Course Syllabus

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INSTRUCTOR:               Rev. Kirk Loadman-Copeland   kirk@firstuniversalist.org         303-949-6393

Office Hours: I look forward to talking with you by email, phone, or in person. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for an appointment.

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION:

Class Meets:                    Friday 9:00 am to 10:50 AM, Room TBD

 Important Dates:            Easter Recess: April 18-20, 2014 (class will be at First Universalist-                                              attendance is optional, but recommended)

                                          Last Day to Drop: May 2, 2014

Course description: This course will help students become familiar with historical and contemporary theological trends with an emphasis on Unitarian and Universalist authors, ideas, beliefs, and challenges. It will also encourage students to examine the relationship between liberal theology and ministry in Unitarian Universalist congregations.

Course goals: Completion of this course will help students to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of issues, themes, and theological motifs in Unitarian Universalist theology and begin to develop an organizational frame for this knowledge,
  • learn about and understand the context in which Unitarian Universalist theology has grown,
  • continue to develop, articulate, and justify a personal theology
  • better understand the relationship between theology and ministry

Instructional Methodology: This course is designed to be a guided construction of new knowledge. This will be accomplished through lecture/discussion, reading, writing, and personal reflection. Each class will begin with a discussion of the week’s readings led by the students followed by lecture and activities that will prepare students for the next week’s reading. A number of lectures will be by Unitarian Universalist ministers who have a special interest in and perspective on the a particular theological topic.

A major emphasis is on interactive and participatory learning experiences as a learning community. Our assumption is that we have a great deal to teach each other and to learn from each other, thus there will be many teachers in this course. Students should expect to spend 4-6 hours per week working on the course in addition to class time.

Class Policies:

  • Class starts promptly at 9:00 AM. Regular attendance is expected. Please communicate with us if it is necessary for you to be absent.
  • Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs. Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations. The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. Please also let us know how we can best help you learn.
  • In this class, we are committed to modeling Unitarian Universalist values as well as the values Iliff embraces: diversity, mutual respect, accountability, honest communication, critical self-reflection, curiosity, creativity and a sense of adventure. We will show respect for differences and diversity in human life and experience.
  • Cell phones, beepers, watches and other electronic devices should be muted before entering the class.
  • All students are expected to abide by the academic honesty and incomplete policies listed in the Iliff Masters Student Handbook.

READING & RESOURCE LIST:

Required Primary Reading to ground the course

1. Buehrens, John & Parker, Rebecca. (2010). A House for Hope: The Promise of Progressive Religion for the Twenty-first Century. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. In large measure, this course is constructed in response to the chapters by Rebecca Parker and her creative use of an extended theological metaphor (i.e., a house), one that is grounded in the categories of systematic theology. (We will read chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 & 12.)

2. Beach, George Kimmich (2005) Transforming Liberalism: The Theology of James Luther Adams. Boston, MA: Skinner House Books. This comprehensive exploration of the theology of Unitarian Universalist James Luther Adams is an essential foundation for developing a systematic theology. (We will read the entire book.)

3. Guengerich, Galen. (2013). God Revised: How Religion Must Evolve in a Scientific Age. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Guengerich’s book is both a critique of traditional understandings of God and religion, which means that he offers both a revised concept of God and religion that is aligned with the 21st century. This is a wonder example of a Unitarian Universalist minister in the role of theologian. (We will read the entire book.)

Required Supplemental Reading from which selected chapters/essays will be read (copies of assignments will be provided)

1. Grodzins, Dean. (2004). A Language of Reverence. Chicago, IL: Meadville Lombard Press. This book grew out of a sermon by then UUA President Bill Sinkford in which he called for the creation of a language of reverence. This call may mark a new chapter in Unitarian Universalism. What was not articulated, but likely underlies Sinkford’s plea, is the need for a theological renaissance within Unitarian Universalism. Many outside our tradition admire various aspects of Unitarian Universalism. Their major critique is our failure to articulate a compelling theology, one that gives power and form to our commitment to religious pluralism.

2. Dorien, Gary. (2001). The Making of American Liberal Theology: Imagining Progressive Religion, 1805-1900. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. (vol 1) We will read the first two chapters in volume one of this three volume work, which recounts the way in which Unitarians initiated the development of liberal theology in America. Understanding these roots is important. Unfortunately, our tradition does not appear again until the end of the third volume when Dorien references the liberal theological work being led by UUs like Thandeka and Forest Church.

3. Herz, Walter P, (Ed). (1999). Redeeming Time: Endowing Your Church with the Power of Covenant. Boston, MA: Skinner House Books. In the end, Unitarian Universalism is grounded in a covenantal theology. The selections that we will read from this book illustrate the essential nature of covenant and its importance in our Unitarian Universalist theology.

