MP520: Contemporary Culture in Missiological
Perspective (4 units)
Wilbert Shenk,
Professor of Mission History and Contemporary Culture
Fall 2003 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
Modern culture has marginalized
all religion, and mainline church membership continues to decline. Old
structures and patterns are increasingly dysfunctional. This course explores a
new paradigm: missionary engagement with contemporary culture. Key questions
will be examined: Why has the church largely failed to engage modern culture
effectively? What enables one to step outside one’s culture in order to view it
through "mission" eyes? How is a missionary approach different from
conventional evangelism? Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own
faith experience and future ministry in relation to modernity and
postmodernity.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Equip the student to exegete
contemporary culture from a missiological perspective.
• Awareness of the place of
spirituality in late modern culture.
• An understanding of the missional
church and new forms of witness in contemporary culture.
COURSE FORMAT:
Students will meet two times a week for two hours. Lectures and special presentations will examine key themes and characteristics of modern/postmodern culture.
REQUIRED READING:
A minimum of 1,300 pages of reading from the following
books:
Tom
Beaudoin. 1998. Virtual Faith. Jossey-Bass.
David J. Bosch, 1995. Believing in the Future. Trinity.
Darrell Guder, ed., 1998. Missional
Church. Eerdmans.
D. J. Hall, 1997. The End of Christendom
and the Future of Christianity. (Trinity)
Wipf and Stock repr.
Lesslie Newbigin, 1989. The Gospel in a
Pluralist Society. Eerdmans.
R. D. Putnam. 2000. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American
Community. Touchstone.
George Ritzer. 1996. The McDonaldization
of Society. Pine Forge.
Wilbert R. Shenk, 1995. Write the Vision:
The Church Renewed. (Trinity) Wipf
and Stock repr.
Robert Wuthnow, 1988. The Restructuring
of American Religion. Princeton.
RECOMMENDED READING (available on
Reserve Shelf):
Robert Bellah, et al., 1986. Habits of the Heart. Harper & Row.
Shirl J. Hoffman, ed., 1992. Sport and Religion. Human Kinetics Books.
G. Hunsberger/C. Van Gelder, eds. 1996. The Church Between Gospel and
Culture. Eerdmans.
J. R. Middleton and B. J. Walsh. 1995.
Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be. IVP.
Alissa Quart. 2003. Branded: The Buying and Selling of
Teenagers. Cambridge. Perseus
Publishing.
George Ritzer, ed. 2002. McDonaldization: The Reader. Pine Forge.
Roger Rosenblatt, ed. 1999. Consuming
Desires. Island Press.
Alan J. Roxburgh. 1997. The Missionary Congregation, Leadership, and
Liminality. Trinity
Stephen Toulmin. 1990. Cosmopolis. Free Press.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Three book reviews (see syllabus for instructions).
2. Read a novel (see list in syllabus) and write a 1,000 word review.
3. A 3,000 word research paper on a theme or issue relevant to your own
experience or intended future ministry.
Th.M. students: Read 1,600 pages and
write a 4,000 word paper. This should
demonstrate greater critical engagement with the liturature covered and
awareness of concepts and theories in the fields covered in the course.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP
TO CURRICULUM: Elective in SIS. Meets
Min 8 requirement for SOT. Optional course in the
MAT Theology and the Arts program.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.