MM500:  Spirituality and Mission (4 units)

Roberta R. King, Associate Professor of Communication and Ethnomusicology 
Summer 2004 Pasadena

 

 

DESCRIPTION:

This course will help students develop an approach to their spiritual life that integrates their spirituality with their missional activities.  We will use the Lord's prayer as a structure for forming a sustainable spirituality that can be adapted to cross-cultural situations.  A narrative approach will be introduced that will integrate the students own pilgrimage, scripture, and the cultural context.  Students will think through their own pilgrimage as a way to share their faith with others.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will develop a sustainable and foundational approach to spirituality and mission.
Students will understand how to sensitively share their faith.
Students will grow spiritually in relation to ministry.
Students will be challenged to think cross-culturally about spirituality and mission.

 

COURSE FORMAT: Class format will use a variety of approaches: lecture, storytelling, video clips, class discussion, and small groups.

 

REQUIRED READING (for a total of 1200 pages):

Battle, Michael.  Reconciliation: the UBUNTU Theology of Desmond Tutu.
Boa, Kenneth.  Conformed to His Image.  Zondervan 2001.

Bosch David.  A Spirituality of the Road.
Hunter, George.  The Celtic Way of Evangelism.  Abingdon 2000.
Madame Guyon.  Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ.
Nouwen, Henri J. M.  The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life.  Crossroad 1999.

Reader prepared by professors, including a variety of cultural perspectives.

 

RECOMMENDED READING:

Willard, Dallas.  The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God.  HarperSanFrancisco, 1998.
Wright, N.T.  The Lord and His Prayer.  Eerdmans

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Weekly prayer journal.
2. 3 book reviews, 2 pages each.
3. Two 7-8 page papers:  a. Paper reflecting on the students spiritual pilgrimage, and how their story can be used in witness.  b. Paper on the life of a missionary or other Christian worker, focusing on their spirituality -- what sustained them over the long haul.

 

PREREQUISITES: None.

 

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: CCS core competency.

 

FINAL EXAM: None.

 

Last Date Edited:  March 25, 2004