INDS 610
Gospel and Culture
Living out the Gospel in ordinary life, during and after Regent, is challenging, exciting and foundational to Christian faith. This course asks the ‘How?’ question: How does the Gospel engage with the realities of our world as we meet them in daily life? How is it embodied in my law firm, my community centre, home, school, clinic, library or business? How, and in what concrete ways, might Christian discipleship be embraced in these contexts?
The course functions within our core curriculum as an integrating capstone in which the primary learning objective is synthesis, not the acquisition of new knowledge per se. The learning outcomes for the MA and the MDiv state that, by the end of the program, all students should be able to:
The course functions within our core curriculum as an integrating capstone in which the primary learning objective is synthesis, not the acquisition of new knowledge per se. The learning outcomes for the MA and the MDiv state that, by the end of the program, all students should be able to:
- Interpret biblical texts competently within an understanding of the overall narrative of Scripture.
- Demonstrate how the narrative of the Bible, the history of Christianity, and the primary doctrines of the Christian church are instrumental for shaping one’s identity.
- Interpret and critique key texts, images, and narratives of contemporary culture in light of the gospel, and identify the primary challenges facing the gospel.
- MA: demonstrate how the Christian faith can be integrated with a person’s vocation and how this integration can effectively be expressed through a genuine embodiment of the gospel.
- MDiv: demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and character necessary to fulfill leadership roles in church or parachurch ministries.
- Articulate the importance of the regular practice of spiritual disciplines as an expression of one’s openness to the work of the Holy Spirit and as essential for a life of faith and witness.
As a learning community we will work together to connect the depth of study we have already experienced AT Regent with the opportunities and challenges of living BEYOND Regent. The course is intended for students in their second or third year of study who desire to integrate their theological study and life experiences in a fresh expression of the Gospel for a particular area of human life.
The first part of the course involves a cycle of teaching, reading and discussion. We will build a repertoire of language, theology and imagery, and widen our imaginations concerning what it means for the Gospel to engage with and transform modern society. We will seek to develop the skills needed to become fluent readers of culture and to translate the Gospel story into contexts where traditional Christian language is often foreign and alienating.
In the second part of the course guest speakers from different cultural & vocational sectors are invited to reflect on their vision and their experiences as Christians in their chosen spheres. Drawing on what for them are key biblical and theological texts and themes, they explore the possibilities and the issues confronting them through specific case studies. This part of the course gives students an opportunity to begin developing a sustained and detailed engagement with one particular area of culture – one that they are either already vocationally committed to or that they are most interested in becoming engaged with.
The first part of the course involves a cycle of teaching, reading and discussion. We will build a repertoire of language, theology and imagery, and widen our imaginations concerning what it means for the Gospel to engage with and transform modern society. We will seek to develop the skills needed to become fluent readers of culture and to translate the Gospel story into contexts where traditional Christian language is often foreign and alienating.
In the second part of the course guest speakers from different cultural & vocational sectors are invited to reflect on their vision and their experiences as Christians in their chosen spheres. Drawing on what for them are key biblical and theological texts and themes, they explore the possibilities and the issues confronting them through specific case studies. This part of the course gives students an opportunity to begin developing a sustained and detailed engagement with one particular area of culture – one that they are either already vocationally committed to or that they are most interested in becoming engaged with.
Credit Hours:
3
Prerequisites:
At least 30 credit hours of graduate level courses, including BIBL 501, BIBL 502, BIBL 503, INDS 501, INDS 502, and HIST 501 or HIST 502
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