Ministry and Human Sexuality

Faculty: Carrie Doehring & Ruben Arjona; TA: Shawn Fawson

Course Synopsis

Required textbook: Ellison, M. M. (2012). Making love just: Sexual ethics for perplexing times . Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. 978-0-8006-9884-3 ($18 new/ $12 used)

Course Overview

 Using a practical theological approach, we begin with our personal life experiences, films, and literature about sexual desire and intimacy, gender, sexual orientation, and body image.  In reflecting on these narratives, we compare traditional and contemporary theological and psychological ways of understanding sexuality in terms of theological themes like images of God, the nature of creation and humanity, sin, relational webs of violence and webs of life, ethical perspectives that value qualities of intimate sexual relationships (mutuality, equal regard, justice-seeking) rather than the form (heterosexual, within marriage). This course forms students to be pastoral and spiritual caregivers within a spiritually, socially complex world in ways that deeply engage religious and cultural traditions.

Course Objectives

Iliff MDiv Curricular Goal related to Theology and Religious Practices (PR): engage in analysis of contemporary religious traditions and institutions in order to assess, design, and perform meaningful leadership practices with sensitivity to contextual realities and relationships.

Iliff MAPSC Curricular Goal

MAPSC: Demonstrate a complex interdisciplinary understanding of the human person in social context, develop and demonstrate an intercultural approach to pastoral and spiritual care, and demonstrate personal and professional competencies needed by effective caregivers.

Specific Goals of This Course

1. To develop and articulate positive understanding of human sexuality in the light of religious faith and theology and of modern studies of the person and society.
2. To develop and articulate appropriate intercultural spiritual care competencies for responding to persons struggling with aspects of sexuality.
3. To develop, and evaluate resources for pastoral and spiritual care on the topic of human sexuality.

Learning Covenant.docx

Weekly forum reflections and responses on readings and case studies (7 points each week) for 70% of grade: Class members will be expected to do the readings and reference them in weekly reading forums. Students will post to discussion forums on Mondays by midnight and reply by Thursday, midnight. Two points will be deducted for late assignments. If emergencies arise, please email the faculty as soon as possible. Please review the Covenant of Learning to see the intercultural competency students are expected to demonstrate in their postings and responses: Learning Covenant.docx

Code of ethics assignment: Students will search for their faith group’s clergy/religious leader professional code, code on sexual misconduct (if separate), and information on state mandatory reporting, as well as any community of faith requirements/resources on safe church/community of faith protocols. Those not pursuing ordination will need to find the code of ethics for their practitioner groups (chaplaincy, license mental health counselor, social worker, military chaplaincy) and information on state mandatory reporting. If needed, refer to Doehring (2015) Chapter 4 The Practice of Pastoral Care (Rev. & Exp). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. Due on Friday, April 28 midnight (10%): 10 points.

1. Identify your faith group/practitioner group. Describe how you found the code of ethics that is binding for you (a denominational/ religious or professional code of conduct), as well as any safe practices for communities of faith that are mandated in your tradition or profession. Provide the online links to your code or how to find it but don’t copy and paste the code/guidelines itself
2. Describe how this code is in conflict or conforms with your state laws on mandated reporting.
3. Describe what you would do if your care seeker is under the age of eighteen, elderly, and/or disabled, and there is a possibility that his or her crisis may involve abuse.

This assignment should be no more than two pages single-spaced.

Final Assignment (5 pages single-spaced) (20%) due Friday June 2

We suggest that students build upon on of our weekly topics, and then do one of the following types of assignments:

1. A sermon: Exegesis and detailed outline and description of community context
2. Outline and teaching plan for an adult or youth educational event focusing on one of our weekly topics
3. A case study: Suggestions: You might begin with a case study we looked at in a weekly forum, or your experience of a microagression in week 3, and elaborate the case study using the outline we will be providing mid-quarter.  You might alos take a news story like the following  and develop it into a case study: http://www.today.com/video/texas-mom-s-faith-is-tested-by-her-child-s-transgender-journey-919452227860
4. A self-reflective journal assignment on a formative sexual experience
5. Book, film or documentary review
6. A creative media, art or poetry project
7. A research project (topic needs to be reviewed with faculty by mid-quarter)

Outlines for each of these final assignment requirements will be added by April 25. 

Graduating students must have all their work turned in to the professors by 4:30 PM on Friday, May 26.

Italian for beginners movie film clips:

Degree Learning Goals: Please take some time to look over the Professional Degree Learning Goals (MDiv, MASC, MAPSC) and the Academic Degree Learning Goals (MTS, MA).

Incompletes:  If incompletes are allowed in this course, see the Master's Student Handbook for Policies and Procedures.

Pass/Fail:  Masters students wishing to take the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by the second class session.

Academic Integrity and Community Covenant:  All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook, or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook, as appropriate.  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant.

Accommodations:  Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.   Students are encouraged to contact their assigned 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. 

Writing Lab:  Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments.  Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab, which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. 

Inclusive Language:  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.