check regularly for "new" marker:  (posted 31 Oct 2011)

week 12  (posted 31 Oct 2011)

It is not so very important for a person to learn facts. For that he does not really need a college. He can learn them from books. The value of an education in a liberal arts college is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks.

 

Welcome!

Welcome to Religion 212: Reformed / Presbyterian Theology and Worship! The course title indicates the focus of the semester, which is to gain a better understanding of Reformed or Presbyterian traditions. More specifically, our aim will be: • to articulate what the Reformed tradition is, its significance for the history of Western civilization, the US, and the world • to identify and articulate major themes and emphases of Reformed theology • to identify and articulate characteristic forms and content of Reformed worship, especially in contrast with those of other Christian traditions • to read carefully and critically passages from John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion and to explore the meaning of these passages in their historical context as well as in relation to contemporary thought and practice • to cultivate an informed appreciation of, and a sensitivity to, the Reformed tradition that is both critical and creative Achieving these goals will require hard work on your part, which will bring many challenging, enlightening, exciting, frustrating, and rewarding experiences.   Accessibility Statement: Westminster College actively strives for the full inclusion of all our students. Students with disabilities who require access solutions for environmental or curricular barriers should contact Corey Shaw, Director of Disability Support Services: 209 Thompson-Clark Hall; 724-946-7192; shawcj@westminster.edu.

Caveat

This course is designed so that anyone, Reformed or not, who does the required work can attain the goals mentioned above. This course is not designed to persuade you to become Reformed or Presbyterian. Nor is it intended to build up or disparage existing faith, although an informed understanding of the Reformed tradition can lead to a deeper appreciation of it. Students who consider themselves to be followers of any religion, or no religion at all, are all welcome on this semester journey to become better acquainted with the Reformed tradition, to learn to appreciate it better, and to become informed and responsible interpreters of it.

Requirements and evaluation for the course
Evaluation	For my criteria for evaluation of assignments go to Evaluation and read the information carefully. If you have any questions regarding any assignment, please ask in class or make an appointment to see me.
Assigned readings	Assigned readings should be completed before the class for which they are assigned—use your best judgment to divide the readings evenly for each week. Keeping notes on the readings is highly recommended. Occasionally I may assign additional readings, but these will ordinarily be short. You must come to class with written questions or comments you have about the readings (see Participation).
Bulletin comparison	You will submit a bulletin comparison. Collect church bulletins from 3 Presbyterian or Reformed churches and 3 non-Reformed churches (e.g., Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Orthodox, "non-denominational," Pentecostal). NB: You don't have to attend any worship service (you may request them by phone or letter). Write a 3–4 page comparative report that analyzes the contents and order of the contents of the actual worship service from the very first act of worship to the last. Focus only on the very significant issues. Consider also what information is printed on the front of the bulletin and on the first page of the order of worship as well as what information is not printed there.
Worship critique presentation	You will take part in a group presentation (15–20 minutes) of a worship critique that analyzes (= criticizes) a worship service you attend. Document a worship experience in a Presbyterian or other Reformed church, providing a commentary and critique of every part of the worship service, including the order of worship (= bulletin) with respect to Reformed theology—the most important part is your critique revealing your knowledge of Reformed theology. If you wish, you may interview the pastor(s) or worship committee members of the church you attend for this assignment. • Provide a copy of the order of worship. • Describe the physical surroundings (e.g., worship space, seating arrangement). • Provide a list or description of every part of the worship service. • Use PowerPoint. • Follow all the instructions given on my Evaluation page under Presentations.
Research Paper	You will write a 6–8 page paper on one of the topics below. Show your understanding of the Reformed perspective with regard to your chosen topic. Include at least Calvin's Institutes and the Leith texts in your paper. If you wish to choose another topic, please consult the instructor.   • Baptism • Grace (prevenient) • Bible (authority of scripture) • Lord's Supper • Christian Freedom • Pneumatology • Christology • Predestination (Calvin, Institutes, 3.21–24) • Creation • Providence • Ecclesiology • Sacraments   • You must submit (in one file on the R-drive) a paper proposal that includes: a thoughful and clear articulation of your research interest, which can be a person (e.g., John Knox)—the more detailed, narrower, and specific the research interest, the better   a preliminary bibliography that includes at least 10 secondary sources (besides course textbooks and reference books) you found to be promising for your paper, including 5 periodical (journal) articles (newspapers and magazines are acceptable if appropriate for your paper) Electronic sources count only if you provide evidence that they are scholarly sources. Use the Chicago Manual of Style (or Turabian) for footnotes and the bibliography. Submit your proposal as early as possible in the semester, so that it can be approved for you to begin work. Make an appointment as early as you can to bring a hard copy of your proposal for discussion and approval. • You are strongly encouraged to make further appointments for feedback on your progress. • The paper should represent original work (i.e., your own thoughts), not a mere digest of other people’s opinions. Your own reading and re-reading of the relevant texts, as well as review of other materials, are fundamental to the task. I want to know what you discover in your engagement with the text(s)—a "text" can be written works, art works, music, plays, movies, interview, research results, poll data etc.—whether or not you agree with the authors or the opinions presented in class, including mine.   Focus on honing your ability (1) to argue for your opinions and conclusions persuasively and (2) to support them with evidence from texts (especially primary sources) and other relevant sources. • Your final bibliography (NB: not works cited) must contain at least 8 sources used in your paper, including 4 periodical (journal) articles. Electronic sources count only if you provide evidence that they are scholarly sources.   Use the Chicago Manual of Style (or Turabian) for footnotes (or endnotes) and the bibliography. Learn the automatic footnote (and endnote) function of your word processor. • Follow all the instructions given on my Evaluation page under Written assignments.
Terms	Throughout the semester, you will be responsible for learning significant terms covered in our texts or in class (see the “terms” file on the R-drive). You will be responsible for the definitions. Use (1) the course texts, e.g., glossary, index, (2) the resources listed in Resources to consider below, or (3) any other appropriate sources of information. The terms may constitute a part of any quiz or exam.
Exams & Quizzes	There will be a midterm exam covering all the materials in the course, including the reading assignments and terms we will have covered by the time of the exam. The final exam, which will be an oral exam, will cover the entire sweep of the course. See my Evaluation page under Quizzes and examinations. There may be pop quizzes, the results of which will affect the evaluation of your participation.
Grades	Grades will be assigned as fairly as possible. See my Evaluation page under Grades for more information. The final grade for the course will consist of the following: • paper 40% Participation is a significant part of this course. See my Evaluation page under Participation for more information and instructions. • final examination 15% • midterm examination 15% • worship critique presentation 15% • participation 15%   NB: If you have any questions about how you're doing in the course, please make an appointment to see me.
Extra credit	You may earn extra credit any time during the semester. • Submit a 2–3 page worship critique of a non-Reformed church commenting on the parts of the worship service that represent the most significant contrasts to perspectives of Reformed theology. • Submit a 2–3 page reflection paper relating something from popular culture (e.g., movie, play, TV show, book, any performance) to a particular course topic (consult the instructor). It should be mostly critique and not merely a plot summary.   Do other extra credit assignments described in the file on the R-drive. The instructor reserves the right to make the final determination concerning any extra credit. You can earn a maximum of 5% toward the final grade. You may write more than one, if you wish, but you won't receive more than 5% total in extra credit.
Excursion	The class may visit various Reformed churches to experience their worship services. Although not required, church visits are highly recommended and may be very helpful for exploring the relationship between theology and praxis.

