Syllabus: SP600 Shane Long, M.Div., M.A. LMFT Winter Quarter 2013 shane-long@bethel.edu/p.o. #7064 Tuesdays: 8a.m.-12p.m. Cell Phone: 651-276-5665 SP600: SELF IN COMMUNITY COURSE DESCRIPTION This course explores the relational nature of Christian spirituality. Students will be encouraged to examine the ways that their beliefs and experiences impact and are impacted by the people and communities surrounding them. Utilizing insights from Biblical, theological, and social scientific fields this course will help students analyze and better understand their unique God-images as well as how their conscious and subconscious views about God, self, and others influences their personal and communal lives of faith. COURSE OBJECTIVES Students should be able to: 1. Gain facility in reading the Gospels holistically, theologically, and with attention to the ways formation occurs in the reading process. 2. Identify and analyze, from biblical, theological, and theoretical perspectives, the relational nature of their own spirituality. 3. Analyze the implications of their own relational experiences and competency on future ministry. 4. Demonstrate an ability to view themselves communally. 5. Interact with course material and one another in ways that demonstrate a nonanxious, reflective, dialogue-centered approach. Communication Instruction for Instructor Email is the best way to reach me and I will respond to your email within 48 hours unless of emergency situations. Phone is a secondary option for contacting me. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the best days for reaching me. I will contact you within 48 hours of your contact and please no phone calls before 9a.m. or after 7p.m. Thank you. Feel free to email me if you d like to set up a time to talk on the phone. I do not have an office at the seminary but am willing to meet with students if necessary when it is planned at least a week in advance by email. REQUIRED READINGS Kegan, Robert. In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life. Harvard University Press, 1994. ISBN 0674445880. (selected chapters and pages) Dennis, M., Moe-Lobeda, C., Myers, C., Nangle, J., O.F.M., and Taylor, S. Say To This Mountain: Mark s Story of Discipleship. Orbis Books, 2003. 7 th Ed. ISBN 1570751005. The Gospel of Mark: Read in Tandem with Dennis, et. all book. Please read in a thought for thought translations: ex: NIV, TNIV, & NLT.
Chapters/articles to be downloaded from the Moodle site for this course: 2 Griffith, J.L., & Griffith, M.E. (1992). Therapeutic change in religious families: Working with the God-construct. Ch. 4 in L.A. Burton (Ed.), Religion and the family: When God helps. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Pastoral Press. Paul, L.K. (1999). Jesus as object: Christian conversion as interpreted through the perspective of Fairbairn s object relations theory. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 27(4), 300-308. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Please note: Seminary guidelines for course construction assume that students will spend about 30 hours per credit (therefore 120 hours for this class). Noting this will help you pace yourself in terms of the effort you invest in particular assignments. 1. Reading and participation It is expected that you will complete all readings according to the assigned schedule. Readings are to be completed by the class day they are assigned to allow you to be able to interact with class discussions around the readings. Each week, the instructor will post weekly reminders, announcements, or other pertinent information on Moodle and via email as are necessary. 2. Kegan Response Paper: Write a paper responding to the book, In Over Our Heads. Please develop your paper with the sections described below: (Maximum 7 pages, double-spaced and typed for this paper) a. The affective part of this paper (300-350 words) should describe your emotional response to what you read: How did you feel about the content of the book and the author s assertions? What emotions emerged as you dialogued in your mind with the author? What concepts, notions, statements from the author stirred the most emotions in you and why do you think this was the case? b. The cognitive part of the paper (300-350 words) should involve the process of identifying and naming your cognitive response to the book s material. What did you think about the content of the book? What did you specifically agree or disagree with (2-3 things max for each) in the book? What were your reasons for agreement & disagreement? c. The application part of the paper (250-300 words) from your thoughts from sections a-b, share reflections on how you might use concepts from the book or learnings about yourself and your development in future ministry. 3. Integration Paper (Two Parts*): This is the course s main assignment and is an invitation for you to journey through the Gospel of Mark towards a closer following of Jesus in the world through your interaction with the Dennis text as well as a more heightened awareness of your own spiritual journey as you reflect upon yourself and your images of God.
