MC634 SYLLABUS Conflict Management in Life & the Church Fall Semester 2018 WEDNESDAYS, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Transcription

1 MC634 SYLLABUS Conflict Management in Life & the Church Fall Semester 2018 WEDNESDAYS, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Instructor: Katherine Kyte Horvath, D.Min ; I. Course Description This course focuses on the dynamics of interpersonal conflict management, with principles broadened to the larger context of the church and its system. The course will provide an opportunity for reflection on a biblical survey of conflict scenarios as well as discussion of a variety of effective and ineffective interpersonal conflict styles. An interdisciplinary approach will include an introduction to systems theory whereby various patterns of relating will be identified and strategies for their management and/or resolution will be formulated. As outcomes for the course, students will be able to identify their own conflict styles and those of others. They will reflect on various patterns of human behavior in the midst of conflict as well as study and devise strategies to deal with them in the most effective and God-honoring ways. Students will be able to craft their own strategies for creating a culture of peace within their personal relationships and their churches, acquiring skills in conflict prevention and management with the aim of ultimate interpersonal and group reconciliation. II. Course Relationship to Curriculum This course is offered as an elective course for all seminary majors. III. Course Objectives: 1. To understand natural causes of conflict, and identifying biblical examples and options for addressing it. 2. Identify their own and various personal conflict styles and to identify unhealthy and/or unbiblical patterns in relating. 3. To develop conviction and courage in facing conflict interpersonally and in the church. 4. To grow in reliance on the Holy Spirit for biblical and God-honoring methods and results. 5. To develop patience and resilience in working with avoidant or attacking individuals (self & others) and other resistance to reconciliation efforts. 6. To dissect core conflicted relationships in their own lives and develop appropriate strategies for addressing them. 7. To identify, anticipate, and plan strategies for current and/or potential conflict scenarios in the church. 1 of 8

2 IV. Course Requirements Attend all class sessions (see below). Participation in class and small group/triad discussions. Take the online Wagner Enneagram Personality Assessment. Complete all Required Reading (see below). Analyze two Biblical Conflict Scenarios (one OT & one NT) and propose potential alternative responses (5 pages). Write a 5-page Personal Conflict Case Reflection on a past conflict in your life, identifying contributors to the conflict, followed by outlining a better, alternate approach based on principles learned in class. Alternatively, students may choose a church conflict scenario with permission. Write and submit a 10-page Conflict Resolution Plan paper, focusing either on interpersonal conflict, congregational conflict or both. Identify theoretical and biblical approaches and form them into a coherent plan and process for addressing future conflicts and pursuing reconciliation in these conditions. Option for Final paper: Propose a Research Paper on a relevant aspect of conflict management germane to your expected future ministry(ies). Present your one-paragraph proposal to Dr. Horvath via or in a personal appointment. V. Required Reading & Assignments Required Texts: Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community. New York: Harper & Row, Cleveland, Christena, Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, Sande, Ken, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, VanYperen, Jim, Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, Recommended Texts: Gilbert, Roberta M., The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory. Lake Frederick, VA: Leading Systems Press, Assignments: Complete the Enneagram online: (Cost: $10; minutes to complete). Complete and print this for our Sept. 26 th class. Biblical Conflict Scenarios (1 from OT + 1 from NT) 5 pages Due October 5 th Personal (or Church) Conflict Case Reflection 5 pages Due November 9 th Personal Conflict Management Plan, or Research Paper on approved related topic; 10 pages, Due the Last Day for Written Work, Dec. 18 th Papers should be double-spaced, normal margins, standard title page (your name, professor s name, course title and title of paper not considered part of the page count), done in Chicago or Turabian style. 2 of 8

