IST2010-1HY-FA13 - Constructive Theology

“There is no clean intellectual coherence, no abstract ultimate meaning to be found, and if this is not recognized, then the compulsion to find such certainty becomes its own punishment. This realization is not the end of theology, but the beginning of it: trust no theory, no religious history or creed, in which the author’s personal faith is not actively at risk.”

- Christian Wiman, My Bright Abyss

Theology has a long history of humans crafting statements about their understanding of the nature of reality and the meaning of being human in an attempt to live in a world beyond themselves. The primary purpose of this course is to enable students to develop a systematic statement of their own theological perspective, with attention to: (1) its clarity, coherence, and capacity to illuminate experience; (2) its relationship to the resources and limitations of particular historical traditions and social locations; (3) its relationship to alternative perspectives; and (4) its explicit and implicit implications in terms of social and personal praxis.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES 

At the conclusion of this course you will be able (at a beginning level) to: 

1. Identify methodological assumptions or structures inherent in theological images, metaphors, symbols, stories, concepts, and claims.
2. Identify key theological questions and decision points that belong to each of the classical themes in Christian theology, including: God, Human Being, Sin and Evil, Jesus Christ, Church, Spirit, Creation, Redemption, and Eschatology.
3. Listen carefully enough to others (e.g., authors, parishioners, politicians, artists and media producers) that you can identify the theological questions and choices implicit in their discourse or faith.
4. Utilize a “theological lens” to examine and interpret contemporary events.
5. Identify and articulate the central doctrines and concepts in your current theological thinking, including areas that still feel like they are in-process.
6. Articulate connections between your current theological thinking and your coursework, your religious and other influencing traditions, and your vocational experiences.
7. Write a systematic, integrative, and carefully reasoned statement of your current theological thinking.

Iliff Degree Goals

Iliff Degree Learning Goals for This Course 

MDiv Students

1.2. demonstrate awareness of Christianity as a historically-situated movement that interacted and changed in relationship to its surrounding cultures and subcultures over time, resulting in various expressions of Christianity located within and influenced by social structures, historical events, and ethnic and cultural ideologies

3. Think theologically in a contemporary context and articulate a constructive theological position.

3.2. critically engage historical theological expressions of Christianity in relation to contemporary events and/or situations

3.3. identify and articulate their constructive theological position on an issue, current event, or traditional Christian doctrinal category with clarity. 

MASC Students

1. Engage in social, historical, and political analysis in order to identify key factors impacting situations in which social change is desired and potential contradictions within these settings that open up the possibility for change. 

MAPSC Students

2. Students will identify and critically evaluate the ways in which their personal, religious, and cultural experience, along with their activities in pastoral and spiritual care, shape their theology, moral orientation, and vocational formation. 

MA Students

4. Establish enough of a breadth of awareness of historic and contemporary thinkers within their particular discipline that they will be able to identify and choose good conversation partners within their field to engage their research question.

5. Engage critically with key figures and issues in their specific sub-field within religious studies.

MTS Students

3. Relate learning from recognizable forms of theological discourse to contemporary issues and questions, particularly those relevant to the student’s own professional practices and personal life.

4. Identify theological resources that would broaden and deepen their thinking about these questions.

5. Demonstrate proficiency in theological research and writing as they articulate responses to their theological questions in light of their vocational goals and experiences.

Important Iliff Information

Required texts (available at the Cokesbury Bookstore): 

1) Serene Jones and Paul Lakeland, eds.  Constructive Theology: A Contemporary Approach to Classic Themes.  Augsburg Fortress, 2005.  978-0-8006-3683-8 

2) Sallie McFague.  The Body of God: An Ecological Theology.  Augsburg Fortress, 1993.  978-0-8006-2735-5 

3) You will also select one additional constructive theology book, from the list below. 

Choice texts (choose one): 

• Karen Baker-Fletcher.  Dancing with God: The Trinity from a Womanist Perspective.  Chalice, 2007.  978-0-8272-06335
• Dwight Hopkins.  Down, Up, and Over: Slave Religion and Black Theology.  Augsburg Fortress, 1999.  978-0-8006-2723-2
• David H. Jensen.  Graced Vulnerability: A Theology of Childhood.  Pilgrim Press, 2005.  978-0-8298-1621-1
• Gordon D. Kaufman. In Face of Mystery: A Constructive Theology. Harvard UP, 1993. 0-674-44576-7.
• Catherine Keller.  On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process.  Fortress, 2008.  978-0-8006-6276-9
• Daniel Migliore.  Faith Seeking Understanding: An Approach to Christian Theology, revised edition.  Eerdmans, 2004.  978-0-8028-2787-6
• Kwok Pui-lan.  Postcolonial Imagination and Feminist Theology.  Westminster John Knox, 2005.  978-0-664-2288-35
• Kevin Vanhoozer.  The Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical-Linguistic Approach to Christian Theology.  Westminster John Knox, 2005.  978-0-664-2232-74

