of intersection of theatre with Christian life and thought, (2) learn the history of the relationship between Christianity and theatre, (3) examine how theologies of the body relate to performance theories, (4) evaluate Christian worship from performance, ritual and narrative paradigms, (5) assess the relevance of the theatre arts to the proclamation and the celebration of the Gospel.
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: 1200 pages required.
Course Reader. 140 pages. Found in eReserves on Moodle.
Anderson, Herbert, and Edward Foley. Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals. Jossey-Bass, 2001. ISBN: 978-0787956486. Pub. Price: $18.95. [180 pages assigned].
Craigo-Snell, Shannon. The Empty Church: Theatre, Theology, and Bodily Hope. Oxford University Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-0190630096. Pub Price: $34.95. [200 pages assigned]. NOTE: This is available as an eBook through Fuller’s Library.
Johnson, Todd, and Dale Savidge. Performing the Sacred:Theology and Theatre in Dialogue. Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0801029523. Pub. Price: $22.00. [100 pages assigned]
Johnstone, Keith. Impro. Routledge, 1987. ISBN: 978-0878301171. Pub. Price: $40.95.[100 pages assigned]
Lowry, Eugene. The Homiletic Plot. John Knox Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0664222642. Pub. Price: $22.00. [80 pages assigned]
Shaffer, Peter. Equus. Scribner, 2005. ISBN: 978-0743287302. Pub. Price: $12.00. [100 pages assigned]
Turner, Victor. From Ritual to Theatre: The Human Seriousness of Play. PAJ, 1982. ISBN: 978-0933826175. Pub. Price: $18.95. [100 pages assigned]
Vander Lugt, Wesley and Trevor Hart, eds. Theatrical Theology: Explorations in Performing the Faith. Cascade, 2014. ISBN: 978-1556350726. Pub. Price: $36.00.[100 pages assigned]. NOTE: This is available as an eBook through Fuller’s Library.
Wilder, Thornton. Our Town. Harper Perennial, 2003. ISBN: 978-0060512637. Pub. Price: $14.99. [100 pages assigned]
RECOMMENDED READING:
Mitchell, Stephen. The Book of Job. Harper Perennial, 1992. ISBN: 978-0060969592. Pub Price: $12.99.
REQUIRED ATTENDANCE:
We will attend a play together about Week 6. If you cannot attend with us, you are required to see the same play as the class. Each campus will see it own play and the professor will attend both plays. It will not take place during class time. The cost will be approximately $30.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Course reading, 1,200 pages (10%). [68 hours].
Attending a play, attending a worship service [5 hours total].
Four 250-word posts reflecting on course material, four 200-word responses to classmates’ posts (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1 and 2] [8 hours].
A 3-4 page participant observation paper on a worship service with particular attention paid to the narrative and performative qualities of the worship service and its sermon (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 4 and 5] [8 hours].
A 3-4 page participant observation paper on a play (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome 3] [8 hours].
DLA: A 750 word post EITHER (pastoral) identifying 2-3 ways theatre could be incorporated in a ministry OR (artistic) 2-3 ways you could offer your theatrical gifts in ministry; and two 150-word responses to classmates posts (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome 5] [10 hours].
A 10-12 page synthesis paper approved by the instructor on a particular model of engaging performance, narrative, theatre and ministry and reflecting on the strengths and weakness of that model, and what this model says about the intersection of theatre and theology (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-5] [23 hours].
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the TH5 or C2 requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Option to meet the C2 requirement in the 80 MATM Program (Fall 2015). Option to meet requirement in the Theology and the Arts emphasis; the Worship and Music Ministry emphasis; and the Worship, Theology and the Arts emphasis.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.