The History, Polity and Theology of the United Church of Christ Sponsored by the Six Conferences of New England

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1 The History, Polity and Theology of the United Church of Christ Sponsored by the Six Conferences of New England 29 May-1 June, 5-8 June, 2018 Instructors: Rev. Dr. Beth Nordbeck Camp Calumet Rev. Dr. Jonathan New Freedom, NH Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be expected to have: 1. Familiarity with and knowledge of the four constituent traditions of the UCC, their histories, informing documents, key principles and practices, and current realities. 2. Knowledge and understanding of the development of the UCC since Knowledge and understanding of the historical and contemporary principles and patterns of the UCC in the areas of theology, ecclesiology, liturgy, and mission. 4. Knowledge and understanding of ministry and its authorization in the UCC, including issues of standing and discipline. 5. A working knowledge of the structure, operation and ethos of the UCC, including the implications of these for the practice of ministry. 6. Capacity to reflect on and make a case for the UCC: why they wish to be a part of its leadership, and why others might want to join he denomination. Books (required): everyone should own for their library. Louis Gunnemann, The Shaping of the United Church of Christ Daniel L. Johnson and Charles Hambrick-Stowe, eds., Theology and Identity: Traditions, Movements, and Polity in the United Church of Christ Roger L. Shinn, Confessing Our Faith Randi Walker, The Evolution of a UCC Style: Essays in the History, Ecclesiology, and Culture of the United Church of Christ UCC Book of Worship UCC Manual on Ministry** Constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ** Heidelberg Catechism (there are several available versions,, including online ones; however, we recommend the most recent translation by Lee Barrett) New Century Hymnal **These are available online through Because the Manual on Ministry is in process of being revised, we suggest borrowing a current version if possible, OR accessing the contents online from the UCC website. For class purposes, the latter will mean having your computer available during some sessions.) 1

2 Books (recommended). Like many of the above books, these can be purchased through the UCC presses or elsewhere online, such as Amazon.com. Although we won t necessarily be using them in class, we do recommend including them in your library. Balaam s Courier Staff, Balaam s Unofficial Handbook of the United Church of Christ David Dunn et al., History of the Evangelical and Reformed Church Gabriel Fackre, Believing, Caring and Dong in the United Church of Christ Sidney D. Fowler, What Matters to You? Matters to Us: Engaging Six Vital Themes of Our Faith Mary Susan Gast, That We May All (Finally!) Be One Louis Gunnemann, United and Uniting Ann Thayer and Douglas Jacobsen, eds., Christ, Creeds, and Life: Conversations about the Center of Our Faith Frederick R. Trost and Barbara Brown Zikmund, eds., Living Theological Heritage of the United Church of Christ (seven-volume set offers excellent primary source material, but especially vol. seven for post-1957 material) John Von Rohr, The Shaping of American Congregationalism 50: Our History, Our Future Barbara Brown Zikmund, ed., Hidden Histories in the UCC, Vols. 1-7 Please NOTE: daily readings that are not from required texts will be available through websites at the Massachusetts Conference, UCC. Details to be given in class. Course Requirements 1. Attendance and active participation in class, with reading done as assigned, so that discussion will be lively and informed; participation in any groups that may be assigned. (We recognize that, because this is an intensive class, it will not be possible to keep up with the reading during our two weeks together. However, we assume that, in preparation for the final exam and the ordination paper, all the reading will be completed.) 2. Each student will do one of the following: Write a paper (roughly pages) explaining your vocational path, current theological convictions, and reasons for seeking privilege of call/ dual standing in the UCC. (This option is for students who are already ordained and are taking this course to seek standing in the UCC). Before writing, you should check with the Association in your location, and ascertain what specific requirements there may be for your particular process. Due August 3. Write an ordination paper (roughly pages) that could be presented to your Committee on Church & Ministry. Before writing, 2

3 you must check with the Committee in your location, and ascertain what specific requirements there may be for an ordination paper. Due August A final take-home essay exam will be handed out on the last day of class. Due June 29. Please Note: Unless special arrangements have been made with the instructors, anyone who attends this class must do ALL the required work that is, both reading and written assignments. Those students seeking UCC authorization or standing will, upon satisfactory submission of all work, receive a Certificate of Completion that will meet any Association s requirements for an authorized UCC Polity cours Week One Course Outline May 29 (Session 1) Setting the Stage: An introduction to one another and to the United Church of Christ (Focus: By learning something about one another, we will begin to explore the UCC in its diversity.) European roots and colonial beginnings: The Congregational and Evangelical Traditions (Focus: This session and next, we will look comparatively at five selected aspects of each of the four founding denominations: origins, theology and doctrine, denominational identity, education, and mission.) : Johnson and Hambrick-Stowe, Theology and Identity, chapters 1 & 3 Elizabeth Nordbeck & Lowell Zuck, eds., Living Theological Heritage of the UCC, vol. 4, and Gunnemann, Shaping of the United Church of Christ, and

