Northern Seminary MN 433 Mission-Shaped Church: The Church in Post-Christendom THEOLOGY AND PRACTICE Spring 2017 Mondays 7:00-9:40 p.m. Dr. David Fitch dfitch@seminary.edu ***** 630-620-2124 Course Description and Objectives The cultural shifts over large parts of North America have placed the church into a new relationship with its culture(s). The church now finds itself displaced. It no longer carries cultural respect. In some cases, the church is now viewed negatively in culture. This has resulted in a church that finds itself on mission in a society which has an ambivalent or antagonistic relation to Christianity. MN 433 will examine the church s life in a post-christendom post Christianized society. We will examine how the church must be reordered from being an institution which takes care of existing Christians to becoming a way of life which engages the world for God s Mission in Jesus Christ. MN433 will start by examining the cultural shifts known as postmodern/post-christendom. The course acknowledges that not everyone or every culture will have been shaped by the emerging postmodern/post-christendom culture of N. America. Nonetheless, we all must be able to discern in order to see whether and how these shifts are present in our own contexts. The course will then deconstruct current practices of being church rooted in Christendom assumptions. After this process, we will seek to develop an ecclesiology that engages Scripture, practical concerns as well as the challenges posed by postmodernity and post Christian culture. The class aims to prepare pastors/leaders to lead churches into Mission amidst the various cultural challenges of the North American continent. After introductory lectures on ecclesiology, postmodernity and post-christendom, each class session will explore a critical function integral to being the Body of Christ (worship, evangelism, catechesis, spiritual formation, justice ministries etc.). In regard to each of these functions, the class will: Explore the theological, historical and Scriptural basis for this function in the Body of Christ. Explore ways that Evangelicalism/other forms of church have relied on assumptions based in modernity in order to carry out this function in being the Body of Christ. Explore the postmodern/post Christendom critique that undercuts these ways of carrying out these functions in American Evangelicalism. Propose new practices for the invigorating of old practices so that each function can be recovered for the church. Each practice is engaged on a practical level with materials actually used in planting a postmodern church. Through this course the student will:
Gain a foundational understanding of the doctrine of the church, its role in God's salvific plan for humanity, and the historical articulations of what the church is and called to be in society. Gain a thorough understanding of postmodern thought and its manifestations in culture. Come away with a framework for actually planting and or leading a church into postmodernity/post-christendom. Course Organization The class will be comprised of (A.) a first half lecture on the basics of postmodernity both in terms of philosophy and culture. Then a brief summary of the chapter of the Great Giveaway that forms the basis for discussion in second half of class, (B.) a second half of the class focused on discussion based upon the readings, lecture and student presentations of research. There will be a specific focus upon the application of the lectures and reading to concrete situations doing church in the post Christian world. Course Requirements Required Texts (for Purchase): Fitch, David. The Great Giveaway: Reclaiming the Mission of the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005. (ISBN: 978-0801064838) Murray, Stuart. Post Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World. London: Paternoster, 2004. (ISBN: 978-1842272619) Yoder, John Howard. Body Politics. Waterloo ON: Herald Press, 2001 (ISBN-13: 978-0836191608) Fitch, David. Faithful Presence. Downers Grove Il: IVP Books, 2016 (ISBN-13: 978-0830841271) Each student will be responsible for the following: 1. Students must read the required texts as a foundation for understanding the church. In addition the student must read an additional 500 pages from the additional readings offered in an area the student would like to explore for the writing of a paper. These readings will also inform the student so as to bring added input for classroom discussion. 2. A Short One-Half Hour Exam on Readings. An exam will be given at the beginning of the 7 th week. There will be one essay question and a series of multiple choice questions in order to test the student on his or her overall comprehension of the readings and lectures of the first six weeks.
