Spring 2018/Pasadena
PR500
Pasquarello
PR500: HOMILETICS (4 Units: 160 hours). Dr. Mike Pasquarello.
DESCRIPTION: This course PR500 introduces students to the theology and practice of preaching as an integrating focus that draws from and informs the whole Master of Divinity curriculum. Preaching is taught and learned within an extended conversation between students and the professor which is shaped by the calling of the church to proclaim the Word of God in service of God’s mission. Preaching is addressed as an act of congregational worship, and as a means by which the diverse gifts and ministries of God’s people bear witness to God’s reign in and for the world.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students willhave demonstrated (1) competence in biblical interpretation through faithful use of the whole canon of Scripture in proclaiming the gospel;(2) capacities for engaging listeners through preaching as a formative activity within the context of worship;(3) an understanding of how the theology of the Church and its historical developments, including the practice of preaching, inform the proclamation of the gospel in the present; and (4) competence in preaching as a theologically reflective practice that serves the Church’s calling to proclaim the gospel in the whole of life.
COURSE FORMAT: The class meets twice weekly in two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom. The course integrates lecture, discussion, reading, critical reflection, and practicum components. Practicum components include preaching sermons, assessment of sermons, and reflecting on the process of preparing and delivering sermons. The practicum component is led by the professor and requires participation by the whole class. Students preach a minimum of three sermons for which they receive feedback, evaluative comments, and guidance to encourage continued reflection, learning, and growth. Students also engage in self-assessment and reflection after preaching each sermon. In addition to class discussion following each sermon, students are able to consult individually with the professor.
REQUIRED READING: 896 pp. of required reading.
The Collected Sermons of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Ed. Isabel Best. Fortress Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0800699048, Pub. Price $29.95. [210 pp.].
Lischer, Richard. The Preacher King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Word that Moved America. Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0195111323, Pub. Price $19.95 [270 pp.].
Long, Thomas G. The Witness of Preaching, 3rd Ed. Westminster/John Knox Press, 2016. ISBN: 978-0664261429, Pub. Price $30.00 [240 pp.].
Tisdale, Lenora Tubbs. Preaching as Local Theology and Folk Art. Fortress, 1997. ISBN: 978-0800627737, Pub. Price $24.00 [176 pp.].
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
PREREQUISITES: BI500 or NE502. It is recommended that students take preaching courses towards the end of their program.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets Homiletics requirement in the 120 MDiv Program. Meets the Worship, Preaching, and Communication requirement in the 80 MATM Program (Fall 2015). Meets the core requirement in Preaching and Communication (MIN2) in the 144 MDiv Program and the Communication (COMM) requirement in MA Programs.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.