East Texas Baptist University
Christian Spiritual Formation
RLGN 5355.01
Fall 2016
Mon 6:00-8:50 p.m.
Jennifer Garcia Bashaw, Ph.D. SCRB 209
903.923.2179
Office Hours: Monday – 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.; 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
Tuesday —9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Wednesday –9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m, and 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Thursday – 9:30-11:00 a.m.; 1:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Friday—9:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. 1:30-2:30 p.m.
*Other Times by Appointment
I. STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
The nature of graduate education is to foster an environment with the student as an active participant in the learning process as leader, researcher, and practitioner. Significant time is spent on the review of the literature of the discipline. The activities of the course are writing intensive, engage the biblical text more closely and thoroughly than is typical in an undergraduate course, require careful, detailed analysis of diverse and conflicting interpretations, incorporate reflective thought on the part of the student, include an increased expectation of independent research, and necessitate a search for additional resources to bring to class to inform discussion. At their discretion students may work in collaborative groups to complete the course goals and objectives, but each student must be prepared to participate personally in seminar discussions and presentations.
II. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines various traditions, disciplines, and practices of Christian spirituality in the context of their historical development and explores how these influence contemporary spiritual formation. Classical readings from spiritual pioneers will highlight the interconnectedness of Scripture, faith, and practice, and will serve as an intellectual foundation for the students’ own experience of spiritual formation. Students will also read and study Scripture from a devotional perspective and will practice, both individually and communally, the spiritual disciplines that have shaped the Church. All instruction, study, and practices have the goal of promoting personal, spiritual formation as a vital component of the Christian life and ministry.
III. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students who successfully complete this course will:
1. Examine his/her own spiritual journey for key events, influences, and patterns in order to understand the best practices for personal spiritual development (reflection questions, life map, spiritual journey narrative);
2. Experience and reflect upon various spiritual disciplines and practices from different church traditions (discussion questions, spiritual exercise with reflections);
3. Analyze spiritual pioneers and movements of spiritual renewal in the history of the church for their value in the development of spiritual theology (discussion questions, leading class dialogue, oral final exam).
4. Describe the practical spirituality found in Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and apply those insights to the life of the Church through individual and community values and practices (summary and response paper and oral final exam).
5. Develop skills that enable the student to lead others in the practices of Christian spirituality (spiritual exercise with reflections, final oral exam).
IV. TEXTBOOKS
Bottom of Form
Bottom of Form
Maas, Robin and Gabriel O’Donnell. Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church. Nashville: Abingdon, 1990. ISBN: 9780687392339
Nouwen, Henri. Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit. New York: HarperCollins, 2010. ISBN: 9780061686122
Plass, Richard and James Cofield. The Relational Soul: Moving from False Self to Deep Connection. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014. ISBN: 9780830835874
Stassen, Glen H. Living the Sermon on the Mount: A Practical Hope for Grace and Deliverance. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN: 9780787977368
V. COURSE POLICIES
1. Attendance Policy: in accordance with East Texas Baptist University academic regulations, to be eligible to earn credit in a course, the student must attend at least 75% of all class meetings.
2. Tardy Policy: Tardiness: you are expected to arrive on time for class and to remain for the full duration of the class. If tardiness or early departure is unavoidable, you should enter the room quietly and take a vacant seat nearest the door.
3. Late Assignments: assignments are due at the beginning of the assigned class period. No late work will be accepted except in the case of an emergency (as determined by the professor)
4. Electronic Devices: Please turn off all cell phones and other disruptive electronic equipment prior to class. Laptops will be allowed only if they pertain to classroom activities.
5. Academic Integrity: Students are to be aware of ETBU’s policy of Academic Integrity. Any violation of Academic Integrity (plagiarism and/or cheating) will result in an immediate “0” for that assignment or examination. Violations will also be reported to the Dean of the School of Christian Studies which may result in further action including forfeiting any chance of receiving credit and earning an “F” for the course.