3 3. Mission-shaped church paper (15 pages): This paper will give the student an opportunity to work out his/her theology of the church in relation to cultural challenges posed by postmodern/post Christian culture. The paper should: Describe the most prominent challenge the student believes his/her church faces in being the church in the midst of a postmodern/post-christian culture. Describe why this is such a significant challenge. Describe an essential mark/practice of the church (i.e. evangelism, worship, fellowship, Eucharist etc.), how this mark is practiced in his or her church, and the cultural (ala post- Christendom etc.) assumptions undergirding this practice. Propose how the student would lead and reshape this practice for the cultural challenges the church is facing. (Perhaps critique/engage the Great Giveaway s proposal for this function). Describe how the implementation is being faithful to the Scripture and the history of the church. The paper will be graded on the following factors: 1. Basic understanding of the content of this class. 2. The coherency, logic, format and flow of the writer s paper. 3. The writer s original contribution as revealed in the paper s ability to critique and creatively use the class materials in carrying out his or her task in the paper. Except for severe illness, no papers will be accepted after last day of the quarter (June 9 th 5:00 p.m.). Papers can be received via e-mail at fitchest@gmail.com. Late papers will automatically receive a ½ reduced letter grade per day that the paper is late. 4. Reading List: that lists all reading the student did for the class. Students are required to read a total of 800 pages for this class. The student grade will come from 30% theology paper, 30% practical paper, 10% reading list and 10% class presentation.
Schedule and Readings: *Note all readings referenced in the Bibliography Apr 3 - The Cultural Shifts of Post-Christendom QUESTIONS: What is post-christendom? What is postmodernity? How do these cultural shifts change the way we think about the church? Required Reading: Murray, Stuart. Post Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World. London: Paternoster, 2004. Murphy, Nancy and James McClendon. Distinguishing Modern and Postmodern Theologies. Modern Theology 5 (1989), 191-214. (ON RESERVE) West, Cornel. The Crisis of Christian Identity in America in Democracy Matters. New York: The Penguin Press, 2004. Frost, Michael and Alan Hirsch. The Shaping of Things to Come. Ch. 2 Fitch, David and Geoff Holscaw. Prodigal Christianity. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2013. ch. 2-4. Smith, James, K.A. Who s Afraid of Postmodernism? Ch. 1 Middleton, J.R. and Brian Walsh. Truth is Stranger Than it Used to Be. Downers Grove: IVP, 1995. Chs. 1-4. Beach, Lee Clapp, Rodney. The Church as Unchurch in A Peculiar People. Downers Grove IL: IVP, 1996, pp 16-32. Borgman, Albert. Crossing the Postmodern Divide. Chicago: U of Chicago Press, 1992. Vanhoozer, Kevin. Theology and the Condition of Postmodernity. In The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology, ed. Kevin Vanhoozer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003; OR Best, Steven and Douglas Kellner. Postmodern Theory: Critical Interrogations. New York: Guilford Press, 1991; OR Penner, Myron B., ed. Christianity and the Postmodern Turn. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2005, Chs. 4, 5, 6. Jenson, Robert. How the World Lost Its Story First Things (Oct, 2002) http://www.firstthings.com/article/1993/10/002-how-the-world-lost-its-story Apr 10 - Defining What it Means to be the Church The Marks of the Church/Scriptural Models of the Church/Visible-Invisible Church Debate Through History/The Church as the Social Space of His Lordship
5 QUESTIONS: What is central to the practice of being God s People, without which we can no longer say we are the church? What is the relation between missiology and ecclesiology? Before? After? Equal? Other? Required Reading: Yoder, John Howard. A People in the World. The Royal Priesthood. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1998. pp 65-101 (ON RESERVE) Smith, Kenneth L. and Ira G. Zepp Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. s Vision of the Beloved Community Christian Century, April 3, 1974, pp. 361-363. http://www.religiononline.org/showarticle.asp?title=1603 Fitch, Faithful Presence, Ch. 2 Kung, Hans. The Church. New York: Image Books, 1976. pp 46-65; 147-461 Van Steenwyk, Mark. Missional Practices. http://the-next-wave-ezine.info/issue82/index. cfm?id=5&ref=coverstory Hjalmarlson, Len. Why a Missional Order? http://www.resonate.ca/soapbox/2007/07/whymissional-order.htm Van Gelder, Craig. The Essence of the Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000. Kenneson, Phil. Life on the Vine. Downers Grove: IVP, 1991. Braaten, Carl and Robert Jenson, eds. Marks of the Body of Christ. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. Guder, Darrell. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998. Clapp, Rodney. A Peculiar People. Downers Grove: IVP, 1996. Apr 17 The Trinity, The Church, God s Mission in the World. QUESTION: How does our view of God as Trinity Affect the Way we see God at work in the world? How does our view of the Trinity shape the way we see the church s relationship to God s work in the world. Required Reading Fitch, David and Geoffrey Holsclaw. Mission Amid Empire: Why Political Formation and Mission are not Mutually Exclusive, Missiology: An International Review (Oct, 2013). (ON RESERVE) Fitch, Faithful Presence, Apdx 3 Newbigin, Lesslie. Open Secret. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. ch. 3-6 Fitch, David and Geoff Holsclaw. Prodigal Christianity. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2013. ch. 2-4.
