SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY Perkins School of Theology

Transcription

1 Class Number 2499 DM 9377 Ministry and Popular Culture Dates: June 17-20; 23-27, 2014 Time: 1:30pm - 4:30pm Location: Room 223 (Prothro) Instructor: Rev. Michael W. Waters, D.Min. pastormwaters@yahoo.com COURSE DESCRIPTION: SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY Perkins School of Theology This course introduces students to ideological and theological aspects of popular culture in North America as evidenced in music, art, video and other media to gain understanding of the reciprocal influence of popular culture and congregations. Attention will be given to how such understanding may be useful for ministries of preaching, liturgy, evangelism, spiritual formation and ministerial leadership. REQUIRED READING: Detweiler, Craig and Barry Taylor. A Matrix of Meanings: Finding God in Pop Culture. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, p. ISBN-10: X; ISBN-13: Lynch, Gordon. Between Sacred and Profane: Researching Religion and Popular Culture. I. B. Tarius, ISBN-13: Lynch, Gordon. Understanding Theology and Popular Culture. Malden, MA: Blackwell, p. ISBN: ; Romanowski, William D. Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture. Revised and Expanded Edition. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, p. ISBN-10: ; ISBN-13: Waters, Michael W. Freestyle: Reflections on Faith, Family, Justice, and Pop Culture. Nashville: Upper Room, ISBN RECOMMENDED READING: Bailey, Julius. The Cultural Impact of Kanye West. New York: Palgrave Macmillan ISBN-13: Heath, Elaine. The Gospel According to Twilight: Women, Sex and God. Louisville: Westminster John Knox ISBN Niebhur, H. Richard. Christ and Culture. San Francisco: Harper and Row ISBN-13: 978-

2 Stoute, Steve. The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture that Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy. New York: Gotham, ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Tillich, Paul. Theology of Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN-13: COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Class attendance and participation (10%) Popular Culture Tests and Self-Assessment Paper (10%) Book Critique (15%) Group presentation (15%) A final paper of pages with bibliography (50%) PRE-COURSE WORK (Due Tuesday, June 17 th ): Popular Culture Tests and Self-Assessment Paper Each student will complete the following popular culture tests on-line and then complete a Times New Roman, 12 pt. font with 1-inch margins, double spaced, and 5-7 page self-assessment paper based upon a summary of his or her test results. The self-assessment should accomplish the following; 1) identification of strengths in his or her knowledge of American popular culture; 2) identification of weaknesses in his or her knowledge of American popular culture; 3) identification of cultural blind spots inherent in the test questions; 4) recommendations for the tests improvement. Late self-assessment papers will NOT be accepted for a grade. Take-our-quiz-to-find-out/harry-potter Book Critique Paper Each student will prepare a Times New Roman, 12 pt. font with 1-inch margins, double spaced, and 5-7 page assessment of his or her findings for one of the required readings of his or her

3 choosing. Each critique should accomplish the following; 1) an author identification including brief biography and notation of expertise or competence for addressing topic at hand; 2) a summary of the text with key points identified; 3) a critique of the strengths and weaknesses in the author s argumentation. Late book critiques will NOT be accepted for a grade. GROUP PRESENTATIONS (Due Tuesday, June 24 th ) Each group will give a minute presentation followed by minutes of questions and answers from the instructor and the class. Each presentation should explore a popular cultural form, text, or artifact (movie, song, character, etc.) in light of Romanowski s Matrix for Analysis of Popular Artworks. Each student in each group must actively contribute, not only to the preparation of the presentation, but to the delivery of the same. FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT (Due Saturday, July 5 th - Midnight) Each student will complete a Times New Roman, 12 pt. font with 1-inch margins, double spaced, and page research paper with bibliography. The paper should 1) explore a particular popular cultural form, text, or artifact by utilizing the concepts and methods of the authors studied in the course, and 2) design a ministry project (i.e., preaching series, liturgy, evangelistic program, spiritual formation course, ministerial leadership training workshop) that proposes how this form, text, or artifact can be employed in the student s ministry context. Strong projects will include biblical, theological, and theoretical supports to argumentations. A one-page project proposal is due at the beginning of class on Monday, June 23 rd. COURSE OF STUDY Tuesday, June 17, 2014/ Introduction to Theology and Popular Culture Detweiler and Taylor, Introduction (p ) Romanowski, Introduction (p ) Lynch, Understanding Theology and Popular Culture, Chapters 1-2 (p. 1-42) Waters, Check One, Check Two: An Invitation to the Cypher (p ); Pop Culture (p. 117) Wednesday, June 18, 2014/ Popular Culture Theory Detweiler and Taylor, Chapter 1 (p ) Romanowski, Chapters 4-7 (p ) Lynch, Understanding Theology and Popular Culture, Chapters 5-6 (p ) Thursday, June 19, 2014/ RESEARCH DAY There will be no class session held today. Each student is encouraged to utilize the available time to conduct research for final project and to meet with group to prepare presentations.

