IST3026-1HY-SP14 - Money and Social Cohesion

Course Description

This course examines the nature of money from religious, sociological, and economic perspectives attempting to simultaneously problematize our common notions of money while also expanding its applicability to our various local contexts (churches, non-profits, community functions, etc). This is not a course on finance (as in how religious communities or non-profits raise, spend and manage money) but rather will explore the complexity of using money in a plurality of contexts.

All required weekly readings will be provided on Canvas, however students will be required to acquire one text from which they will make a class presentation during the Gathering Days on April 24 ^th (1-5P) and 25 ^th (8-12) . During the first week of class I will explain this process and have students sign up for a chosen text, this will simultaneously provide you with an opportunity to consider which book best fits your interests, while also allowing me to moderate the number of students on each book. Please do not purchase a book until we discuss the options during the first week of the course.

Possible presentation texts include (we may not cover all of these, depending upon student interest):

• Goodchild, Theology of Money , (Duke University Press, 2009)
• Wariboko, God and Money , (Lexington Books, 2010)
• Witherington, Jesus and Money , (Brazos Press 2012)
• Lietaer & Dunne, Rethinking Money , (BK Publishers, 2013)
• Twist, The Soul of Money , (Norton, 2003)
• Eisenstein, Sacred Economics: Money, Gift and Society in an Age of Transition , (Evolver Books, 2011)

See Taylor Library's list of online book sellers for purchasing options.

Course Description

This course examines the nature of money from religious, sociological, and economic perspectives attempting to simultaneously problematize our common notions of money while also expanding its applicability to our various local contexts (churches, non-profits, community functions, etc). This is not a course on finance (as in how religious communities or non-profits raise, spend and manage money) but rather will explore the complexity of using money in a plurality of contexts.

Course Objectives

• To introduce students to an appropriately complex understanding of money;
• To build student competency in critically evaluating claims about money particularly in relevant religious and theological literature;
• To understand the way money assists with, and inhibits, social cohesion, and;
• To cultivate student’s own project work related to money, which could be sermons, non-profit related projects, or research papers related to monetary social analysis.

Grading

I will provide written feedback on all course assignments, but students will evaluate their own work in the course and assign themselves a grade. By the end of the first week you should have a clearer picture of the expectations of this course. By the end of the second week, students turn in a narrative description of your intentions for fulfilling all four course requirements: attendance and participation, book presentation (to be completed during the gathering days), final project, and reflection on your colleague’s final projects. Students will be responsible for evaluating their own performance and will submit a ‘mid-term’ self assessment during week six and a final self assessment during week ten. I will provide some explicit questions to help you evaluate your performance during the first week of the course. Ultimately, I reserve the right to edit your grades upward or downward as I see fit, but I am genuinely interested in your own self-reflection in this course.

Good student-instructor communication is important in any learning endeavor.  Since this course is partially online, I expect you to post questions to the discussion board on Canvas or email me directly.  The deadlines posted on the schedule are rigid and few exceptions will be granted.

Policies and Services

Incompletes: Incompletes are strongly discouraged but may be granted for severe circumstances.  Please submit your request for an incomplete to me via email as early as possible.  Some examples of possible reasons for incompletes include:  deaths in your immediate family and hospitalization.

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. 

Degree Learning Goals