3 Annotated Reading Report: 1000 pages of reading not including required books or books read for other classes.* However, the Annotated Reading Report should include the required texts. Due on the Last Day for Written Work, Dec. 18 th. *Books in the Bibliography read for other classes may only count if fully re-read, and the with professor s permission. Dr. Horvath s Office (& lending library ): Academic Center, Room 233. Scheduled appointments available throughout the week. Drop by or Student Assistants, Janet Lee (mmcoordinator@gordonconwell.edu) or (mmassist@gordonconwell.edu). Office phone: Closed for lunch 12:00-1:00. CLASS SESSIONS Session 1 September 12 th - The Problem of Conflict. Personal History of Conflict Causes of Conflict Lessons from Intentional Communities Triad Discussions (experience in conflict) Assignment: Read Life Together (Bonhoeffer) by next week Session 2 September 19 th - Biblical Foundations in Peacemaking Principles of Communication Visions/Metaphors of the Church Conflict in the Old Testament Conflict in the New Testament Discussion of Life Together book Triad Discussions (experiences in community) Assignment: Take the online Wagner Enneagram Personality Assessment. Cost = $10; takes minutes to complete. Bring results to our next class session. Begin reading The Peacemaker by Ken Sande Reminder: Begin working on your Biblical Conflict Scenarios paper (due Oct. 5 th ) Session 3 September 26 th - Mirror Gazing: The Enneagram & Personal Conflict Styles Personal Conflict Styles The Enneagram Approachability Forgiveness Triad Discussions (Enneagram styles) Session 4 October 3 rd - Getting Along God s Way: Practical Principles God s Way to Address Conflict Unpacking the Six Biblical Responses 3 of 8

4 Role Plays Triad Discussions (application of principles in conflict) Assignment: Begin reading VanYperen s Making Peace. Session 5 October 17 th - Systemic Understanding of Conflict Introduction to Systems Theory Bowen Family Systems Concepts Understanding the Church as a System Triad Case Discussions (conflicts experienced in a system) Assignment: Read You re a Snot-Nosed Young Pastor case study (handed out in class) Session 6 October 24 th - Peacemaking in the Church Strategies for Diagnosing & Addressing Conflict in the Church Discussion of Making Peace book Lg. Group Case Discussion: You re a Snot-Nosed Young Pastor Assignment: Read The Pastor s Daughter is a Rebel case study (handed out in class) Session 7 October 31 st - Window into Church Diagnostics Signs of a Healthy Church Church Crisis & Transition Consultants Triad Case Discussion of The Pastor s Daughter is a Rebel Assignment: Read assigned case study for your Triad (handed out in class) Session 8 November 7 th - Firestorms and their Prevention Development of a Firestorm Interventions Triad Case Discussion of your assigned cases & share your Triad s evaluation with rest of class Assignments: Begin reading Cleveland s Disunity in Christ. Reminder: Personal (or Church) Conflict Case Reflection Paper due Fri., Nov. 9 th (in 2 days) Session 9 November 21 st - Peacemaking Pastors Red & Blue Zone Leadership Peacemaking Stance & Strategy Triad Case Study Discussions (choose a personal case from among you to lead the whole class in discussion next week) Assignment: Plan further for next week s presentation with your Triad (as needed) Session 10 November 28 th - Maintaining Peace Creating a Culture of Peace in the Church Emotionally Healthy Spirituality & Emotionally Healthy Churches Triad-Led Case Discussions Assignment: Finish reading Cleveland s Disunity in Christ. Session 11 December 5 th - Cultural Issues in Conflict Resolution 4 of 8

5 Guilt vs. Shame Cultures Discussion of Disunity in Christ book Triad Case Discussions (experiences in cultural misunderstanding/conflict) Session 12 December 12 th Wrap-Up Conflict Strategies in Context Triad Discussions Course Evaluation Reminder: Personal Conflict Management Plan (or approved Research paper) due next Tues. 12/18 Annotated Reading Report due next Tues., 12/ 18 (Last Day for Written Work) GRADING: Attendance/Participation = 20% Annotated Reading Report (1000 pages not read for other classes, and not including required texts; however, required texts must be annotated) = 10% Biblical Conflict Scenarios paper (5 pages) = 15% Personal* Conflict Case Reflection Paper (5 pages) = 15% Personal Conflict Management Plan or Research Paper (10 pages) = 40% 100% [*or church, with permission] A = ; A- = 90-93; B+ = 88-89; B = 83-87; B- = 80-82; C+ = 78-79; C = 73-77; C- = 70-72; D+ = 68-69; D = 63-67; D- = 60-62; 59 and below = F Extension Petitions should be requested from the Professor before or at the latest on the due date. - All late work submitted without an extension will be subject to a required grade penalty - Always look in CAMS and/or Sakai for assignments and resources. Remember that all seminary s communication is primarily via to your GCTS account. Please check this regularly. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Community: Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community. New York: Harper & Row, Conflict and the Church: Gangel, Kenneth O. & Samuel A. Canine, Communication and Conflict Management in Churches and Christian Organizations. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, Halverstadt, Hugh H., Managing Church Conflict. Louisville, KY: Westminster/Knox Press, of 8

