ADVANCED STUDIES IN CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEWS[1]
IDS400
Joel L. From, Ph.D Office:
Room # 132
January 4-8, 2010 Office
Hours: By Appointment
3 Credit Hours Office:
756-3203
jfrom@briercrest.ca Home:
756-2847
Web-page: www.joelfrom.com
COURSE TEXTBOOKS:
Bellah, Robert et
al. Habits of the Heart:
Individualism and Commitment in American Life.
Course Package: Each student is required to purchase the Advanced
Studies course package from the bookstore. The bookstore will send your
instructor a notice to confirm your purchase.
Class Notes: Each student is required to purchase a
voucher for the Advanced Studies class notes at the bookstore. These notes will
be distributed throughout the week. The bookstore will send your instructor a
notice to confirm your purchase.
Quick Reference Format Guide 2009-10: Each student is required to have a copy of the current
Briercrest College Format Guide. If you do not possess one, purchase one from the
bookstore.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
A. Cognitive Objectives
1. To enable the student to comprehend several
implications of the Christian worldview
2. To develop breadth and depth of
perspective on selected issues
3. To re-evaluate several major assumptions
within evangelicalism
B. Affective Objectives
1. To cause the student to feel the force of
well-crafted arguments, especially when their conclusions differ from his or
her own view
2. To help the student appreciate the beauty
of new and penetrating insights
3. To assist the student in appreciating the
importance of tracing the origins of ideas
C. Skill Development Objectives
1. To assist the student in detecting and
appreciating sound arguments
2. To assist the student in reading with
"critical humility"
3. To encourage the student in a lifelong
investigation of the ideas which inform her worldview
COURSE SECTIONS AND REQUIRED
|
Unit |
Section Title |
Required |
Day |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unit 1. |
Worldviews as Cultural Agents |
|
1 |
|
I. |
What is a
Worldview? |
**Naugle,
“Prologue: Uncle Andrew . . . “ |
1 |
|
II. |
God, Nature, and
Miracles |
|
1 |
|
III. |
Testing a
Worldview? |
**Nash, “How to
Choose a Worldview” |
1 |
|
IV. |
Mass Media and
Worldview Formation |
**McLuhan, “The
Medium is the Message” |
1-2 |
|
Unit 2. |
The Rise (and Fall) of Programmatic Ministry |
|
|
|
I. |
Introduction |
|
2 |
|
II. |
The Decline of
the Medieval Cosmos |
Daly, Cosmic
Harmony, 5-10 |
2 |
|
III. |
The Emergence of
Formal Institutions |
Bailyn, “An Interpretation,”
15-41 |
2 |
|
IV. |
The Dispersal of
the Modern Household |
Fishman, “ Hunter, “An
Excursus” |
2 |
|
V. |
Newtonianism and
Its Universal Application |
Toulmin &
Goodfield, “The New Picture Takes Shape” |
3 |
|
VI. |
The Religious System
and Its Migratory Functions |
Scott, “The
Ministry Transformed” |
3 |
|
VII. |
The Unintended
Consequences of Programmatic Newtonianism |
|
3 |
|
VIII. |
Towards a
Non-Newtonian Ecclesiology |
Hallie,
“Prelude” |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unit 3. |
Individualism as Primary Culture |
|
|
|
I. |
Introduction |
Bellah et al.,
Chapters 1 & 2 |
4 |
|
II. |
Finding Oneself |
Bellah et al.,
Chapter 3 |
4 |
|
III. |
Love and
Marriage |
Bellah et al.,
Chapter 5 |
4 |
|
IV. |
Reaching Out |
Bellah et al.,
Chapter 4 |
4 |
|
V. |
Individualism |
Bellah et al.,
Chapter 6 |
5 |
|
VI. |
Getting Involved |
Bellah et al.,
Chapter 7 |
5 |
|
VII. |
Religion |
Bellah et al.,
Chapter 9 **Wuthnow, “Introduction” |
5 |
**These articles are available at the Reserve Desk in Archibald Library.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
A. Periodic,
unannounced quizzes will be given on
the Required Readings due on a given class day.
Value: 15%
B. Each student
will
write a thesis defense paper which
provides a world view analysis of an evangelical ministry practice. Your thesis
should reflect the nature of this course, that is, it should probe beneath the
surface of these ministry practices to their underlying conceptual models or
world views. Be careful to clearly define what a world view is and show that
one or more are influencing the ministry practices you have chosen to analyze. Please
do not offer a critique or evaluation of these practices. Your instructor is
looking for world view analysis, not whether or not these practices, or their
underlying world views, are justified. Please append a photocopy of the first page of each reference
used. Papers should be submitted in hardcopy; no e-mail attachments please.
Please do not rely too heavily on internet sources; it would be best to not
have more than 50% of your sources come from the internet.
Value: 30% Due: January 29, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.
C. Each student
will write an open-book Midterm Exam
on January 7, 2010. All students will write an open-book Final Exam (as scheduled). The Midterm is worth 25% and the Final,
30% of the course grade.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Materials
Used Directly in the Course)
Bailyn, Bernard. “An Interpretation.” In Education in the Forming of American Society.
Bellah, Robert et
al. Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life.
[1985].
Daly, James. Cosmic Harmony and Political Thinking in
Early Stuart England.
Fishman, Robert. “
Hallie, Philip.
“Prelude.” In Lest Innocent Blood
Be Shed: The Story of the
Hunter, James D. “An Excursus” in Evangelicalism: The
Coming Generation.
McLuhan,
Nash, Ronald. “How to Choose a Worldview.” In Worldviews in Conflict.
Naugle, David K.
“Prologue: Uncle Andrew in C. S. Lewis’s The Magican’s Nephew.”
In Worldview: The History of a Concept.
Scott, Donald M. “The Ministry Transformed.” In From
Office to Profession: The New England Ministry 1750-1850.
Toulmin, Steven, and June Goodfield. “The New Picture
Takes Shape.” Chapter 9 in The Fabric of the Heavens.
Wuthnow, Robert.
“Introduction.” In Sharing the
Journey: Support Groups and America’s New Quest for Community,
COURSE PACKAGE
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Daly, James. Cosmic Harmony and Political Thinking in
Early Stuart England.
Bailyn, Bernard. “An Interpretation.” In Education in the Forming of American Society.
Toulmin, Steven, and June Goodfield. “The New Picture
Takes Shape.” Chapter 9 in The Fabric of the Heavens.
Fishman, Robert. “
Hunter, James Davison. Evangelicalism: The Coming Generation.
Scott, Donald M. “The Ministry Transformed.” In From
Office to Profession: The New England Ministry 1750-1850.
Hallie, Philip. “Prelude.” In Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of the
Sample
Papers:
Anderson, Curtis. “Newtonian Individualism in the Purpose
Driven Youth Ministry.” Unpublished Manuscript, 2005.
Lestage, Amber. “Individualism in Evangelical Family
Ministries.” Unpublished Manuscript, 2004.
[1]Course content, requirements, and examinations are subject
to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.