4 Friday, June 20, 2014/ Materialism and Popular Culture Detweiler and Taylor, Chapter 2 (p ) Romanowski, Chapters 8-9 (p ) Lynch, Understanding Theology and Popular Culture, Chapter 3 (p ) Waters, Pepper Spray Hospitality (p ) Visit to CD Source, 5500 Greenville Avenue, Suite 201, Dallas, Texas Monday, June 23, 2014/ Celebrity and Popular Culture Detweiler and Taylor, Chapter 3 (p ) Romanowski, Chapters (p ) Lynch, Understanding Theology and Popular Culture, Chapter 7 (p ) Waters, Glory: A New Day for Family and Fatherhood in Hip-Hop Culture (p ) Waters, Stay Schemin : The Media s Curious Portrayal of Black Achievement (p ) Final paper topic with working bibliography due. Tuesday, June 24, 2014/ Group Presentations Lynch, Understanding Theology and Popular Culture, Chapter 8 (p ) Lynch, Between Sacred and Profane, Chapter 2 (p.21-33) Wednesday, June 25, 2014/ Film and Popular Culture Detweiler and Taylor, Chapter 5 (p ) Lynch, Between Sacred and Profane, Chapter 3 (p ) In-Class Film Thursday, June 26, 2014/ Television and Popular Culture Detweiler and Taylor, Chapter 6 (p ) Lynch, Between Sacred and Profane, Chapter 4 (p ) Waters, A Different World: The Postmillennial Perils of Black Family TV Programming (p ) In-Class Video Friday, June 27, 2014/ Music and Popular Culture Detweiler and Taylor, Chapter 4 (p ) Lynch, Between Sacred and Profane, Chapter 10 (p ) Waters, An Odd Future for Faith in Hip-Hop (p ) In-Class Listening Session

5 Grading Grading in this course is based on the assumption that graduate level work is expected. Therefore, above average grades of B- or higher are expected in the course and program. Grades of A- or higher are considered to be exceptionally superior work. Minority Concerns and Ministry Courses in the Perkins Curriculum In 1975 the Perkins Senate passed resolutions which bear on the relation of the Perkins curriculum to this school's common concern for the status of ethnic minority groups and of women both in education for ministry and in the ministry itself. The following statement summarizes these resolutions with respect to courses in the area of Ministry. 1. Instructors and students alike are urged to use inclusive language, images and metaphors which will give full and positive value to both the past contributions and the future prospects of ethnic minorities and women in the church and in society at large. 2. Instructors and students alike are urged to give sensitive consideration to the role of images from a predominantly white and male culture in shaping both the language and concepts of Christian theology and the models and methods of Christian ministry that are widely current today. 3. Instructors are urged to make every effort to provide in the syllabi, assignments and formats of their courses opportunities for women students and students from ethnic minority groups (1) to study the functions of ministry with particular reference to their own status or tradition in the life of the church, (2) to practice the functions of ministry (when practice is an element in a course) in settings which reflect or, if possible, arise from their own status or tradition in the life of the church, (3) to receive evaluation of their practice of the functions of ministry from persons who are not only knowledgeable about and skilled in those functions, but also share their special status or tradition in the life of the church, and (4) to observe the practice of persons who, as women or as members of ethnic minority groups, provide models of effective ministry which are immediately relevant to the special status or tradition of women or members of ethnic minority groups in the church. 4. Instructors are urged to make every effort to provide in the syllabi, assignments and formats of their courses opportunities for all students to become acquainted with the special problems and conditions that affect women and ethnic minority groups in human society and in the life of the church, with special attention to the ways in which these problems and conditions may affect the practice of ministry. Policy Statements The Student Handbook for Perkins School of Theology includes three appendices with statements on Sexual Harassment, Academic Responsibility, and Grade Appeals. All students should be familiar with these statements and should expect that they will be honored in this course.