6 Macchia, Stephen A., Becoming a Healthy Church: Ten Traits of a Healthy Ministry. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, Osterhaus, James P., Thriving Through Ministry Conflict: By Understanding Your Red and Blue Zones. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Poirer, Alfred, The Peacemaking Pastor: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Church Conflict. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, Susek, Ron, Firestorm: Preventing and Overcoming Church Conflict. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, Steinke, Peter L., Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What. Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield, VanYperen, Jim, Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, Cultural Considerations: Augsberger, David W., Conflict Mediation Across Cultures. Westminster: John Knox Press, Cleveland, Christena, Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, Georges, Jayson and Mark D. Baker, Ministering in Honor-Shame Cultures: Biblical Foundations and Practical Essentials. Downer s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, Livermore, David A., Cultural Intelligence: Improving Your CQ to Engage Our Multicultural World. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, Loewen, J. Culture and Human Values: Christian Intervention in Anthropological Perspective (3rd ed.). South Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, Muller, Roland, Honor and Shame: Unlocking the Door. (3 rd ed.) Bloomington, IL: Xlibris, Yep, Jeanette & Peter Cha, Susan Cho Van Riesen, Greg Jao & Paul Tokunaga, Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents. Downer s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, Enneagram: Cron, Ian & Suzanne Stabile, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery. Dower s Grove, Intervarsity Press, Rohr, Richard & Andreas Ebert, The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective. New York: Crossroad, of 8

7 Interpersonal Conflict: Augsberger, David, Caring Enough to Confront: How to Transform Conflict with Compassion and Grace. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, Billheimer, Paul E., Love Covers. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, Cloud, Henry & John Townsend, Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishers, Sande, Ken & Kevin Johnson, Resolving Everyday Conflict. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, Sande, Ken, The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, Smedes, Lewis B. Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don t Deserve. New York: Harper Collins, Smedes, Lewis B., The Art of Forgiving: When You Need to Forgive and Don t Know How. New York: Ballentine Books, Systems Theory: Bowen, Murray, Family Therapy in Clinical Practice. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, Friedman, Edwin H., A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix. New York: Seabury Books, Friedman, Edwin H., Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue. New York: Guilford Press, Gilbert, Roberta M., The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory. Lake Frederick, VA: Leading Systems Press, Hall, Dan, The Cat and The Toaster: Living System Ministry in a Technological Age. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Urban Series, Steinke, Peter L., Healthy Congregations: A Systems Approach. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, Steinke, Peter L., How Your Church Family Works: Understanding Congregations as Emotional Systems. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, Toman, Walter, Family Constellation: It s Effect on Personality and Social Behavior. New York: Springer Publishing, of 8

8 Theological: Stott, John R.W., God s New Society: The Message of Ephesians. Downer s Grove, IL Intervarsity Press, Volf Miroslav, Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, Various: Ausberger, David W., Caring Enough to Confront: How to Understand and Express Your Deepest Feelings Towards Others. Ventura, CA: Gospel Light Regal Publishers, Larson, Scott & Daniel L. Tocchini, Groundwork: Preparing the Soil for God s Transformation. Loveland, CO: Group, Mayer, Bernard, The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution: A Practitioner s Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Sande, Ken & Tom Raabe, Peacemaking for Families: A Biblical Guide for Managing Conflict in Your Home. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, Scazerro, Peter, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Scazzero, Peter, The Emotionally Healthy Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, Steinke, Peter L., A Door Set Open: Grounding Change in Mission and Hope. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, Case Study Resources: (not for Reading Report) Swetland, Kenneth L., Facing Messy Stuff in the Church: Case Studies for Pastors and Congregations. Grand Rapids: Kregel, Swetland, Kenneth L., The Hidden World of the Pastor: Case Studies on Personal Issues of Real Pastors. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, of 8