You may also propose an alternate text of your choice, if it meets the following criteria:

1. The text explicitly addresses most of the traditional categories in systematic theology (i.e., it is not just a work on Christology or on praxis).
2. The text was written or significantly revised in the past ten years.
3. At least two of your classmates agree to read the same text.
4. The instructor approves of your choice of text (before 1/15/13). 

We will discuss these choices (including what makes for a “good” choice) during our first class. 

Choice of text (from the list above or an alternate) should be submitted on Canvas by 1/14/13.

Recommended texts: 

If you haven’t taken TIC I, or if you feel rusty on theological terminology, you might find Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms by Donald McKim (Westminster John Knox, 1996) to be helpful. Abingdon Press’ New and Enlarged Handbook of Christian Theology (Nashville, 2003) contains helpful short essays on the classic loci and related issues in Christian theology. 

You may use any standard citation format (Turabian, Chicago, MLA, APA, SBL, etc.) for the written work for this class.  If you do not own a style guide, I recommend A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7^th edition, by Kate Turabian (University of Chicago, 2007).

Basic Attendance and Participation

Basic Attendance and Participation Expectations

• Attendance and participation in all online and face to face classes. You must attend both Gathering Days sessions on October 9 and 10 or you will not pass the class.
• You are required to do all the assigned weekly readings which will serve as the basis for class participation.
• Active participation in class, including participation in group discussions:
• You will be required to participate in facilitating the discussion forum two (2) times. There will be a “focus question” posted on Canvas each Monday, for which you will be expected to contribute 300-500 words by the dates indicated on the syllabus above. Your contribution will stimulate discussion among the rest of your colleagues. If discussion lags, it is your responsibility as facilitator to re-animate the discussion by observing important points or question brought up by other participants, or by referring back to the week’s reading in order to make connections between the reading and our conversation. I will also help, particularly in the first two weeks, in aiding facilitation and identifying the kind of posts that advance conversation and those that do not. You will sign up for the two areas that interest you (or that fit your schedule) by September 13 on Canvas.
• When you are not facilitating, active participation means engaging in the conversation generated by that week’s facilitators. Good participation means observing important points or questions in your colleagues’ postings, in the readings from the week, or from other pertinent readings or directly relevant experiences. Participation will be graded down if it is merely a repetition of points already made, confirmation or simple negation of other’s viewpoints (“I disagree” or “that was a good point there”), or experiences that don’t illuminate the topic under discussion. Again, I will help identify what I’m looking for and what I’m not.
• Key to the goals and outcomes of this course is a critical engagement with both the theories and issues we are examining, many of which have deeply personal implications. Remember that criticism is not critique. We all come from a specific time, place, family background, religious or non-religious background, etc. Cherish that particularity, claim it, and examine it – and at the same time, respect, encounter, and learn from others’ particularity. Racism or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in class. It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community. I will do my best to facilitate our discussion around the subject matter we are studying, not around which themes or views are “wrong” or “right” or around particular cultures or individuals. On the other hand, we are engaging in the time-honored tradition of intellectual activity; we will seriously and critically examine the texts, ideas, and authors with which we engage – an “anything goes” or “whatever you think is fine” approach is unsuitable for a class in higher education (unless you have some vigorous argumentation and documentation to support it!).
• As an interactive class, participation is highly valued.  However, quality class participation is not saying or posting “something” (i.e., talking to hear yourself talk), or contributing all the time (i.e., over participating).  Quality participation is input that offers information, analysis, connections, stories, feelings, examples, or other engagement in ways that enhance our class discussions.  Quality participation can include disagreement – especially since, for some of us, the themes of this course are profoundly significant.  These disagreements, however, must also demonstrate respect for the other.  Note that quality participation can also include being silent, listening, and/or participating in some other way or at some other time.  The best way to assess your participation is to ask yourself: “how would this class be different if I were not in it?” and “how would I be different if I were not in this class?”   
• Discussion posts submitted after the due date up to one week after the due date will lose one entire letter grade off that particular week. Posts submitted after one week after the due date up to two weeks after will lose two entire letter grades. Discussion submissions will be accepted but not counted for a grade after two weeks (in other words, you can keep discussing something that's interesting to you, but it won't be graded).
• Complete a Learning Self-Evaluation form.