6. Accommodations: Students with a disability may request appropriate accommodations for this course by contacting the Office of Academic Success, and providing the required documentation. If accommodations are approved by the Disability Accommodations Committee the Advising Office will notify you and your professor of the approved accommodations.
VI. STUDENT ASSESSMENTS
1. Reading and Class Discussion Questions: A large percentage of class time will be dedicated to discussing the primary and secondary reading assignments; for this reason, you are expected to come to class having read all of the assigned material for the day. In order to assess your reading comprehension and application, and aid in class discussion, you will be required to compose thoughtful, comprehensive discussion questionS over several of the assigned readings from Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church. On the days discussion questions will be required (see schedule for specific days), you are to bring 1-2 discussion questions to class in hard copy. The professor will give you examples of good questions before the first assignment is due. (10% of course grade)
2. Relational Soul Reflection Questions: As we read together through Plass and Cofield’s The Relational Soul, you will be answering reflection questions in a journal on Blackboard. Please type the questions as well as your reflective answers. Not all reflection questions will be assigned so refer to the class schedule below for the exact reflection questions required for each reading assignment. (10% of course grade)
3. Life Map—Appendix 2 in The Relational Soul describes how to make a life map. Please follow the instructions for this exercise, recording at least 8-10 major events. Bring a hard copy of the life map to class to share with the class on September 19. (5% of course grade)
4. Spiritual Journey Narrative: This assignment provides the opportunity for you to review your life history in terms of creating a spiritual narrative or autobiography. The life map you create will greatly aid in this assignment. Your story should provide a view of your relationship to God and His people from your earliest memories to the present. (10% of course grade)
Your narrative text should be at least 6-8 pages long (double spaced). It is due on September 26 and will be discussed in class. Your narrative should identify the following points of your life:
Ø Heritage: What geographical, ethnic, family features, or history influenced your journey with God?
Ø Acts and Scenes: How can you divide your life in turns of phases and seasons with God?
Ø Cast of Characters: What relationships played a key role in influencing you for or against God?
Ø Mountain Tops: What times or experiences made you feel closest to God. Why?
Ø Turning Points: What incidences were pivotal in your story with God?
Ø Crucibles: At which points of your story did you find yourself suffering? How did
this suffering influence your relationship with God? Your understanding of yourself?
4. Leading Class Discussion—Periodically, throughout the semester, students will be required to lead class discussion on one of the topics from the reading. Assuming that students are reading and taking notes, this should require minimal extra preparation and will simply mean the student will take greater responsibility on that day to insure that class conversation is lively and productive. In order to succeed at this endeavor, students should makes sure that they compose several discussion questions for class. Each leader will receive a grade depending on his or her level of preparedness and ability to engage the class in discussion. (15% of course grade)
5. Book Review and Response —Each student will read Glen Stassen’s Living the Sermon on the Mount and write a 8-10 page review and response. The review section will include a summary of the content and the student’s assessment of each chapter. Students will complete chapter summary and assessments as we cover those chapters in class, bringing summaries to class to aid in class discussion (about 1 page each). The response will include the student’s reflection upon how the book speaks into his or her own spiritual life, an analysis of what the book helped the student realize about his or her spiritual formation, and a practical challenge section that addresses how the student try to change in the future because of his or her reflection on the book. (20% of course grade)