Additional resources to assist with preparation of the analytical essay and sermon

1. Church, Forrest, (2009), The Cathedral of the World: A Universalist Theology, Boston, MA: Beacon Press

2. Owen-Towle, Tom, (2011), Theology Ablaze, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary Year of Unitarian Universalism, San Diego, CA, Flaming Chalice Press.

3. Commission on Appraisal. (2005). Engaging Our Theological Diversity. Boston, MA: Unitarian Universalist Association, 2005,

4. Rasor, Paul. (2005). Faith Without Certainty: Liberal Theology in the 21st Century. Boston, MA: Skinner House Books.

ASSIGNMENTS & PERCENTAGE WEIGHT RELATED TO OVERALL GRADE

Analytical Essay                                                                                              40%

Each student will prepare an analytical essay. This essay will be approximately 1,500-2,000 words and will respond to one of the class topic questions, its related “essential questions,” and relevant readings.

The analytical essay should provide a synopsis of the assigned reading and relate it to other selected themes covered in the class. Start by taking a charitable stance towards the readings. Tell us where the writer is coming from, what is useful to you and what is not (how will this text inform your work as a Unitarian Universalist minister & theologian?). Support your assertions and conclusions with examples from the text. Some questions that your essay might answer are:

  1. What are the dimensions of the concepts included in the question that frames the topic and the related essential questions?
  2. What have some of our (UU) answers been?
  3. What sources inform our perspective
  4. How have those answers shaped our tradition?
  5. How have the answers influenced how we engage in the world?
  6. What assumptions are grounded in the question and in our answers?
  7. What are these assumptions in opposition to?
  8. How do we engage other views/theologies/ecclesial realities?
  9. How does all of this (#’s 1-8) influence what we do?

Sermon                                                                                                                30%

There is significant latitude in the topic and construction of the sermon. The length should be 1,800 to 2,000 words. The purpose is to explore some aspect of UU theology in a way that is interesting and accessible to members of our congregations. You may want to cover an aspect of systematic theology or a theological term which requires pouring new wine into old wineskins. While you may want to contrast UU theology with more tradition theologies, the sermon should largely be constructive rather than deconstructive (i.e., focusing of what we don’t believe.)

Discussion Facilitation & Participation                                                  30%

Each student will need to read the assignments carefully before class and prepare 3-4 discussion questions (similar to the “Essential Questions”) based on the ideas in the readings that you would use in teaching this material in your congregation. (The target audience for these questions could be elementary, middle school, high school, or adult participants.)

 

Come ready to participate fully in discussion with your own personal ideas as well as from the speakers and readings.

 

During one week, you will facilitate the discussion of the readings.

 

EVALUATION:

Individual assignments will be assigned points using the criteria below. These general criteria apply to all assignments in addition to specific directions and rubrics given in class.

  1. Your work in this class should be both professional and appropriate for graduate study.
  2. English language rules (usage, grammar, etc.) always count.
  3. The following are general criteria for the evaluation of assignments.

A—90-100% All requirements thoroughly and exceptionally completed. Creativity or original ideas are evidenced.

B—80-89% One or more of the listed requirements is either missing or not adequately completed. The assignment is prepared at above average standards.

C—70-79% The assignment has been attempted and criteria have been adequately met at a basic (graduate) level.

D—60-69 % There is evidence that an effort has been made to prepare the assignment; however, the requirements were marginally realized.

 

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Check-in

Each class will start with brief check-ins. This should take no more than 10-15 minutes.

 

Discussion

At the beginning of the semester, each student will sign up for a week in which to lead/ facilitate the class discussion. This discussion will include ideas from assigned readings and how they relate to the introduction of the topic from the week before. The questions that students have prepared will be included in this discussion as well as additional questions that may be taken from the description of the analytic essay.

Introduction of new topic

The last hour of the class (35-45 minute presentation with 15 minutes for questions and discussion) will be given to a visiting minister who will introduce the topic for the next week’s reading and discussion. This introduction will be from the point of an active, practicing, Unitarian Universalist minister and may include:

  • Personal answer to the week’s question
  • Personal metaphor/framework for theology
  • Historical and theological influences on his/her work
  • Glimpse of how the topic appears in his/her work—sermons, pastoral work, classes,
  • Suggestions for reading further

 

Time

Description

  9:00 am

Class begins with brief check-in & housekeeping

  9:15 am

Discussion of week’s topic (each student will lead/facilitate at least one class discussion)

10:00 am

Introduction by Guest Presenter of following week’s topic

10:35 am

Q & A and discussion of presentation

10:50 am

Class ends


 

 

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