SF/CH 591 - Dynamics of Spiritual Life He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Psalm 1:3, NIV [Photo D. Kevin Adams] If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing, and thus communicates, without loss to itself, its superabundant water...in the Church at the present day, we have many canals, few reservoirs. Bernard of Clairvaux, c. 1120 I offer my heart to thee, Lord, promptly and sincerely. John Calvin's motto
SF/CH 591: Dynamics of Spiritual Life Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Charlotte campus June 18-22, 2018 Course Instructor: Dr. Gwenfair Walters Adams Class Meeting Time: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 5:00 p.m. Make-up day in case of cancellation: Saturday, June 23 Contact Information: TBA in class Course Description and Objectives: Story and narrative are important themes in many areas of contemporary Christian study. Kevin Vanhoozer explores it in theology (The Drama of Doctrine), Michael Horton and Bryan Chapell in worship (A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of Worship; Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice), and Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen in Biblical Studies (The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story). It shows up in pastoral counseling, preaching, church history, evangelism, the arts, and so on. This class explores the implications that examining the world through the lens of story structure has for our understanding of the Christian life and provides students with principles and tools to use in spiritual formation. Drawing on the biblical Creation-Redemption narrative, the course trains students in LifeStory Exegesis, a model of Christian spirituality that can be used in personal renewal, spiritual formation, direction, discipleship, mentoring, and counseling. Combining theological reflection, historical analysis, literary theory, and practical application, it explores key spiritual dynamics, equipping persons for ministry to those seeking a deeper life with Christ. Issues of discovering one s design and calling, equipping for power encounters, pursuit of intimacy with God, worship and obedience, and growing into Christ-likeness by the power of the Holy Spirit, will be dealt with in an integrated model. These dynamics are further explored through historical surveys, spiritual classics such as Bunyan s Pilgrim s Progress, Luther s Small Catechism, Spurgeon s sermons, Lilias Trotter s paintings, and various tools such as a rule of life, catechesis; inductive Bible study, discipleship, spiritual direction, and attentiveness to God; Korean kido won and intercessory prayer; sacramental spirituality, imagination, and the arts, etc. Class Sessions (subject to change if necessary and/or salutary): Session #1: A Theology of Spirituality Session #2a: LifeStory Exegesis : Design and Objectives Session #2b: Benedictine Monasticism and Rules of Life (Benedict s Rule) 2
Session #3a: LifeStory Exegesis : Opposition and Resistance (Martin Luther King) Session #3b: Life of Antony, Spurgeon, and Spiritual Power Encounters Session #3c: Bunyan s Pilgrim s Progress: Best-selling Narrative of Spiritual Formation Session #4a: Pursuing Holiness: Transforming into Christlikeness Session #4b: Luther s Small Catechism and the Formational Nature of Catechesis (Discipleship) Session #5a: LifeStory Exegesis : Sacred Author Session #5b: Developing Attentiveness to Christ (Inductive Bible Study; Spiritual Direction) Session #5c: Intercessory Prayer, Prayer Mountains (Korean Kido Won), and the Deepening of Faith Session #5d: Pursuing Intimacy with Christ (Lilias Trotter; Liturgy of the Ordinary) Session #5e: C. S. Lewis Horse and His Boy: Literature, Imagination, and the Deus Absconditus Required Texts: 1. I ve made it possible for most of each text to be read after the week of class meetings, but you will need to read certain pages from Spurgeon s sermons, John Bunyan s Pilgrim s Progress, Martin Luther King s Strength to Love, Liturgy of the Ordinary and C. S. Lewis Horse and His Boy before their respective class sessions. The more of each book that you can read before the week, however, the more indepth our conversations can be, but if you at least prep for the questions below, that will be helpful. They will help you gather information that will be the starting points for our discussions. Please note the key questions to focus on as you read and take notes. (The required minimums refer to what you ll need to read for the course as a whole, not to what you need to read before the class meets.) 2. Gerald L. Sittser, Water from a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Martyrs to Missionaries. (IVPress Books, 2010). 978-0830837458 $14.49 on gcts.christianbook.com (or $5.69 for pdf download at gcts.christianbook.com) - 285 pages. Read in total. This does not need to be read in advance of the class sessions. If you have not taken CH 500 or 501/502 yet, however, it may be helpful to read this book in advance of our week together so that you have a 3
chronological framework that will help you absorb the course lectures more fully. 3. Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love (Fortress Press, 2010). 978-0800697402 Key question for pre-class prep (focus on chapters 1, 4, 5, 6, 12): What does King teach/model about responding to conflict, opposition, and obstacles? Required minimum for course: 100 pages. 4. Charles Spurgeon, Spiritual Warfare in a Believer s Life (YWAM, 1993) - 978-1883002022 Please read at least one sermon before the session on Spurgeon and bring to class. Key question: What does Spurgeon teach about spiritual (not literal) warfare? - Required minimum for course: 100 pages. 5. Timothy Fry, ed., The Rule of St. Benedict (Vintage, 1981) - $10.99 on gcts.christianbook.com 9780375700170 Key questions: How did the way the monks structured their lives relate to their relationship with God? What facets of the Christian life does the Rule address? Required minimum for course: 50 pages. 6. John Bunyan, Pilgrim s Progress (Vintage) 9780375725685 - $9.99 on gcts.christianbook.com. Key preparation for class discussion: Use the map and instructions on Sakai to diagram Part I. (If you are hoping to audit the course and don t have access to Sakai for this class, please contact the professor for a copy of the map and instructions.) Required minimum for the course: read at least Part I (pages 1-140). 7. Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life (IVP Books, 2016) - 978-0830846238 185 pages. Please read at least pages 1-75 before class, if possible. Required minimum for the course: 100 pages 8. C. S. Lewis, Horse and His Boy (HarperCollins) - 9780064409407 Count as 150 pages $7.19 on gcts.christianbook.com Please read in its entirety before the session on C. S. Lewis. Allow yourself to get lost in the story rather than trying to analyze it as you go along. After you ve completed the book, ask the key question : Where is God in the story? 9. Please bring a Bible to each class session. Please bring the following pdf s to the relevant classes. Links to the pdf s are provided for you on Sakai. You do not need to read them before the class or for the page count. But you will need them for use in class. 1. Life of Antony 2. Luther s Small Catechism 3. Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises Recommended for reference purposes: 1. Adele Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (InterVarsity Press, 2005). 978-0830833306 $11.99 on gcts.christianbook.com 293 pages Use this as a reference work for planning your retreat and for doing the spiritual life log assignment. 4
Course Requirements: Students who are taking the course for credit are expected to attend all the class sessions, to complete at least 1100 pages from the required texts (including the per book minimums mentioned above); to participate in and write an analysis of the Spiritual Life Log OR 21 Scenes exercise; to spend a 7-hour retreat alone with God and write an analysis paper about it; write a research paper on the spiritual themes in the life and writings of a Christian leader, past or present; and write a Design & Mission paper for your own life using LifeStory Exegesis (hereafter referred to as the LifeStory Exegesis paper). All written work is due (postmarked by) August 20 at 4:00 p.m. The written assignments will require knowledge that you will gain during the class sessions, so please wait until the week of lectures before embarking on them. The grades of the Research paper and LifeStory Exegesis paper will be averaged, with the Research paper weighted twice as heavily as the LifeStory Exegesis paper. If all other work is done completely, the two-paper (Research and LifeStory Exegesis ) grade will stand. If other assignments are incomplete, the final grade will be reduced proportionately. 1. Reading Report: Students need to submit a bibliography with brief annotations (paragraph with your response to the book), listing all required reading done for the class. Please total the pages and write the total at the end of the list. 1100 pages minimum from the required texts. Grading method for the reading: If 100% of the reading has been completed, the two-paper grade (mentioned above) will be the grade for the course. Otherwise, the proportion of reading not done will be deducted from the grade at the following rate: 100 % = no change (ex: A to A) 75-99% = 1/3 grade drop (ex: A to A-) 50-74% = 2/3 grade drop (ex: A to B+) 25-49% = 1 grade drop (ex: A to B) Below 25 % = 1 1/3 grade drop (ex: A to B-) For example, if the 2:1 average of your two major papers is an A, if you have completed only 72 % of the reading, your semi-final grade for the course will be a B+. 2. LifeStory Exegesis Paper (15 pages or more) Building on the work you have done for, during, and after the class sessions, describe and analyze your design, purpose, vision, and mission, etc. Detailed instructions will be given during the course. Include as an appendix your LifeStory Exegesis Diagram. 3. Research paper Write an essay analyzing the key dynamics / characteristics of the spirituality (teachings and practices) of a key leader from the history of the church or from today. The paper should be 11-13 pages long (not including the required title page, 5
bibliography and 2-3 page reflection appendix), double-spaced, 12 pt. font. It will be graded on basis of: the strength of the argument; the quality of thought, insight, and analysis; the excellence of writing; the quality of the research (primary and secondary sources) and clarity of structure and expression. See the workshop slides and Guidelines for writing a CH paper on Sakai. 4. Retreat: Spend a full day (at least 7 hours) alone with the Lord, putting into practice what you are learning in the course that fits with your theological framework and conscience. The assignment will be assessed on the percentage of hours completed and the attainment of a satisfactory level of thoughtfulness in the analysis involved in the written report (2-3 pages). Please indicate the number of hours completed. More instructions will be given in class. 5. 21-Scenes chart or Spiritual Disciplines Log: For at least four consecutive weeks, each student will be required to do one of the following: a. Each week, fill in (or review) a 21-Scenes chart that organizes the week to come. More directions will be given during the class. OR b. Keep a log recording elements of his/her spiritual life. One intention of the exercise is to help provide accountability in order to assist students in developing healthy habits in maintaining spiritual disciplines. More directions will be given in class. With either assignment, at the end of the time, students will write an analysis of their experience. The 2-3 page analysis should be submitted on the Final due date for written work. The log and/or zone charts do not need to be submitted. 6. Class attendance - may be taken into account, with one point per missed two-hour block being taken off of the final grade for the course. Three or more missed blocks may result in failure of the course. Official auditors and those taking the course pass/fail must attend at least 75% of the course class sessions. For the sake of continuity and community building within the classroom, auditors (both official and courtesy) are asked to attend as many sessions as possible. Final Due Dates for all assignments: All written work will be due postmarked by August 20 at 4:00 p.m. (the official deadline set by the Registrar). If you need an extension beyond that date, please contact the Registrars office before the deadline. Please mail the work to Dr. Gwenfair Walters Adams, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 130 Essex St., S. Hamilton, MA 01938. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like your work returned to you. Grading Percentages: LifeStory Exegesis Paper 20% Reading 20% 6
