MP520: Contemporary Culture in Missiological
Perspective (4 units)
Wilbert R.
Shenk, Professor of Mission History and Contemporary Culture
Summer 2004 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 ones 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:
Ability 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 how it can engage contemporary culture.
COURSE FORMAT:
This will be offered as a two-week intensive, meeting mornings 8 a.m. to 12 noon. 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:
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.
R. D. Putnam and L.M. Feldstein, 2003. Better
Together: Restoring the American Community. Simon and Schuster 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: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity. Free
Press.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Three book reviews (see syllabus
for instructions).
Read a novel (see list in syllabus) and write a 1,000
word review.
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.