3 *Part I-Dennis, et. all Journal Reflections: Use some form of journal, paper notebook or electronic, to track your interaction with the Dennis reading throughout the course period. Allow space in your weekly journal writings for one specific personal reflection from the reading (your own wanderings, wrestling, and thoughts) and one specific course reflection from the reading. Choose just one of the questions to respond to each week from the options of questions listed that week on Moodle. You will be gathering these personal AND course specific journal entries together to form section a. of this paper at the end of the course. Each weekly journal entry should be around 250-300 words at the most. Spend about half of your words on each part of the weekly reflection (125-150 words on the personal reflection and 125-150 words on the course specific question). Challenge yourself to stay focused on your own reflections as they pertain to your personal and spiritual journey and avoid tangents concerning cognitive statements of beliefs or doctrine that lead you away from integrative work (the goal of this assignment). Note: You are not being graded on your spiritual life or spiritual journey for this assignment, nor am I looking for information to disqualify you from entering a ministry field. You are being graded on your demonstration of the ability to analyze your own personal and spiritual journey with conceptual sophistication and integrative. Please attempt to balance both challenging yourself in your responses for your own growth as well as limiting yourself from over-disclosure which is not helpful. If questions, concerns, or need for clarification arise feel free to contact the professor. (Part I: 10 pages maximum, double-spaced and typed) *Part II-Mark s Theme & Your Images of God: From your reading of Mark, identify one theme that has emerged for you. Briefly trace this theme through the gospel. Then discuss the significance of the theme for Mark s theology. Finally, draw integrative implications of this theme for your own construal of who God is and what God values. In this last section, include ideas from course concepts, your journal writings from the Dennis text, and/or discussions with your small group that you feel helps you understand why this image of God stands out for you in Mark s gospel and why it is important for your image of God. Theme examples: sacrifice, faith, authority, fear, generosity, justice, compassion, etc. This second section of the paper should be about 1,000 words in length at the most. Spend about half the words tracing a theme in Mark s gospel and discussing the significance for the Mark s theology (500 words) and half on your own integrative reflections about why this theme speaks to you and what it says about your own image of God (500 words). (Part II: 5 pages maximum, double-spaced and typed) 4. Small Group Paper: Write a 500 word paper (double-spaced, typed) sharing about your experience of yourself as group member related to the guidelines included at the end of the syllabus. What did you notice, learn, and were surprised about concerning YOURSELF by your own process & interaction in your group? For example: did you talk often or rarely; did you feel a need to fix, correct, or help others or were you able to let silence be a part of the group then, after making these observations offer a few thoughts, based on your own process and the group dynamics, as to why you may have interacted the way you did. Finally, share what you might take from these learnings moving forward to aid you in doing ministry with others (ex. In team meetings, leading small groups, counseling others, etc.). Course Objectives #2, #3, #4, & #5.
5. Portfolio Summary: Write a 500-word summary of your reflections on your images of God and their implications for your ministry. Not graded or turned in but required for your internship portfolio. This assignment has been identified as a required integrative assignment that you may wish to review & reference in future integrative coursework. 6. Assignment Submission: All assignments are to be uploaded and submitted via Moodle. 7. Course Evaluation: An email with a link to the survey will be delivered to you through your Bethel email account. Please take a few minutes to go into the survey and complete it. Note that according to our academic course policies, completion of the course assessment at the end of this course will be included as a factor in your course grade. Be assured that the evaluations are gathered anonymously; your honest feedback is greatly appreciated. ACCESSIBILITY: Please contact the instructor as soon as possible if disability-related accommodations are needed. Accommodations for students with documented disabilities are set up through the office of Disability Services. Contact Disability Services at (651) 638-6833 for help or you may also visit www.bethel.edu/disability for further, detailed information. GRADING: Grades are assigned according to Seminary Catalog policy (p. 89), with the assumption that work that satisfactorily meets the basic requirements of the assignment earns a grade of C. Points are added for work that distinguishes itself in terms of creativity, depth of analysis, and critical thinking. Therefore, getting an A- or B does not mean that you lost points. The entire range of grades (A-F) is used, and an A is not granted on the basis of points accumulated but on demonstrated evidence of conceptual mastery and experiential integration. The course requirements will be weighted as follows: Class participation (8pts.) & Course Evaluation (2pts.) 10 pts (10%) Kegan paper 20 pts (20%) Integration paper 60 pts (60%) Small Group paper 10 pts (10%) Portfolio summary Required Final grades will be assigned accordingly: A 94-100 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 A- 90-93 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 F 62 or less Assignment Grading & Return Policy: Papers will be graded and returned between one and two weeks. 4
5 LATE WORK POLICY: Assignments in this course should be submitted through the Moodle course site. Work will not receive full credit if it is (a) submitted by other means (including email attachment); or (b) submitted more than 24 hours after the beginning of the class session at which it is due. I encourage you to work well ahead of due dates in case of unexpected illness or other last-minute circumstances. If you do not turn in an assignment by the beginning of the class session at which it is due, you will have 24 hours to turn it in without penalty. This should be used only as a cushion for unexpected problems. After this buffer day, work will lose 20% of the points earned for every 24 hour period that it is late. Late papers may not be graded and returned at the same time as those received on time. GUIDELINES FOR COURSE INTERACTION: Any course which asks us to examine our previous experience and understandings of God has the potential to be unsettling. Our ability to learn in such a course depends on our willingness to tolerate ambiguity, to dialogue honestly and respectfully with others, to consider alternative interpretations, to take responsibility for both our beliefs and our anxiety about different beliefs, and our ongoing struggle to integrate new information with present beliefs. With this in mind, use the following as guidelines in your interactions with others throughout the course: Presume welcome and extend welcome in informal interaction, in small group discussion, in any online journal groups, and in large group interaction. Refrain from fixing, saving, or setting straight others in the class. When the interaction gets tricky, turn to inquiry rather than advocacy (wonder about something instead of defending something). Pay attention to the distinction between dialogue (which begins with a question) and debate (which begins with an answer). Make sure your questions are real questions, not ones intended to make a point, demonstrate prior knowledge, or communicate a hidden agenda. Observe confidentiality, especially regarding material shared by other students. If you find that you are having personal difficulty in this course, please feel free to check in with the instructor at anytime or Jeff Sanders, the student life coordinator; (jsanders@bethel.edu). Bethel Seminary Academic Course Policies Academic Course Policies: Please familiarize yourself with the catalog requirements as specified in Academic Course Policies document found on the Registrar's website at: https://bethelnet.bethel.edu/ureg/bssp/acp/. You are responsible for this information, and any academic violations, such as plagiarism, will not be tolerated.
