Syllabus+for+STM+911

** STM 911 ** Dr. Mary Carter-Waren ** Formation and Spirituality in Practical Theology ** Sullivan 105, 305-628-6653 Fall 2009 Thursday, 5-9 p.m. mwaren@stu.edu ** __Course Description:__ ** Examines critical areas of Christian formational practice, including religious education and proclamation, including preaching (didache, kergyma); spiritual theology; theological reflection; spiritual direction; and theological education. Students will be trained to collectively undertake a practical theological examination of their experience of formational practice.
 * // Saint Thomas // **** // University // **

** __Course Objectives:__ ** 1. To master a body of literature on spirituality and formation, reading at the doctoral level not only for content but for synthesis, as evaluated by weekly reflections. 2. To be able to effectively plan and lead a doctoral level seminar session on a book of your choosing in the area, and be open to peer review on such performance. The goal is not perfection but serious engagement of the class in the material you have prepared. 3. To be able to write a book review that effectively engages the book material and reflects critically on it, informing the reader of the significant contribution/s of the book. 4. To reflect critically on your own spiritual journey in light of the content areas of the course, as well as through the multiple lenses of those in the class. 5. To analyze some contemporary expressions of spirituality for their inclusion of all God’s people: Whose voices are heard? Whose voices are muted? Whose voices are absent? 6. To examine spirituality both as a process and a commodity in the 21st century: can we buy and sell spirituality? How does this happen both within religious institutions as well as in the wider culture? 7. To gain solid skills in theological reflection that can be used in case studies both within and beyond this course.

The time together will be broken down each week in the following way: 5:00-7:00: Class based on readings and lecture material, followed by short break 7:15-8:00: Presentation of book review idea and class discussion lead by student 8:00-9:00: Reflection: So how shall we live? What difference will it make?

** __Required Texts:__ ** Beaudoin, Tom. __Witness to Dispossession: The Vocation of a Post-Modern Theologian__. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press, 2008. Boys, Mary. __Educating in Faith__. Lima, Ohio: Academic Renewal Press, 1989. Fowler, James. __Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian (revised)__. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000. Gebara, Ivone. __Out of the Depths: Women’s Experience of Evil and Salvation__. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002. Johnson, Elizabeth. __Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God__. New York: Continuum Publishing, 2007. Kavanaugh, John. __Following Christ in a Consumer Society: The Spirituality of Cultural Resistance (25th Ann. Edition)__. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press, 2006. Palmer, Parker. __A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life__. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004. Richard Rohr. __Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer__. New York: Crossroad Publishing, 2003. Snyder, Mary Hembrow. __Spiritual Questions for the Twenty-First Century__. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Press, 2001. Tillich, Paul. __Dynamics of Faith__. New York: HarperOne, 1957. Whitehead, James and Evelyn. __Method in Ministry: Theological Reflection and Christian Ministry__. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1995. Other readings as assigned. ** __Course Outline:__ ** All entries in bold italics below are __assignments for the following week__.

1. Read __Quest for the Living God__ (listed above). 2. Choose __one__ of the primary sources at the end of __one__ of the chapters of that book that you will read during this semester. You will write a book review of that book during the semester. All I need to know the first night is which book you have chosen. If you want to talk about your choice, just let me know. 3. Write a five page spiritual autobiography, using the following questions as a guide: Where did you find faith? How did you find faith? Where did you find doubt? How has your faith changed/developed over the course of your life? Who have been the most important mentors in your spiritual journey? How did you find them? Who/what have been the most important theological sources of inspiration in your journey? What are the most important spiritual questions you have coming into this course? How has your social location (birth date, generation, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, economic class, language) affected/shaped your spiritual development? This paper is due the first night of class, and will not be shared with the class in written form, so please take an honest assessment of your spiritual journey as you prepare to enter this class. There is a tremendous amount of reading for the course, but the additional texts are your lives and what we learn from each other in the course.
 * __For the first night of class (August 27, 2009, 5-9 pm):__ **

August 27 Course Introductions/Overview; methodology of practical theology ** // Read: __Quest for the Living God__ // **

Sept. 3 God: Who do you say that I am? // Note: Class will begin at 6:30 pm this night only! // ** // Read: __Method in Ministry__ // ** ** 1st Blackboard assignment due 9/13 **

