EVANGEL UNIVERSITY: DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAM

SOCA 445

CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW IN THE HUMAN SERVICES

Cohort 18H Term SS1-06

May 30 thru June 20th, 2006

Instructor: Christine Arnzen, MA, LPC

Home Phone: 887-0903

Instructor: Sandy Friesen

School Ext.: 865-2811 x8525 cell 860-6896

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Learners will evaluate personal values, ethics, worldviews, and personal call in light of biblical perspectives in the capstone course.

COURSE RATIONALE

A person who enters the Human Service Profession is one who will be exposed to varying degrees of human need and suffering. Consequently, one’s motivation for entering the field will be challenged. At the same time the response to suffering and need may present a clash between personal and professional values. To help the emerging human service professional prepare to navigate these challenges this course will:

·  Challenge the student to compare and contrast Christian values and professional values.

·  Explore one’s motivation for compassion and compare it to a biblical model of compassion.

·  Explore concepts of “the call” in light of career choices.

·  Summarize the meaning of “the call” in the student’s life.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Before Session One, you should be able to:

1.  Compare and contrast humanistic and Christian values that motivate the helping profession.

2.  Discuss common conceptualizations of human nature and society.

3.  Discuss the Christian human service worker’s response to sin.

4.  Explain how the Parable of the Sower is the context for what it means to be a “witness” verses “witnessing”.

5.  Articulate common issues faced among Christian human service professionals and secular employment.

By the end of Session One to:

1.  Explain what it means to be compassionate from a biblical perspective and how does this compare to the commonly accepted understanding of compassion.

2.  Discuss how compassion is an expression of being fully human yet how it may be dangerous to one’s humanity.

3.  Articulate the three postures that God demonstrates that he is a compassionate God.

By the end of Session Two, you should be able to:

1.  Discuss what it means to live a compassionate life as a follower of Christ. This discussion is to include how living in community, voluntary displacement, and the concept of togetherness creates the environment for compassion to be expressed.

2.  Describe how spiritual discipline helps us maintain and refuel the compassionate life.

3.  Discuss how patience, prayer, and action guide our relationship with God and fellow human beings. Discuss how God manifests his compassion through these relationships.

Before Session Three, you should be able to:

  1. Take the StrenthsFinder assessment online (allow about 45 minutes). Contact Sheri Phillips at ext. 7321for a code to access the assessment.
  2. Assignment: Create a legacy time-line. Include accomplishments, memorable moments, meaningful events and special memories. This legacy line can be pictorial or literary. Make copies for classmates. Be prepared to discuss in class.

Or

1956: Happy Birthday

1960: Accepted Jesus

1964: Received Baptism of Holy Spirit

1968: First fell in love with Missions

1971: Taught my first Sunday School class

1975 Met my husband while at college

Etc.

3. The class will be divided into 4 groups. Each group will present major concepts from Os Guinness’ book The Call. Groups 1 and 2 will present during class three.

Assignment:

Group 1: Chapters 1-6

Group 2: Chapters 7-12

Group 3: Chapters 13-19

Group 4: Chapters 20-26

By the end of Session Three, you should be able to:

1.  Define what Guinness means by “the Call”

2.  Discuss your legacy line with the class.

3.  Describe the concept of “the Seeker”.

4.  Explain “responsibility” in light of The Call”.

5.  Examine “the Call” and “vocation”.

6.  Discuss the concepts of beliefs, God’s sovereignty, an audience of One, and corporate calling.

Before Session Four, you should be able to:

1.  Prepare for a presentation. Groups 3 and 4 will present major concepts from Os Guinness’ book The Call.

Assignment:

Group 1: Chapters 1-6

Group 2: Chapters 7-12

Group 3: Chapters 13-19

Group 4: Chapters 20-26

By the end of Session Four, you should be able to:

1.  Discuss the following concepts:

  1. The journey
  2. Conceit
  3. The role of giftedness and desire when looking at “the Call”
  4. Capitalism
  5. Sloth
  6. The Sleep of death
  7. The focused life
  8. Vision
  9. Purpose
  10. Completion

2.  Write an essay summarizing your meditations on “the Call’ including the following definitions:

  1. Calling
  2. Individual call
  3. Corporate call
  4. Special call
  5. Primary call
  6. Secondary call
  7. Ordinary call

TEXTBOOKS

Keith-Lucas, A. (1985). So You Want to be a Social Worker: A Primer for the Christian

Student. St. Davids, PN: North American Association of Christians

In Social Work, 1985.

Nouwen, H., McNeill, D., Morrison, D. (1982). Compassion: A Reflection on the

Christian Life. New York, NY: Image Books.

Guinness, Os, (1998). The Call. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group

Bible

METHODOLOGY

The class will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and small group exercises.

