ST566
Anderson
ST566: THEOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF THE FAMILY. Ray Anderson.
DESCRIPTION:
- Theology and Ecology of the Family is a course designed to explore
and to establish foundational assumptions of a biblical and theological nature
which can serve the student as a critical basis for marriage and family
ministry. Theological perspectives on marriage and family will be presented so
as to interact with the social and behavioral sciences at each critical phase
in an attempt to work out an integrated and coherent model. Visiting lecturers
will be invited to make presentations related to the sociological,
psychological, and therapeutic aspects of the course.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
- The objectives of the course are to enable each student to define
the family from a biblical and sociological perspective; to equip the student
with a conceptual model of family eco-systems both as a preventative and
therapeutic approach to ministry; and to prepare the student to intercept and
augment the ecological systems in which persons live as family, including the
church as a family of families.
COURSE FORMAT:
- The course will meet twice each week for two hours (per session) of
lecture/discussion.
REQUIRED READING:
- Students will be expected to read a minimum of 1,000 pages,
including:
- Anderson, Ray S. and Dennis B. Guernsey. On Being Family. Eerdmans,
1986.
- Balswick, Jack and Judy Balswick. The Family: A Christian Perspective on
the Contemporary Home. Baker, 1989.
- Clapp, Rodney. Families at the Crossroads. InterVarsity, 1993.
- Garland, Diana and Richard Garland. Beyond Companionship.
Westminster, 1986.
- Hauerwas, Stanley. A Community of Character. University of Notre
Dame, 1981.
- Collected Readings for Theology and Ecology of the Family. ST566
(photocopied packet).
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Students who have not taken the course ST512 Theological
Anthropology, are encouraged to read the book, On Being Human, by Ray S.
Anderson.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- There will be no set midterm or final exam. Students will select a
topic from the course curriculum and prepare a final research or position
paper. Students who wish to achieve an A level grade must read a minimum of
1,200 pages of reading and write a major paper of 25 to 35 pages, typed and
double spaced. Teaching assistants will be available for tutorial group
sessions each week, and will read, evaluate, and grade the papers.
PREREQUISITES:
- None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
- Elective.
FINAL EXAMINATION:
- None.