NORTHERN BAPTIST SEMINARY UR 310-UL ISSUES FACING URBAN COMMUNITIES FALL 2017 SEPTEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 8 MONDAY 7:00pm - 9:40pm (at South Side Campus) Rev. Dr. Marshall Elijah Hatch, Instructor MHatch@faculty.seminary.edu COURSE INTRODUCTION The Gospel of Jesus Christ is particularly suited for the complexities of life in the city. Scripture begins the human narrative with life in a garden and the ends with eternal life in God's holy city. The Old Testament presents an agrarian people chosen for a land of promise, and the New Testament projects a new community of faith gathered from the diverse urban centers of the cosmopolitan Roman Empire. Our course will guide class members through processes of contextual theological reflection and exploration of the ministry challenges of Chicago's race-based inequalities and institutionalized residential segregation from opportunity. We will study the processes of doing theology; that is, understanding context and reflecting upon sacred texts for guidance to respond to urban issues with the Gospel of Christ and the power of the kingdom of God. This course will help students to develop greater capacities to hear the cries of the hurting and to discern God's call to urban ministries. Students will also develop tools to critique various models of church and para-church ministries operating in the inner city. Students will be equipped and charged to serve up more relevant and effective approaches to urban ministry for the twenty-first century. COURSE TEXTS *Coates, Ta-Nehisi, Between the World and Me. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2015. 176 pages; (ISBN: 978-0812993547); $25.00 *Fuder, John and Noel Costellanos, Editors, A Heart For The Community: New Models for Urban and Suburban Ministry. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009. 512 pages; (ISBN: 978-0802410689); $29.99 *Moore, Natalie Y., The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and Segregation. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2016. 272 pages. (ISBN: 978-1137280152); $27.99 *Thurman, Howard, Jesus and the Disinherited. Richmond, Indiana: Friends United Press, 1981. 124 pages; (ISBN: 978-0807010297); $16.00 COURSE OUTLINE SESSION ONE (September 25 th ): "Doing Theology for Urban Ministry: The Sociological Context, The Scripture Texts, and The Theological Subtext" *What is the (socio-political) context? *Which sacred texts speak most directly to the context? *What are the subtexts or over all theological, moral and ethical principles at stake? What is God's vision, will, and desire for humanity? (Biblical Social Justice, right relationships) *Readings for next class: "South Side", Moore, pp. 1-207
SESSION TWO (October 2 nd ): "The Chicago Context: Racial Dynamics in the American Heartland" *Inventions of Racialism, Racism, and Raceology *Ethnic European Immigration & The Creation of Whiteness *Making a Ghetto: Segregation, Isolation, Deprivation *Cyclical Perpetual Poverty, Desperation and Depravity *Violence, Insolence, and Intransigence *********Book Reflection assignment on "South Side" due next Week Questions for Reflection: How does this book help us understand the Chicago's socio-political context? Why did African Americans move north to Chicago in the "Great Migrations". What systems did black migrants encounter in Chicago? How is "race" used to create poverty for some and privilege for others in Chicago's socio-political dynamics? SESSION THREE (October 9 th ): "From The Socio-Political Context To The Theological Lenses of The Sacred Text" Theological Reflections: The Diabolical Sins of Racism & Perpetual Poverty: The Evils of "Mere" Men "Playing God" *The Drama of the Exodus and The Divine Revelation of Yahweh Exodus 3:1-14 *Prophetic Speech and the Spiritual Essence of Yahweh Isaiah 61:1-4 *The Essential Mission of Yahweh's Messiah Servant/Son Luke 4:17-21 Where is Christ/Messiah in the City dynamics of poverty and privilege? Where is Yahweh's Messianic Spirit of Deliverance and Rescue? What is the "Good News in the context of the City? Readings for next class: "Jesus & The Disinherited", Thurman, pp. 1-112 SESSION FOUR (October 16 th ): "Jesus and the Disinherited: The Presence of Christ in the City" *Thurman's Christology & "Black Theology" *Thurman and the Love Ethic as Radical Resistance to Empire *Thurman's Academic Influences and Urban Ministry Work *Thurman's Historical and Social Impact re Civil Rights Movement *******Next Week Book Reflection Due on "Jesus & the Disinherited", Thurman Reflection questions: According to Thurman, Who is Jesus in His times? Who is Jesus where is Jesus of the disinherited in the City today? Can we really do theology without socio-political analysis? Can we really "know" the heart of Jesus without engaging issues of oppression and exploitation? SESSION FIVE October 23 rd ): Theological reflection: "The New Testament Urban Conference in Jerusalem: Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles vs. James and Peter and the Elders Council of Jerusalem" Galatians 2:1-10 (Acts 15): What can we agree is Central to the Message of the Kingdom as emphasized by the life and legacy of Christ/Messiah?