Research Paper 40% Log /Zone Analysis 10% 7 hour Retreat & Analysis 10% The grades of the Research paper and LifeStory Exegesis paper will be averaged, with the Research paper weighted twice as heavily as the LifeStory Exegesis paper. If all other work is done completely, the two-paper (Research and LifeStory Exegesis ) grade will stand. If other assignments are incomplete, the final grade will be reduced proportionately. Estimated Hours: Class sessions 35 Writing Research Paper 25 Writing LifeStory Exegesis Paper 25 Retreat & Analysis 10 Reading 37 Log/Zone Analysis 3 TOTAL 135 Grading Scale (from Catalog) "Grade A is given for meeting with conspicuous excellence the demands which can fairly be made in relation to the requirements of the course. These demands would normally include unusual accuracy in fact, completeness in detail, perfection in form of work, independence of method, grasp of the subject as a whole and constructive imagination. Grade B is given for exceeding the minimum of satisfactory attainment and for meeting certain aspects of the course with excellence. Grade C is given for attaining satisfactory familiarity with the course and for demonstrating at least some ability to use this knowledge in a satisfactory manner. Grade D is a passing mark but indicates unsatisfactory control over the material. Grade F declares that the course has been failed. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense at GCTS. Please follow guidelines at http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html. Intellectual Property / Privacy Rights: In order to protect intellectual property and privacy rights: No audio, photographic, video recordings or transmissions (including, for example, internet posting and broadcasting) may be made in class without the consent of the professor. This paragraph applies to all visitors and auditors as well. Internet Usage: In order to foster focused attention, learning, and community, students are required to refrain from accessing the internet or playing computer/cell phone games, etc. at any point during class sessions, unless otherwise instructed by the professor. Surfing the web, checking email, and other internet-based activities are distracting to other students and to the professor, and prevent the student from fully participating in the class sessions. This paragraph applies to all visitors and auditors as well. 7
GCTS Charlotte Syllabus Addendum Academic Standards Cheating and plagiarism are considered serious breaches of personal and academic integrity. Cheating involves, but is not necessarily limited to, the use of unauthorized sources of information during an examination or the submission of the same (or substantially same) work for credit in two or more courses without the knowledge and consent of the instructors. Plagiarism involves the use of another person s distinctive ideas or words, whether published or unpublished, and representing them as one s own instead of giving proper credit to the source. Plagiarism can also involve over dependence on other source material for the scope and substance of one s writing. Such breaches in academic standards often result in a failing grade as well as other corrective measures. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook. ADA Policy The seminary complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A student with a qualifying and authenticated disability who is in need of accommodations should petition the seminary in accordance with the stated guidelines in the Student Handbook. Cancellation of Class In the event the seminary has to cancel a class meeting (impending storm, professor illness, etc.), the Registration Office will send out an email (via the GCTS email account) notification to all students registered in the respective course. If the cancelation occurs the day of the scheduled meeting, the Registration Office will also attempt to contact students via their primary phone contact on record. The professor will contact the students (via GCTS account) regarding make-up. If a weekend class is cancelled, the class will be made up during the scheduled Make-Up weekend (see the Academic Calendar for the designated dates). For more info, consult your Student Handbook. Extension Policy Arrangements for submission of late work at a date on or before the end date for the semester as noted on the seminary s Academic Calendar are made between the student and professor. Formal petition to the Registration Office is not required in this case. This includes arrangements for the rescheduling of final exams. However, course work (reading and written) to be submitted after the publicized end date for the semester must be approved by the Registration Office. An extension form, available online, must be submitted to the Registration Office prior to the stated date. Requests received after this date will either be denied or incur additional penalty. For a full discussion of this policy, please consult the Student Handbook. Grades Faculty are expected to turn in final grades by January 15 for fall-semester courses, by June 1 for spring-semester courses, and by September 15 for summer-term courses. Grades are 8
posted on-line within twenty-four hours of receipt from the professor. Students are expected to check their CAMS student portal in order to access posted grades (unless instructed otherwise). Those individuals who need an official grade report issued to a third party should put their request in writing to the Registration Office. Writing Center Free assistance in writing papers is available to all GCTS-Charlotte students through the Writing Center, online in Sakai. The Writing Center is staffed by writing instructors who are Gordon Conwell graduates, or graduates of other programs with specialized knowledge in writing and/or ESL. Writing assistance is available to all Charlotte students for any course paper. Also, ESL writing tutors are available to ESL students even if they are not currently enrolled in a degree program. Email writingcenter@gordonconwell.edu for more information. 9