MB500/600: Culture and Transformation (4
units)
Sherwood
Lingenfelter, Professor of Anthropology
Winter 2007 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
In a world shrunk by jet air travel,
television, education, music, and internet connections, understanding culture
(what it is, how it works, and how to study it) is increasingly crucial to
church and mission ministries. These forces for globalization are not neutral,
nor are the counter forces of tradition. At the same time, the emergence of
World Christianity and the explosion of the church in the southern hemisphere
has dramatically shifted the focus of mission. The course will explore
questions of culture, globalization and partnership for mission in the 21st
Century. Students will learn to use some basic tools for exegeting a culture
and understand how to become effective partners with the Majority World church.
Through the analysis of case studies students will explore how Christianity and
its social expressions in the church may transform or fail to transform people
and their communities.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the course students will be able to
• Explain the essential characteristics
of incarnational ministry;
• Describe their cultural bias through profiles of basic values and the social
games of family and church;
• Evaluate a ministry organization with reference to its effective “practice of
power” for spiritual, social or economic transformation;
• Propose action steps on how to partner with Majority World Christians for
ministry that transforms people and communities.
COURSE
FORMAT: Class will meet once per week for three-hour sessions. Class sessions will include lectures,
discussions, and small group exercises.
REQUIRED READING: Reading will be
assigned from the required texts. In addition, each student will be required to
read selected articles that will be made available through the course
syllabus. If you have previously read
any of the required texts, please select an alternative text from the
recommended reading list or a book approved by the instructor.
Gupta, Paul R.
and Sherwood G. Lingenfelter. Breaking Tradition to Accomplish Vision:
Training Leaders for a Church Planting Movement. Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books
2006.
Harrison, Lawrence E. and Samuel P. Huntington. Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress. Basic Books New
York, NY: 2000.
Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. and Marvin K. Mayers. Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal
Relationships. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI: 2003.
Linthicum, Robert. Transforming Power:
Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community, Intervarsity
Press, Downers Grove, IL: 2003.
RECOMMENDED
READING:
Peter Berger and
Samuel P. Huntington. Many
Globalizations: Cultural Diversity in the Contemporary World. Oxford
University Press, New York, NY: 2002.
Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Transforming
Culture: A Challenge for Christian Mission. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids,
MI: 1998.
Sanneh, Lamin. Whose Religion is
Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West. Wm.B.Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI:
2003.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Each student will be required to work in a
team (3-4 people) to write a 6500-8750 word major paper of a “transformational”
ministry.
2. Prepare a 1500-2000 word self-assessment paper.
3. Two 500-750 word reflections and one in-class essay on selected assigned
reading.
Each student
will be required to do a Basic Values Questionnaire and a questionnaire on the
social game of one’s family and church life. These questionnaires will be part
of class discussion on these topics.
Grading: Papers will be graded on an A to F scale.
PREREQUISITES:
None.
RELATION TO CURRICULUM: Required course
for the MA Cross-cultural Studies (MA-CCS) program. Meets GLBL requirement.
FINAL EXAM:
None.