Apr 24 - Worship Amidst Post-Christendom QUESTIONS: Why do we structure worship the way we do? In what ways do we undermine worship in these ways of practicing it? What forms should worship take in our new contexts? Required: Fitch, The Great Giveaway, Ch. 4 Yoder, Body Politics ch. 2 Fitch, Faithful Presence, ch. 3 Optional Frost and Hirsch, The Shaping, Ch. 4 Webber, Robert. Ancient Future Faith. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999. Sweet, Leonard From Tablet to Table. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2015 May 1 - Evangelism Amidst Post-Christendom QUESTIONS: In what ways have we undermined evangelism in our culture? Why have we fallen into these habits? What forms should evangelism take in the new contexts? Required: Fitch, The Great Giveaway, Ch.2 Bediako, Kwame. One Song in Many Tongues in Jesus and The Gospel in Africa Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2004. 77-82 (ON RESERVE) Hunter, George. The Celtic Way of Evangelism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. Kallenberg, Brad. Live to Tell: Evangelism for a Postmodern Age. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2002. Webber, Robert. Ancient Future Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2003. McLaren, Brian. A New Kind of Christian. San Francisco: Josey-Bass, 2001. Stone, Bryan. Evangelism After Christendom. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2006. May 8 - Leadership/Ordained Ministry Amidst Post-Christendom QUESTIONS: How does leadership function when the traditional cultural authority given clergy is no longer accepted? Is ordination still important for today s post Christendom society? How are we to understand it? Required Fitch, The Great Giveaway, Ch. 3 Yoder, Body Politics, ch. 4, 5 Fitch, Faithful Presence, Ch. 8
7 Optional Cole, Neil. Organic Leadership. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009. Hirsch, Alan and Tim Catchim. The Permanent Revolution. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2012. Briggs, J.R. and Bob Hyatt. Eldership and the Mission of God. Downers Grove: IVP, 2014. May 16- - Justice Ministries Amidst Post-Christendom QUESTIONS: Is it possible to be the church in the world and not nurture justice? Is it possible to have a justice program at your local church and not be doing evangelism? Not be doing mission? How does making the poor into a project work against the ways God is bringing justice into the world? Required: Fitch, The Great Giveaway, Ch.6 Yoder, Body Politics, Ch. 1 Fitch, Faithful Presence, Ch. 6 Optional Lupton, Robert. Toxic Charity. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2012. Hauerwas, Stanley. "The Politics of Justice Why Justice is a Bad Idea for Christians. In After Christendom. Nashville: Abington, 1991. 45-68. Yoder, John H. "The Biblical Mandate for Evangelical Social Action." In For the Nations. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997. 180-198 Long, D Stephen. Divine Economy. London: Routledge, 2000. Sider, Ron. Good News and Good Works. Grand Rapids: Baker,1993. May 22 - Preaching in Postmodernity QUESTIONS: Is preaching still valid for the new contexts? Why? For what purposes? Required: Fitch, The Great Giveaway, Ch.5 Niles, Lyndrey A. Rhetorical Characteristics of Traditional Black Preaching. Journal of Black Studies Vol. 15, No. 1. 41-52. Fitch, Faithful Presence, Ch. 5 Dodd, C.H. The Apostolic Preaching and Its Development (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1936) Pagitt, Doug. Preaching Re-Imagined. Wright, John W. Telling God s Story (Downers Grove IL: IVP Press, 2007)