Participation Guidelines

Important Iliff Information

Constructive Theology - Fall 2013
Course Assignments

Meet the Theologians - find a contemporary theologian like you and unlike you.

Meet the Theologians assignment

Embodying Theology - Spotify playlist, Pinterest hashtag, bicycling, contemplative prayer - it is all theological. Do something.

Embodying Theology 2a assignment

Embodying Theology 2b assignment

Author Analysis - requirements for reporting on your choice theological text.

Author Analysis Choice assignment

Author Analysis 3a assignment

Author Analysis 3b assignment

Basic Attendance And Participation - rules for participating in the discussions.

Final Paper assignment

Grading Criteria

(Thanks to Dr. Debbie Creamer for this document.)

To me, a B represents an “average” grade in graduate school.  This doesn’t mean that a B is the statistical average, but rather that the paper or other assignment does not particularly stand out as either good or bad.  Please note that there is nothing wrong with a B.  

Any grade lower than a B means that the paper lacks something important.  This usually takes one or more of the following forms: content (an error or lack of understanding of the lectures or course readings, for example), process (failure to follow or engage the assignment), and/or output (significant grammatical or organizational errors that make it difficult for the grader to assess the content and process).  Typically, a B- means “close, but not quite” (i.e., you have clearly put in effort but missed a key point, or the point seems to be hidden somewhere behind your structural errors), whereas a C+ or lower is an indicator of significant concern, especially at the level of content (i.e., I am worried that you do not understand the course material).  Remember that you must receive a C to pass a sequence class.  

Higher grades mean that your assignment shows something extra.  This also comes in three forms: content (demonstrating clear understanding, engagement, and creativity in relation to the lectures or course readings, for example), process (fulfilling all expectations of the assignment), and/or output (well written, organized, articulate, easy to read).  Typically, a B+ means I see evidence of at least one of these three, and that I believe you put effort into your work (in the form of your reading, your writing, your engagement with the assignment, and/or in other ways).  An A- means I see strength of content plus at least adequate process and output.  Papers in the A- range often receive comments from me like “say more about that” or “what do you see as the implications of this claim?”  Rather than addressing errors or concerns, my feedback to an A- paper often is to encourage the author to go a little further.  Papers at the A level tend to offer something unique – something I haven’t thought about, or an especially interesting example or connection, or a paper that is especially engaging and a joy to read.  My feedback on an A paper will, similarly, push it to go further – not because I don’t think it has gone quite far enough, but rather because I am genuinely interested in seeing what it can become if it goes further.  Note, however, that an A paper can turn into an A- (or lower) if it is poorly written or does not adequately address the learning goals as articulated in the assignment. 

To sum up, there is nothing wrong with a B.  However, to earn a grade higher than a B:

• Make sure you understand your content.  Read carefully, participate fully in class activities, ask questions, and make use of Canvas in useful and innovative ways.  Beyond “getting it,” be ready to engage the content vigorously and creatively.  You cannot earn an A for simply repeating material you have already heard or read.
• Make sure you understand the assignment.  Read the assignment carefully.  Read it again once you have started on your project, and read it again before you submit your project.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread.  Get help with writing skills if you need it, from a book or a peer or the Writing Lab.  Read the feedback you get on earlier assignments, and use this as you work on later assignments. Have a friend read your paper before you turn it in. 

Other Important Information and Iliff Policies

Due Dates:  Assignments need to be turned in on the dates specified on the syllabus. Late assignments will lose one letter grade if not submitted by the date indicated. Students who do not complete any assignments during the first two weeks of class will not be able to pass the class and will be removed.

Incompletes are not a possibility because of the rules about incompletes and adjunct faculty in the Masters’ Student Handbook.

Pass/Fail:  Students interested in taking the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by Sept. 16. In order to earn a Pass, students must perform at a level considered the equivalent of C or better.  

Accommodations:  Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.   Students are encouraged to contact their assigned academic advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations. The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303.765.1146. 

Community Covenant:  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant, as posted on Canvas. 

Academic Integrity:  All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook and posted on Canvas. Iliff professors are now using academic detection software that automatically detects plagiarism, and are taking it very seriously. Your final paper may not contain more than 30% material from any assignment turned in for another course. Plagiarizing materials will result in automatic failure of the entire course.

Welcome to Constructive Theology Fall 2013!