COURSE SCHEDULE 6 DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENTS Jan. 8 th Jan 15 th Course Introduction & The Art & Craft of Theological Reflection Relationships & Our Images of God Kegan: Prologue Dennis: Introduction Griffith & Griffith Article Paul Article Kegan: Chs. 1-2 (not pgs. 56-70) Dennis: Part I (Open Med., Chaps. 1-2) Jan 22 nd Levels of Consciousness & Faith Kegan: Chs. 3-4 Dennis: Part I (Chaps. 3-5, Our D. Journey ) Jan 29 th Feb. 5 th Feb. 12 th Feb. 19 th Developmental Faith Kegan: Chs. 6-7 (not chap. 5) Dennis: Part II (Open Med., Chaps. 6-7) NO CLASS Reading & Research Week #1 Kegan: Ch. 8-9 (not chap. 10), Epilogue Dennis: Part II (Chaps. 8-10, Our D. Journey ) Kegan Paper (Due: 2/5 by 8 a.m.) NO CLASS Reading & Research Week #2 Dennis: Part III (Open Med., Chaps. 11-15, Our D. Journey) Family/Church Systems & Faith Dennis: Part IV (Open Med., Chaps. 16-18) Feb. 26 th Developing a Self in Community Dennis: Part IV (Chaps. 19-20, Our D. Journey) Differentiation & Faith Dennis: Part V (Open Med., Chaps. 21-23) Mar. 5 th Mar. 12 th Cultural Systems & Faith Leading in Faith Communities Class Wrap-up Dennis: Part V (Chaps. 24-25, Our D. Journey) Integrative Paper (Due: 3/12 by 8 a.m.) Small Group Paper (Due: 3/12 by 8 a.m.) Portfolio Summary Due(for your use)
7 Kegan Response Paper Evaluation Name: Listed below are the evaluation categories as described in the syllabus. a. Affective Part (maximum of 6 points) How did you feel about the content of the book and the author s assertions? What emotions emerged as you dialogued in your mind with the author? What concepts, notions, statements from the author stirred the most emotions in you and why do you think this is the case (2-3 concepts max)? b. Cognitive Part (maximum of 6 points) What did you think about the content of the book? What did you specifically agree or disagree with (2-3 things max for each) in the book? What are your reasons for agreement & disagreement? c. Application Part (maximum of 5 points) From your thoughts from sections a-b, share reflections on how you might use concepts from the book or learnings about yourself and your development in future ministry. d. Overall style and analysis (maximum of 3 points) Creativity and clarity Accurate spelling and grammar Depth of analysis Attention to style requirements Points Total Points Course Objectives #2, #3, #4, & #5.
Integration Paper Evaluation 8 Name: Listed below are the evaluation categories as described in the syllabus. a. Journal Personal Reflections (maximum of 18 points) One for each week (9 total) At least 125 words but not over 150 words each week Focused on own personal reflections and not preoccupied with cognitive statements of beliefs or doctrine Analyzing your personal and spiritual journey with conceptual sophistication and integrative reflection b. Journal Class Specific Reflections (maximum of 18 points) One for each week (9 total) At least 125 words but not over 150 words each week Focused on own personal reflections and not preoccupied with cognitive statements of beliefs or doctrine Analyzing your personal and spiritual journey with conceptual sophistication and integrative reflection c. Mark s Theme Analysis (maximum of 8 points) Identify one theme that has emerged for you from reading Mark Briefly trace this theme through the gospel. Discussion of the significance of the theme for Mark s theology. At least 400 words but not over 500 words for this section d. Image of God Reflections (maximum of 10 points) Draw integrative implications of your theme for your own construal of who God is and what God values. Include ideas from course concepts, your journal writings from the Dennis text, and/or discussions with your small group that you feel helps you understand why this image of God stands out for you Discuss why this theme is important for your image of God At least 400 words but not over 500 words for this section e. Overall style and analysis (maximum of 6 points) Creativity and clarity Accurate spelling and grammar Depth of analysis Attention to style requirements Course Objectives #1, #2, #3, & #4. Total
Small Group Paper Evaluation 9 Name: Listed below are the evaluation categories as described in the syllabus. a. Reflections on Self as a Group Member (maximum 10 points) At least 400 words but not more than 500 words Learnings, surprises concerning your process and interaction Reasons as to why you interacted the way you did What you plan to take with you to aid you in ministry with others Course Objectives #2, #3, #4, & #5. Total