Course Description (BTSR Catalog):

Attention is given to project design and evaluation. The student will prepare a ministry project proposal.

Objectives:

This course has three primary objectives:

• To present a forum for critical reflection on ministry in the postmodern era
• To introduce the student to a research methodologies appropriate to the practice of ministry in the postmodern era
• To provide an opportunity to formulate the preliminary elements of a ministry project proposal

Goals:

• To understand how and to what extent a broad range of research methods and strategies are appropriate for the study of ministry in the postmodern era
• To develop a consultative approach to assist one another in completion of a project proposal
• To prepare a draft proposal for the ministry project

Course Requirements

• Informed participation in seminar discussions
• Completion of all assignments, with copies for students and instructors
• Completion of a draft project proposal

NOTE: While completion of a draft ministry project proposal is the primary course requirement, fulfilment of this requirement does not constitute final acceptance of the proposal by the student's advisor.

All required texts will be available in the campus bookstore. Articles/chapters will be on reserve in the library.

Books:

Ammerman, Nancy T., and others, eds. Studying Congregations:
A New Handbook. Nashville: Abingdon, 1998.

Farley, Edward. Deep Symbols: Their Postmodern Effacement
and Reclamation. Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1996.

Lathrop, Gordon W. Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology.
Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993.

Lofland, John and Lyn H. Lofland. Analyzing Social Settings,
3^rd ed. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, 1995.

Murphy, Nancey. Beyond Liberalism and Fundamentalism: How
Modern and Postmodern Philosophy Set the Theological Agenda.
The Rockwell Lecture Series, ed. Werner H. Kelber. Valley
Forge: Trinity Press International, 1996. [Required for
D. Min. II Seminar.]

Myers, William R. Research in Ministry: A Primer for the
Doctor of Ministry Program, rev. ed. With introduction by
W. Widick Schroeder. Chicago: Exploration, 1993.

Schön, Donald A. The Reflective Practitioner: How
Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books, 1983.

Strunk, William, Jr. and E. B. White. The Elements
of Style, 3^rd ed. Boston Allyn and Bacon, 1979.

Weston, Anthony. A Rulebook for Arguments, 2^nd ed.
Indianapolis: Hackett, 1992.

Portions Required:

Tilley, Terrence, ed. Postmodern Theologies: The
Challenge of Religious Diversity. Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis
Books, 1995 [Pp. v-3, 41-43, 89-90, 115-118,
Chapters 10 and 11.]

Wind, James P. Places of Worship: Exploring Their
History. Vol. 4, The Nearby History Series, David E.
Kryvig, series ed., Myron A. Marty, consulting ed.
Nashville: American Association for State
and Local History, 1990. [Chapters 1-3.]

Articles/Chapters [UTS library call numbers]:

Cobb, John B. "Two Types of Postmodernism: Deconstruction
and Process." Theology Today 47 (1990): 149-64.
[Per. RC11 T392]

Cobb, John B. and Joseph C. Hough. "Professional Church
Leadership," Christian Identity and Theological Education.
Chico, Calif.: Scholars Press, 1985. Chapter 4
[TX 60 S368 H]

Gustafson, James. "The Clergy in the United States."
Daedalus 92 (1963): 724-744. [Per. HH10 D122]

Heelas, Paul. "The New Age in Cultural Context: The
Premodern, the Modern, and the Postmodern." Religion
23 (1993): 103-116. [Per. OA R383]

Keck, Leander E. "The Premodern Bible in the Postmodern
World." Interpretation 50 (1996): 130-141.
[Per. DW10.1 I61]

Smith, Huston. "Postmodernism's Impact on the Study of
Religion."Journal of the American Academy of Religion 58
(1990):653-70. [Per. CD10 J85]

Tracy, David. "Theology and the Many Faces of Postmodernity."
Theology Today 51 (1994): 104-114. [Per. RC11 T392]

Suggested Form Guide:

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers,
Theses, and Dissertations, 6^th ed. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1996.

Week 1: Ministry in the Postmodern Era

Monday, January 3

Course introduction and overview.

Tuesday, January 4

Be prepared to discuss:

• Cobb, "Two Types of Postmodernism: Deconstruction and Process"
• Heelas, "The New Age in Cultural Context: The Premodern, the Modern, and the Postmodern"
• Smith, Huston. "Postmodernism's Impact on the Study of Religion"
• Tracy, David. "Theology and the Many Faces of Postmodernity."
• Schön, The Reflective Practitioner, pp. 1-167

Wednesday, January 5

Be prepared to discuss:

• Schön, The Reflective Practitioner, pp. 168-354
• Gustafson, "Clergy in the United States"
• Cobb and Hough, Ch. 4, "Professional Church Leadership"
• Keck, Leander E. "The Premodern Bible in the Postmodern World"

Thursday, January 6

Be prepared to discuss:

• Ammerman, Ch. 1 - 3
• Myers, Preface, Intro., Chs. 1 & 2
• Wind, pp. 1 - 45
• Lofland, Chs. 1 - 3

Prepare and be ready to present a statement of the problem or issue to be addressed by your project. Discuss the relevance of your project both in your immediate ministry context and in the larger context of ministry practice in this era. Bring copies of your paper for each person in the class, including instructors.

Week 2: Ministry and Methodology

Tuesday, January 11

Be prepared to discuss:

• Myers, Ch. 3 - 5
• Tilley, pp. v-3, 41-43, 89-90, 115-118, Chapters 10 and 11
• Lofland, Chs. 1 - 3

Using Wind's questions on pp.40-43 as a model, write a description of the context of your ministry project. Be prepared to present the essential content of your paper to the class. Bring copies of your paper for each person in the class, including instructors.

Wednesday, January 12

Be prepared to discuss:

• Myers, Ch. 6 - 7
• Lofland, Chs. 4 - 8

Bring a preliminary, annotated bibliography including primary, secondary and tertiary resources that are relevant to your project. Write a brief description of issues discussed in the literature that pertain to your project. Be prepared to present the essential content of your paper to the class. Bring copies of your paper for each person in the class, including instructors.

Thursday, January 13

Be prepared to discuss:

• Myers, 8 - 9
• Lofland, Chs. 9 - 10

Write a paper describing your theoretical stance in relationship to the problem you are studying. Be specific with regard to the theological, philosophical, and theoretical understandings that undergird your project. Be prepared to present the essential content of your paper to the class. Bring copies of your paper for each person in the class, including instructors.

Friday, January 14

Be prepared to discuss:

• Research methodologies and issues from the readings listed above and related reading that you have done. (See supplemental resources for suggestions.)

Write a paper discussing the methodology to be utilized in your project. Include a time line for the project's completion. Discuss any ethical issues that pertain to your project and any safeguards that you may need to implement. Be prepared to present the essential content of your paper to the class. Bring copies of your paper for each person in the class, including instructors.

Week 3: Mediating the Holy

Tuesday, January 18

Be prepared to discuss:

• Lathrop, Holy Things

Proposal presentations. Bring copies of your paper for each person in the class, including instructors. Your proposal should follow the outline presented by Myers. It should include relevant documentation using an acceptable form as indicated in Turabian. Follow the style guidelines as indicated in Strunk and White. Use Weston's book as a guide for developing a coherent argument in your proposal.

Wednesday, January 19

Be prepared to discuss:

• Farley, Deep Symbols

Proposal presentations.

Thursday, January 20

• Class wrap-up, summary, conclusions

Proposal presentations.

Friday, January 21

• Final copies of your draft ministry project proposal are due to instructors NLT 12:00 noon.