Vocation and Orientation

Instructor Information

Instructor: Toni Stone
E-mail: tstone@iliff.edu   Text: 970-213-6163

Course Description

The course invites students to explore the ongoing process of vocational discernment, with particular attention to how vocational journeys intersect with the experience of formal theological education.

Textbook & Course Materials

The texts for this course will weekly articles, the lives of the students and instructor, the lives of the mentors you choose as living conversation partners, and historical partners accessed through autobiography or oral history.

Course Requirements

Course Structure

This course is designed in weekly " Modules. " All the things you need to know and do for the week are listed in the modules. This includes readings, assignments, lectures, and discussions.

Student Learning Outcomes

Through our work together over the quarter in a small group setting, we will attend to the following four purposes:

  1. Provide a small group “sacred space” where you can come to know one another, including your different faith understandings and traditions, at a deeper level than is usually experienced in their other courses. Sacred space has the expectation of honesty, transformation, and healing. It may sometimes be uncomfortable, much as athletic training can be challenging in a way that does not harm, but yields greater strength and skill.
  2. Introduce you to Iliff, and assist you with your understanding and adjusting to the framework and characteristics of theological education, which are somewhat different from those in other kinds of educational programs students may have experienced in the past. You will be invited into agency about your negotiation of these experiences throughout your time at Iliff.
  3. Assist you to reflect theologically on your personal and professional identity, and your ongoing vocational discernment. Focus will move back and forth between who we are as unique individuals and the needs of institutional contexts for particular kinds of leaders.
  4. Begin the development of personal and professional skills required to work effectively across difference in North American multicultural society.

DateDayDetails
Sep 11, 2018TueWeek 1: Introduce yourselfdue by 05:59AM
Sep 11, 2018TueNeafsey Readingdue by 05:59AM
Sep 11, 2018TueWelcome from the instructordue by 05:59AM
Sep 15, 2018SatChoose Your Historical Partnerdue by 05:59AM
Sep 15, 2018SatWeek 1: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Sep 15, 2018SatNeafsey Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Sep 18, 2018TueMahan Readingdue by 05:59AM
Sep 22, 2018SatWeek 2: Iliff Core Valuesdue by 05:59AM
Sep 22, 2018SatChoose Your Living Mentordue by 05:59AM
Sep 22, 2018SatWeek 2: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Sep 26, 2018WedWeek Three: Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmonsdue by 05:59AM
Sep 29, 2018SatWeek 3: Your Vocational Timelinedue by 05:59AM
Sep 29, 2018SatWeek 3: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Oct 06, 2018SatWeek 4: Learning About Iliffdue by 05:59AM
Oct 06, 2018SatWeek 4: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Oct 20, 2018SatWeek 6: Your Historical Partner Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Oct 20, 2018SatWeek 6: Your Historical Partnerdue by 05:59AM
Oct 20, 2018SatWeek 6: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Oct 23, 2018TueHalifax Readingdue by 05:59AM
Oct 27, 2018SatWeek 7: Sustaining Vocation - Challenges on the Journeydue by 05:59AM
Oct 27, 2018SatWeek 7: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Oct 27, 2018SatWeek 7: Mentor Interview Completed due by 05:59AM
Nov 03, 2018SatWeek 8: Reflecting on Your Living Mentor's Vocational Journeydue by 05:59AM
Nov 03, 2018SatWeek 8: Telling Someone Else's Storydue by 05:59AM
Nov 03, 2018SatWeek 8: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 05:59AM
Nov 06, 2018TueDiscernment Readingsdue by 06:59AM
Nov 10, 2018SatWeek 9: Comparing and Contrasting Your Living Mentor and Historical Partnerdue by 06:59AM
Nov 10, 2018SatWeek 9: Comparing and Contrasting Vocational Journeysdue by 06:59AM
Nov 10, 2018SatWeek 9: Engage Spiritual Depth Discussiondue by 06:59AM
Nov 17, 2018SatWeek 10: Your Vocational Journeydue by 06:59AM