*The Controversy and Contention among Apostles *The Covenant and Compact among Apostles *The Koinonia and Commission Agreement among Apostles "To Remember The Poor" (Jesus As Zealot for the poor, Aslan) Preparation for next week's class: "Michelle Alexander on the New Jim Crow at Union Seminary on 4/4/2015" (YouTube Video) SESSION SIX (October 30 th ): "Chicago's Complex Urban Issues: A Paradigm of Contextual Intersectionality" *Seven Intersecting Crises In The City 1. economic selective investment/selective disinvestment 2. Structural institutional racism 3. police occupation and mass incarceration 4. besieged fragile families in perpetual poverty 5. defunding of public schools privatized for profit 6. skills differentials and segregation from employment culture 7. spiritual crises of personal identity Causality of intersectionality and community disorientation Reading for next week: "Between The World and Me", Coates, pp. 1-152 "The New Black Power", Chicago Magazine, March 2016 SESSION SEVEN (November 6 th ): "Understanding the Mind of the Urban Millennial" *Racelogical Consciousness: "Stay Woke" *Black Lives Matters As A Millennial Movement: It's Spirituality & "Black Theology" *Black Atheism and the Abuses Against Black Bodies * Anti-Church, Anti-Authority, Anti-Institutions *Social Media Proliferation and Information Overload *****"Between The World" book reflection due next week How does Coates speaks to and for the critical thinking generation? In what ways is the Millennial critique of the traditional, institutional church valid? Invalid? Readings for next class: "A Heart For The Community", Fuder/Costellanos, editors, pp. 33-153, pp. 157-286 SESSION EIGHT (November 13 th ): "White Evangelicalism and the Black Church: The "White" Bible and Black People on Urban Land" *White Christian Gentrification and Colonization *White Christian Social Service Empires In Black Communities *"New" American Minorities & African American Displacements Preparing for the Final Project: How does the Church of Jesus Christ respond with integrity to urban context?
How will you select a Chicago urban ministry or church to analyze and critique for evidences of integrity and effectiveness in meeting the needs of their respective community? Final Project Suggestions: (one for visit and critique) Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, Trinity UCC, Apostolic Church of Christ, Fellowship Baptist Church, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Lawndale Community Church, New Life Covenant Church (southeast or Humboldt Park), Moody Church, New Beginnings, Greater St. John Bible Church, Saint Sabina Catholic Church. Reading preparation for next week: "A Heart for the Community", Fuder/Castellanos, pp. 385-473 (Nov. 20 NO CLASS THANKSGIVING and BREAK) SESSION NINE (November 27 th ): "The Urban Church and the Para Church: In the community and of the community? *What is the church of Christ Ina given community? *Is the Para Church a "Church"? Is it really a part of the "church"? *Is a non-"indigenous" led church really a church in the community or a perpetuation of white supremacy? *what is a multi-cultural church in a minority community? Working tint he final project: what is the ministry's specific neighborhood? How does this ministry respond to the needs of its context? What are the major texts or subtexts that have become themes of this ministry in its ministry context? How might this ministry become even more effective in its participation in the life of the community as a representative of God's Kingdom? Delivery of service requires one set of skills, how about the courage to do advocacy for fundamental change in systems? Does this ministry or church engage in serious advocacy or prophetic speech and show signs of the virtues of courage? SESSION TEN (December 4 th ): "Finding the Spirit and God in the Contemporary Context: Where is God in Chicago?" * Project Overview Discussions *How helpful has this class been in discernment of God's Spirit and Will? *How the church of s the hope for the community and the hope of the world COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS Students are expected to attend every class session, and students will be responsible to make arrangements to access course material covered. Discussions in class will be critical for production of quality written assignments. There will be four written assignments; three 3-4 page book reflections (as listed in the syllabus), and one major final project of 8-10 pages of critique of a Chicago urban church or ministry. Completed papers should have headings, be double-spaced, and have appropriate citations. (Consult "A Manual For Writers", Kate L. Turabian). Papers may be submitted electronically or by hard copy in class. One half to one full letter grade may be deducted from assessed grade for late work.
COURSE GRADE BREAKDOWN *Book Reflection #1 equals 15% *Book Reflection #2 equals 15% *Book Reflection #3 equals 15% *Class Participation equals 10% *Course Final Project equals 45% GRADING SCALE: A = 100-95 A- = 94-90 B+ = 89-87 B = 86-83 B- = 82-80 C+ = 79-77 C = 76-73 C- = 72-70 D+ = 69-67 D = 66-63 D- = 62-60 F = 59 and below BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Alexander, Michelle, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age of Colorblindness. The New Press: New York, 2010. Aslan, Reza, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Random House: New York, 2013. Hatch, Marshall E., Project America: Memoirs of Faith & Hope To Win The Future. Life To Legacy: Matteson, IL, 2012. Horsley, Richard A. and Silverman, Neil Asher, The Kingdom and the Message: How Jesus and Paul Ignited A Revolution and Transformed The Ancient World. Grosset/Putnam: New York, NY, 1997. Moss III, Otis, Blue Note Preaching in a Post-Soul World: Finding Hope in an Age of Despair. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, KY, 2015. Ralph Jr., James R., Northern Protest: Martin Luther King, Jr., Chicago, and the Civil Rights Movement. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA and London, England, 1993. Smiley, Tavis and West, Cornel, The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto. Smiley Books/Hay House, Inc.: Carlsbad, CA, 2012. Ward, Jesmyn, editor, The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race. Scribner/Simon & Schuster, Inc.: New York, NY, 2016. 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, intensive courses, and integrative seminar (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. Food in the Classroom Drinks are welcome in the classroom. Food should only be consumed in the student commons and the breakroom. Please limit eating to before, after or during breaks from class. 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 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.