Module THMN43930: Spirituality and Creativity for Evangelism and Worship

Department: Theology and Ministry

THMN43930: Spirituality and Creativity for Evangelism and Worship

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To enable students to understand significant trends in the culture of the Global North
• To enable students to develop creative approaches to the contextualization of the Christian tradition within this cultural matrix.

Content

• An introduction to issues facing the church in post-modern culture, and inductive experiential exploration of themes in evangelism, worship, and spirituality designed to encourage the development of a praxis-reflection model of ministry and theological understanding.
• This module is structured around the concept of a house with different rooms forming a focus for each session. This image offers a creative space with resources for theological reflection on issues in church life as well as the development of personal spirituality, and also connects with thematic understandings within the Bible and in the wider Christian tradition. Within this frame of reference, the following topics are explored through a variety of creative media and in relation to the key concerns of spirituality, evangelism and worship. Eight topics will be chosen in consultation with the group for long lecture slots; the other topics may be covered in seminar work.
• 1 The Porch: Reflection on the baggage acquired from the wider culture, with particular reference to the contemporary post-modern context.
• 2 The Living Room: A space for sharing personal stories of faith, together with reflection on the nature of the Bible as story, and consideration of hermeneutical questions about the use of the Bible as a key resource in the church.
• 3 The Garden: Explorations of creation-centred spirituality and the use of the arts, in relation to contemporary environmental concerns and the history of the Christian tradition.
• 4 The Basement: A place for storing stuff we no longer use but do not wish to discard. Addressing aspects of inherited Christian belief and practice (historical, theological, and personal) that may fall into that category, and reflecting on how to reimagine the tradition with integrity in the contemporary cultural context.
• 5 The Kitchen: Exploring the importance of community, with particular emphasis on the question of who belongs in the church community and the criteria for such belonging.
• 6 The Bedroom: Issues related to sexuality and spirituality, along with discussion of ministry with diverse forms of family groupings.
• 7 The Bathroom: Play as self-discovery and spiritual exercise, related to themes of honesty, forgiveness, cleansing, and blessing – for church leaders personally and in ministry with others.
• 8 The Study: The place of rational and reasonable discourse in the practice of everyday spirituality. Incorporating consideration of the relationship between spiritual preferences and learning styles, and the role of the discipline of practical theology as a focus for the integration of cognitive and affective understandings of God and human spirituality.
• 9 The Street: The nature of evangelism and the place and purpose of worship within that context. What it means to be church beyond the walls of ecclesiastical buildings, with particular reference to models of evangelism based on doctrines of creation and incarnation.
• 10 Construction Site: Student-led reimagining of Christian belief and community focused around the concept of recycling materials in creative ways so as to redefine spirituality and evangelism in relation to an appropriate remodeling of church life for the 21st century.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will gain an in-depth understanding of:
• A conceptual understanding of the nature of the culture of the Global North.
• Informed critical engagement with current debates about worship and evangelism

• Ability to be self-reflective on issues of deeply held personal beliefs.
• Begun to identify original and creative ways of expressing and communicating faith
• A capacity for a praxis-reflection way of doing theology.
• Advanced skills in theological reflection on ministry, including the ability to draw on relevant experience and suitable Biblical and theological themes, and integrate them with insights from the human sciences, leading to appropriate ministerial practice.

• Advanced research skills, including the ability to locate, evaluate, and summarise key sources, both in print and online, and to cite them to a professional standard.
• Advanced communication skills, including the ability to construct a sophisticated argument, supported by the sources, in a clear, concise and convincing manner.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching will be in one residential block, from Monday lunchtime to Friday lunchtime. This allows for an intensive group experience which facilitates the learning process.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Students are required to lead a 20 min. seminar presentation on own prior experience of church life and relate this to the module aims and objectives. Subsequently they will prepare a 1,500 word text based on this presentation. Students will be given immediate oral feedback on their seminar presentations. Students will be given formal written feedback on their 1,500 word text after the summer school.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University