May 29 (Mem. Day Alternative arrangements to be made) Community/Diversity Among Post-Christendom QUESTIONS: In what ways has the church in North America lost its essential function as fellowship community? Why has this happened? Required Fitch, The Great Giveaway. Ch.1 Yoder, John Howard. "The Hermeneutics of PeopleHood" in Priestly Kingdom. Notre Dame, University of Notre Dame Press, 1984. Fitch, Faithful Presence, Ch. 4 Mishra, Pankaj, The Divided States: Trump s Inauguration and How Democracy Has Failed The Guardian (Jan 13, 2017) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/13/divided-statestrump-america-failed-democracy King, Martin Luther. Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community? New York: Harper&Row, 1967. McKnight, Scot. A Fellowship of Differents. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015. Cleveland, Christena. DisUnity in Christ. Downers Grove IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013 June 5 - Discipleship/ Christian Education/Catechesis Amidst Postmodernity Question: QUESTIONS: Is discipleship a program or a way of life? Can discipleship be separated from evangelism? What are the cultural assumptions undergirding a mentorship model of discipleship (one on one) versus a communal process of discipleship built around the (Roman Catholic) sacraments? Required: Fitch, The Great Giveaway, Ch. 7, Ch. 8 Cole, Neil. What About Kids in Organic Church? http://www.cmaresources.org/articles/what _KidsChurch.asp Fitch, Faithful Presence, Ch. 7 Breen, Mike. Building a Discpleship Culture. 3DM Publishing, 2014. Webber, Robert. Journey to Jesus. Nashville: Abingdon, 2002. Yaconelli, Mark. Contemplative Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006. Gergen, Kenneth. The Saturated Self. New York: Basic Books, 1995. Jensen, Robert. "Catechesis for Our Time." In Marks of the Body of Christ, ed. Carl Braaten and Robert Jensen. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.
9 BIBLIOGRAPHY What is Postmodernity? What is Post-Christendom? Cultural and Philosophical Origins Best, Steven and Douglas Kellner. Postmodern Theory: Critical Interrogations. New York: Guilford Press, 1991. Borgmann, Albert. Crossing the Postmodern Divide. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992. Connor, Steven. Postmodernist Culture: An Introduction to the Theory of the Contemporary. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1989. Cunningham, Connor. Genealogy of Nihilism. London: Routledge Publishers, 2002. Gay, Craig M.. The Way of the (Modern) World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998. Giddens, Anthony. The Consequences of Modernity. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1990.. Modernity and Self-Identity. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1991. Grenz, Stanley. A Primer on Postmodernism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. Harvey, David. The Condition of Postmodernity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1990. Jameson, Fredric. Postmodernism, Or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1991. Krieder, Alan. The Patient Ferment of the Early Church. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2015. Lakeland, Paul. Postmodernity Christian Identity in a Fragmented Age. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997. Lyotard, Jean-Francois. The Postmodern Explained. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997. McClendon, James, Jr. Witness: Systematic Theology. Vol. 3. Nashville: Abingdon, 2000, ch. 5.