10 Methodology of attending/asserting/responding ** // Read: Book of your choice for book review // **

17 Case studies in theological reflection ** // Read: __Dynamics of Faith__ // ** ** __Book review due__ **

24 What is faith? Impact of Tillich’s work. ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Becoming Adult,…. Christian__ // **

Oct. 1 Developmental theory and faith research ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Educating in Faith__ // **

8 Religious Education/Christian Education/Catechesis: Distinctions ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __A Hidden Wholeness__ // **

15 The power of metaphor, narrative, and nonviolence in spirituality ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Everything Belongs__ // **

22 Contemplative prayer/meditation/guided imagery in a noisy world ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: To be assigned // **

29 Spirituality and diversity: reflection on the literature and experience ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Out of the Depths__ // **

Nov. 5 Gender, violence, and spirituality: where is God? Who is God? ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Following Christ…__ // **

12 Spirituality of stuff/consumerism and spirituality/prosperity preaching ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Spiritual Questions… 21st Century__ // **

19 Spirituality: whose voices are missing? What are your questions? ** // Discussion: // ** ** // Read: __Witness to Dispossession__ // **

26 No class: Thanksgiving Holiday

Dec. 3 Post-modernism and its impact on everything: a critical reflection ** // Discussion: // **

10 Final Exam Due

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3. All written work is to be done using the Turabian (Chicago) Style sheet (footnotes and bibliography) using 12 point type, one inch margins, double-spaced, Times New Roman font. If you need help with your writing, there is help in the STU Writing Center. You can drop in, or call for an appointment. The service is absolutely free to all students and requires no registration. Weekly writing assignment………….30% Book Review discussion…….............20% Book Review……..…………………20% Final Exam/Paper………..…………__.30%__ 100%
 * __Course Requirements:__ **
 * 1) This is a highly participative course; you can’t participate if you aren’t in class. We all lose if any one voice is missing.
 * 2) Students must complete all reading and writing assignments. You are required to write a short reflection/reaction paper (500-800 words), based solely on the readings for that week, and submit it through Blackboard by Sunday at midnight every week. The paper should not be a summary of the reading, but rather should reflect your thoughts about the material as well as questions that the material raises for you. This will not only help you stay current with the reading, but will ensure everyone’s participation in class discussions - as well as give me an indication of your understanding of the material. You are each entitled to one “free pass” on the reading; the week you choose to use it, just submit the words “free pass” as your writing for that week!
 * 1) You will read one primary source from the end of one chapter of Johnson’s book and write a 4-5 page book review of the book, as well as a two paragraph abstract of your review. Remember, a review is not a summation of the book, but a critical review of the theology, thought processes, voices heard and included (or not) of the author’s work. The abstract will be posted on Blackboard by midnight Sunday on the week you are due to present your work to the class.
 * 2) You are required to lead the class in a conversation about one novel idea from the book you read and reviewed as scheduled by the professor. Be prepared to engage the class in a substantive way in the thoughts and ideas presented in that text.
 * 3) The final exam/paper is a __research paper__ that answers the following question: What are the implications of the material covered in this class for the research topic you are most interested in pursuing? This is not a “reflection” paper, but a serious integration of the material juxtaposed on the topic you have passion for. We will be in discussion throughout the semester on this topic, so don’t panic the first weeks!
 * 4) Grading will be based on the following:

Notes: · The only stupid question is the one you didn’t ask. There is no way to learn if your real questions aren’t part of our discussion. If you don’t want to ask it in class, e-mail me. · I take writing in a graduate class VERY seriously. If you know you need help with your writing, see me right away. Writing well is key to your success in the ph.d. program. · Reading at the graduate level is a particular skill. If you find yourself struggling to read for meaning, please come and talk to me. Some people read very fast but miss the meaning, others read so slowly for meaning that they can’t get through the material. There are strategies to address both! · Cheating is a very serious offense at the University level. Specific guidelines regarding what is considered academic dishonesty are outlined in your Student Handbook. You will receive an “F” for this course if you are found to be cheating on any aspect of this course. Remember that when you use information from any book, any pamphlet, any online source, any author other than yourself, you must cite where you got the information. This includes paraphrasing another’s work. · __Laptop computers will not be allowed to be used in this class – no exceptions__. Your full attention is expected to be with the class and the content of the class, and it is my judgment that laptops inhibit this kind of dedicated attention and critical engagement with each other.

"If you are tired, keep going;   if you are scared, keep going;    if you are hungry; keep going;    if you want to taste freedom, keep going** ." **   **— attributed to Harriet Tubman**