Winter 2018/Fuller Live!
Pasadena & Seattle
GM527
Clark
GM527: MINISTRY AND CULTURE (4 Units: 162 hours). Chap Clark.
DESCRIPTION: With life and people changing so rapidly, it is easy for leaders in the church to find themselves answering questions no one is asking. This course, which will include training and experience in both secular and theological/biblical research and analysis, will teach the student to dive deeply into the reality of both global and local contemporary experience in order to help them to navigate the complexities of faith in any context and to form a theological and pastoral response.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will (1) identify and research significant global, national and local trends and societal issues facing the church; (2) demonstrate the ability to personally engage in theological, psychosocial and cultural reflection on contemporary issues affecting people both in and beyond the church in a given context; (3) construct theological and contextual analyses of and response to global, national and local contemporary issues in a way that congregants can readily access.
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. Lectures, supplemental videos, class discussion, and presentations by students and various guest experts will make up the class time. Each student will complete a final project.
REQUIRED READING: 1,339 required pages.
Cleveland, Christena. Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart. IVP Books, 2013. ISBN: 978-0830844036, Pub. Price $16.00 [220 pp. assigned].
Crouch, Andy. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. IVP, 2013. ISBN: 978-0830837557, Pub. Price $22.00 [268 pp. assigned].
Gladd, Benjamin L. and Matthew S. Harmon, Making All Things New: Inaugurated Eschatology for the Life of the Church. Baker Academic, 2016. ISBN: 978-0801049606, Pub. Price $20.00 [224 pp. assigned].
Nouwen, H. J. M. In the Name of Jesus. Crossroads, 1992. ISBN: 978-0824512590, Pub. Price $14.95 [107 pp. assigned].
Wheelan, Charles. Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data. ISBN: 978-0393347777, Pub. Price $16.95 [120 pp. assigned].
In addition, a minimum of 400 pages for assigned research project.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
1,339 pages of required reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 2, and 3]. [72 hours].
Completion of two (2) 3-4 page essays on readings (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2 and 3]. [10 hours].
Participate in weekly Canvas forums by writing a minimum of one (1) 90-120 word posts and at least one (1) response to someone else’s post via Canvas (18 posts total) offering critical reflection on course content and peer reviewing of others’ work (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2 and 3]. [15 hours, including 10 hours of DLAs].
Choose a research project from a list of contemporary issues that the church must take seriously and address, making sure to include both a global perspective and either a national or local perspective on the issue. In a group of 4-7 students lead a class discussion on the research and implications for ministry of topic (including power point and class outline), and submit a maximum 15-page group final paper (40%). [This assignment is related to all learning outcomes, especially #3]. [35 hours].
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Option to meet the C1 requirement in the 120 MDiv and 80 MATM Programs (Fall 2015).
FINAL EXAMINATION:None.