4 May 30 (Session 2) Frontier expansion and denominational growth: The Reformed and Christian Traditions Overview of the history of the UCC and comparison of the four traditions (Focus: Consideration of the two other founding traditions of the UCC. What are some of the commonalities and differences among the four founding traditions? Where, in today s UCC do we find resonances with, or direct lines of influence from, any of the four traditions? Barbara Brown Zikmund, ed., Hidden Histories in the United Church of Christ, Vol. 2, chapter 3 Johnson and Hambrick-Stowe, Theology and Identity, chapters 2 & 4 Gunnemann, Shaping of the United Church of Christ, chapter 7, , , Nordbeck & Zuck, eds., Living Theological Heritage of the United Church of Christ, Vol. 4, 1-13, Heidelberg Catechism May 31 (Session 3) The United Church of Christ: Its Formation, History, and Culture, (Focus: denominational realities that both hindered and helped the 1957 union, as well as significant developments over the past 55 years; assessment of the UCC s changing culture after half a century.) Gunnemann, Shaping of the United Church of Christ, chapters 1-4, 8, and Basis of Union Trost and Zikmund, eds., LTH 7, 1-7 Randi Walker, Evolution of a UCC Style (begin reading chapters 1-4) Richard Taylor and Marjorie H. Royle, The New United Church of Christ, in Prism, Fall 2007 General Synod Overview (handout) June 1 (Session 4) Theology, ecclesiology, and polity, part one: What the United Church of Christ believes, and how it remains united (Focus: How the UCC understands itself ecclesiologically, that is, as church; also a beginning look at the three C S Constitution, Covenant, and Consensual Standards that both reflect and help to shape UCC ideas and identity. Today s focus will be on Constitution [both the theological preamble and important provisions], covenant and covenant polity.) 4

5 Johnson and Hambrick-Stowe, Theology and Identity, chapter 7 J. Mary Luti, Thinking It Through: What It Means to be a Non-Creedal Church, Prism, Spring 1998, Clyde Steckel, United Church of Christ Ecclesiology at Fifty, in Prism, Spring 2007 Constitution and Bylaws (peruse all of it, paying special attention to the Preamble, and bring to class) Four articles on covenant, in Prism, Fall 1996, Randi Walker, Evolution of a UCC Style (complete reading chapters 1-4) Week Two June 4 (Session 5) Theology, ecclesiology, and polity, part two: What the United Church of Christ believes, and how it remains united (Focus: The third C consensual standards including an examination of three important consensual texts that are testimonies, not tests of what we believe: The Statement of Faith, Book of Worship, and The New Century Hymnal.) Roger Shinn, Confessing Our Faith Roger Shinn, Revisiting the Statement of Faith, in Prism,, Spring 2007 Clyde Steckel, United Church of Christ Ecclesiology at Fifty, in Prism, Spring 2007 UCC Statement of Faith (all three versions) Book of Worship New Century Hymnal (Please be familiar with the content of all three texts to be considered, and bring them to class.) June 5 (Session 6) Discovering a distinctive UCC identity (Focus: The search for a distinctive UCC identity: how our self-understanding as a denomination has evolved, including four themes for action that, while not exclusive to the UCC, help to shape that identity: engaging in mission, seeking justice, seeking unity inside and outside the Christian community, and fostering diversity. Also, an overall summary of UCC polity, including recent changes and new developments.) New Conversations: A Church Inclusive of All People, Summer

6 Reshaping Mission, LTH 7, Barbara Brown Zikmund, Expanding an Ecumenical Vision, in Prism, Spring 2007 Articles on justice, LTH 7, June 6 (Session 7) Ministries of the United Church of Christ, part one: From call to authorization (Focus: the essential nature of call as not only personal, but ecclesial; introduction to the process by which credentialing, or authorization, of ministry is carried out in the UCC. Also, consideration of proposed changes in authorizing ministries.) Johnson and Hambrick-Stowe, Theology and Identity, chapter 8 Walter Brueggemann and Browne Barr, A Note on the Practice of Ministry, LTH 7, Minister s Code, in Manual on Ministry (also begin reading through MOM) June 7 (Session 8) Ministries of the United Church of Christ, part two: Issues of personal and ecclesial accountability (Focus: the mutual responsibilities of individuals, local churches, and denominational settings [conferences and associations] within the UCC, as indicated in text and practice; standing and discipline; ministerial boundaries) Manual on Ministry (this can be found online, on the UCC website Please be familiar with its contents, and bring it or a computer with which you can gain access to class). June 8 (Session 9) Ministries of the United Church of Christ, part three: Personal accountability (cont.) and leadership in the United Church of Christ (Focus: Continuation, as necessary, of yesterday s topic; consideration of power and authority for effective ministry in a church setting; identifying your own sources of authority. Immediately after lunch, we will celebrate communion together.) John Thomas, A Church That Stands for Something, address given to annual meeting of Wisconsin Conference,