STUDENT EVALUATION

Keith-Lucas Outline 50 points

Paper: Lessons from the Field 100 points

Exam 50 points

Chapter summary 100 points

Legacy line 50 points

Identity poem 25 points

Text (reading) (Os Guinness) 25 points

The Call essay 50 points

Total Points 450 points

Grade Scale A = 405-450

B = 360-404

C = 315-359

D = 270-314

F = 269 and below

Written Assignments

Written work will be graded on the clarity of writing and depth of insight. Papers should be typed, double spaced and stapled. Use 12 point New Roman Times font. Papers are due at the beginning of the class on the assigned day. Late papers will be received up until the beginning of the next class period and will receive a minimum of a 5% deduction per day.

Chapter Outlines - 50 points: Outline the chapters 1,3,4,6 and 8 of So You Want to be a Social Worker by Alan Keith-Lucas. These outlines will be used in group discussion on the first night of class. In addition, the notes can be used for the essay exam.

Paper: Lessons from the Field – 100 points. This paper is to consist of an interview with a person from a Human Service agency/organization. It is preferable that you interview professional that has been in the field at least 3 years. Please identify the type of agency, position, and years of service. If it is helpful to the professional, offer to disguise his/her identity. The following questions are to be addressed:

1.  What motivated the professional to enter the field of human services? How has that changed over time?

2.  What are the issues within the field that challenges his/her motivation? Has s/he ever reached a point when they considered leaving the field? What kept them from leaving?

3.  Did personal values and agency values ever clash? What did s/he do to resolve it?

4.  What have been “surprise lessons” learned along the way that training/education did not prepare the professional for?

5.  In what ways does the professional keep motivated and available to do this work? What does s/he do to stay off compassion fatigue? What are the personal signs of compassion fatigue and what does s/he do to recoup?

Once your interviews are completed, you are to summarize each interview. Provide a analysis of their experience based on the concepts in Nouwen’s book Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life. For example, based on the information provided, did the professional seem to be operating from what is traditionally understood as compassion or was it from the biblical perspective as described in the book? Did you hear themes of prayer, community, displacement, prayer etc? Finally, include a personal reflection section in which you address issues, questions, and feelings that emerged during the interview experience.

Assignments over Os Guinness’ The Call (100 points):

1.  Chapter Assignment: The class will be divided into 4 groups. Each group will be assigned chapters from Os Guinness’ book, The Call. Each team will present a summary of their chapters to the class. Be prepared to lead the class in a discussion regarding those chapters. Hand-outs are required for each chapter. A chapter summary should be no more than one page each.

Prepare for a class presentation. Groups will present major concepts from Os Guinness’ book The Call.

Assignment:

Group 1: Chapters 1-6

Group 2: Chapters 7-12

Group 3: Chapters 13-19

Group 4: Chapters 20-26

Instructions:

§  Summarize each assigned chapter for the class

§  Prepare a typed hand-out for each classmate (no more than one page per chapter)

§  Define terms discussed in assigned chapter

§  Be prepared to give personal or biblical examples to teach a concept.

2. Take the StrenthsFinder assessment online (allow about 45 minutes). Contact Sheri Phillips at ext.7321for a code to access the assessment.

3. Assignment: Create a legacy time-line. Include accomplishments, memorable moments, meaningful events and special memories. This legacy line can be pictorial or literary. Make copies for classmates. Be prepared to discuss in class.

Or

1956: Happy Birthday

1960: Accepted Jesus

1964: Received Baptism of Holy Spirit

1968: First fell in love with Missions

1971: Taught my first Sunday School class

1975 Met my husband while at college

Etc.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

Date______Topic Assignment Due

Previous to first class / So You Want to be A Social Worker: A Primer for the Christian Student / Outline of chapters 1,3,4, 6 and 8. (50 pts.)
5-30-06
5-30-06 / Introduction, Syllabus, Overview.
Partner selection for class presentation: The class will be divided into 4 groups. Each group will present major concepts from Os Guinness’ book The Call.
Assignment:
Group 1: Chapters 1-6 9-15-05
Group 2: Chapters 7-12 9-15-05
Group 3: Chapters 13-19 9-22-05
Group 4: Chapters 20-2 9-22-05
Group Discussion of Keith-Lucas book.
Lecture: What does it mean to be compassionate? Compassion: A Reflection... Chapter 1-3 / Open note Essay Test
6-6-06 / Compassion: A Reflection… Chapter 4-9 / Paper: Lessons from the Field 100 pts.
6-13-06 / Prior to class, read Os Guinness’ book, The Call (25 points) / Groups 1 and 2 will present major concepts of book (see written assignments)
100 pts.
Students will present legacy line to class / Present legacy line to class
50 pts.
Group discussion: regarding chapters 1-12
6-20-06 / Group discussion: regarding chapters 13-26 / Groups 3 and 4 will present major concepts of book (see written assignments)
Class assignment: Identity poem
(details will be given in class) / Identity poem
25 pts.
Essay regarding summary of “the Call” due 50 pts.