10 Murphy, Nancy and James McClendon. Distinguishing Modern and Postmodern Theologies. Modern Theology 5 (1989), 191-214. Van Hoozer, Kevin, ed. Cambridge Companion Guide to Postmodern Literature. Oxford: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Toulmin, Stephen. Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity. New York: The Free Press, 1990. Vieth, Gene Edward, Jr. Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture. Wheaton, IL., Crossway Books, 1994. Ward, Graham, ed. The Postmodern God. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1997. (difficult) 1 st essay Westphal, Merold, ed. Postmodern Philosophy and Christian Thought Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1999. Christian/Philosophical Responses to Postmodernity Braaten, Carl and Robert Jensen, eds. The Strange New Word of the Gospel: Re-Evangelizing in the Postmodern World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. Budde, Michael. The (Magic) Kingdom of God. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1997. Burce, Jerome. Proclaiming the Scandal: Reflections on Postmodern Ministry. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2000. Carson, Don, ed. Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2000. (Conservative evangelical) Clapp, Rodney. A Peculiar People. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1996. Erickson, Millard. Truth or Consequences: The Premise and Perils of Postmodernism. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2001. Greer, Robert C. Mapping Postmodernism: A Survey of Christian Options. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Press, 2001. Guder, Darrell, ed. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
11 Hauerwas, Stanley. After Christendom. Nashville: Abingdon, 1991. Hunsberger, George and C. VanGelder, eds. Between Gospel and Culture: The Emerging Mission in North America. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. Kenneson, Phil. Life on the Vine. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1999.. Selling Out the Church. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1997. Lindbeck, George. The Nature of Doctrine. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1984. (Difficult). The Church in a PostLiberal Age. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002. Lundin, Roger. The Culture of Interpretation: Christian Faith and the Postmodern World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994. MacIntyre, Alasdair..After Virtue. Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1982. (difficult) McClaren, Brian. Church on the Other Side. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.. New Kind of Christian. San Francisco: Josey Bass, 2001. McClendon, James, Jr. Witness: Systematic Theology. Vol. 3. Nashville: Abingdon, 2000, ch. 5. Middleton, J.R. and B. Walsh. Truth is Stranger Than It Used to Be. Downers Grove IL: IVP, 1995. Milbank, John. Theology and Social Theory. Oxford: Blackwell, 1990. Milbank, John and Catherine Pickstock. Radical Orthodoxy. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999. Okholm, Dennis. Christian Apologetics in the Postmodern World. Downers Grove: IVP, 1995. Penner, Myron, ed. Christianity and the Postmodern Turn. Grand Raids: Brazos, 2006. Placher, William. Unapologetic Theology: A Christian Voice in a Pluralistic Conversation. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1989. Smith, Chuck. The End of the World as We Know It. Colorado Springs: WaterBrooks, 2000.
12 Sweet, Leonard. SoulTsunami. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.. Postmodern Pilgrims. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000. Webber, Robert. Ancient Future Faith. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999.. Ancient Future Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2003. POLICIES FOR ALL MASTERS CLASSES NOTE: All communications from the seminary will go to your seminary email account. Contact All Covered at (877) 224-8911 if you need help forwarding your seminary email address to your personal email address. As a seminary community we hold integrity/hospitality as core values. Individuals are able to do their best work and thinking when their peers are fully present and engaged. We expect each person to both participate in class and carefully listen to others with the belief that everyone s contribution is equally important. Therefore, the following policies have been established in order to provide clarity in regard to attendance expectations and relationships in the classroom. Diploma/Certificate Student Course Requirements The amount of work required of Diploma/Certificate students will be at the discretion of the professor. Students will be responsible for contacting the professor about what assignments are required. Class Attendance Policy It is expected that students will attend and participate in all class sessions. Failure to attend at least 80% of class sessions is grounds for automatic failure. A professor may set other more strict attendance expectations for a given course. Students are always expected to communicate with a professor in advance if they will be absent. Attendance expectations are higher for online and intensive courses (see syllabus for specific requirements). Class Tardiness Policy The third time a student is late to the start of class, it will be counted as a class absence. It is also expected that students will return from a break by the time specified by the professor. Late Work Policy If a student cannot complete the work for a course by the due date listed on the syllabus, they must submit a Request for a Grade of Incomplete form to the Registrar by 4:30 of the last day of the term. The form must be signed by the instructor and Dean of Students. The professor may set
13 stipulations and grade reductions. In the absence of a formal request form, the student will receive a grade based upon work completed by the last day of the term. Turabian Format All papers, including footnotes and bibliography, must be submitted in the correct format according to Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 8 th ed., 2013. Plagiarism Plagiarism is the act of passing off as one s own the words or ideas of someone else without providing proper acknowledgement or documentation. See the Academic Honesty Policy in the Seminary Catalog for more information on plagiarism and how to avoid it. Electronic Format Unless otherwise specified by the professor, all work submitted electronically must be in a Word document format (.doc,.docx). Technology Use in the Classroom Unless it is directly tied to note-taking or research for the class, students are expected to refrain from using cell phones, laptops, or other electronic devices during class. Course Evaluation in Moodle Students must complete an online course evaluation using the seminary Moodle system at http://moodle.seminary.edu. The evaluation will be open at the end of the course. If you need assistance connecting to Moodle or accessing the evaluation, please send an email to moodlehelp@seminary.edu.