6. Spiritual Exercises and Reflection—At the end of each chapter in Spiritual Formations, you will be asked to practice a spiritual exercise on your own time, reflect on that exercise, and enter those reflections in Blackboard. (10% of course grade)
7. Final Exam (Oral)--For the final exam in this class, the professor will administer oral exams in 30-minute blocks on the day the class is scheduled for the final exam. (20% of course grade)
GRADING ASSESSMENTS:
Class Participation and Discussion questions 10%
Relational Soul Reflection Questions 10%
Life Map 5%
Spiritual Journey Narrative 10%
Leading Class Discussion 15%
Book Review and Response 20%
Spiritual Exercises and Reflection 10%
Oral Final Exam 20%
A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = 59% and below (masters students receiving a D or an F in any course may be dismissed from the program)
COURSE SCHEDULE FOR READING AND ASSESSMENTS (schedule is subject to instructor’s revision)
wk / DATE / Topics and Readings / Assessments1 / Mon Aug 22 / An Introduction to Spiritual Theology and Course
Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church (STCC) 11-21 / In-class spiritual inventory
2 / Mon Aug 29
Classical reading on Meditation / Reality/Attachment/Memory: Relational Soul (TRS) 9-54
The Spirituality of the Early Church: STCC, 25-51
Practicum 1: lectio divina / Reflection Questions
p. 22: 5-7; p. 39: 1-4;
p. 54: 1-2. Discussion Quest
Mon Sept 5 / Labor Day—no class
3 / Mon Sept 12
Classical reading on solitude / False Self/True Self and Gift of Grace TRS, 55-93
Monastic Life and the Search for God STCC, 55-82
Practicum 2: Silence / Reflection Questions
p. 67: 2-5; p. 92-93: 4-6 Discussion Question
4 / Mon Sept 19
Classical reading on simplicity / Self-understanding and Community TRS, 94-130
Mendicant Spirituality STCC, 83-108
Practicum 3: Poverty and Prayer / Life Map due in class
Reflection Questions:
p. 111: 1-6, p. 130: 2-5
5 / Mon Sept 26
Classical reading on fasting / Spiritual Disciplines and Transformation TRS, 148-164 / Spiritual Journey narrative due
6 / Mon Oct 3
Classical reading on community / Living the Sermon on the Mount (LSM), 1-37
*Devotio Moderna: Later Middle Ages STCC, 109-141
Practicum 4: Spiritual Disciplines / Summary and assessment on LSM
7 / Mon Oct 10
Classical reading on confession / The Beatitudes, Reconciliations, Covenants LSM, 38-81
*Lutheran Spirituality STCC, 145-170
Practicum 5: Devotional Catechism / Summary and assessment
8 / Mon Oct 17
Classical reading on prayer / Truth, Peace, Love and the prayer of Jesus LSM 82-124
*Ignatian Spirituality STCC, 171-201
Practicum 6: Examen / Summary and assessment
9 / Mon Oct 24
Classical reading on submission / God’s Reign, Justice, and Forgiveness LSM 125-165
*The Shape of Reformed Piety STCC, 202-233
Practicum 7: Recovering Faithfulness… / Summary and assessment
10 / Mon Oct 31
Classical reading on guidance / Loyalty to God and a True Ethic LSM 166-201
*Prayer in Teresa and John STCC, 235-267
Practicum 8: Practicing the Presence of God / Summary and assessment
11 / Mon Nov 7
Classical reading on worship / Spiritual Formation (Nouwen), vii-xxx; 127-136 (appendix)
Anglican Spirituality STCC,. 269-295
Practicum 9: Time Stolen for God / Summary and response paper due
12 / Mon Nov 14
Classical reading on sin and Spirit / Early Movements (Nouwen), 1-34
Wesleyan Spirituality, 303-329
Practicum 10: Accountable Discipleship / Spiritual exercise and reflection (one each from every chapter); Discussion Question
13 / Mon Nov 21
Classical reading on celebration / Midlife Movements (Nouwen), 35-86
Black Spirituality STCC, 332-359
Practicum 11: American Black Worship / Spiritual exercise and reflection (one each from every chapter); Discussion Question
14 / Mon Nov 28
Classical reading on study / Mature Movements (Nouwen), 87-121
Holy Women STCC, 396-427
Practicum 13: Eucharist / Spiritual exercise and reflection (one each from every chapter); Discussion Question
15 / Mon Dec 5 / Oral finals
*STUDENT LED DISCUSSION DAYS
1