Required books
•	Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Translated by Ford Lewis Battles and edited by John T. McNeill. The Library of Christian Clasics, vol. 20. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1960. (different, older on-line translation)
•	Leith, John. Basic Christian Doctrine. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.
•	Leith, John. Introduction to the Reformed Tradition. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1981.

Recommended books (* = highly recommended)
*	Achtemeier, Paul. Inspiration and Authority: Nature and Function of Christian Scripture. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999.
	Allen, Diogenes. Philosophy for Understanding Theology. Louisville: John Knox Press, 1985.
	_____ and Eric O Springsted, eds. Primary Readings in Philosophy for Understanding Theology. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1992.
*	Battles, Ford Lewis. Interpreting John Calvin. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996. [very helpful charts]
*	Dowey, Edward. The Knowledge of God in Calvin's Theology. Eedrmans Publishing Co., 1994.
	Guthrie, Shirley. Christian Doctrine. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994.
	Hall, Christopher A. and John Sanders. Does God Have a Future?: A Debate on Divine Providence. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2003.
*	Joint Office of Worship for the PC(USA) and CPC. The Service for the Lord's Day. Supplemental Liturgical Resource 1. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1984. [great resource for worship leaders]
	Lindberg, Carter, ed. The Reformation Theologians. Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2002.
	McKim, Donald. Introducing the Reformed Faith. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
*	_____. Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers: Exploring Christian Faith. Louisville: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, 2004. [very practical]
	Migliore, Daniel. Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004.
	Rogers, Jack. Presbyterian Creeds. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991.
	Weaver, J. Presbyterian Worship. Louisville: Geneva Press, 2002.
	Movies: Bruce Almighty The Count of Monte Cristo Dave *Flatliners (cf. baptism) The Game *Gods and Generals (cf. predestination) Groundhog Day (cf. regeneration) Kagemusha *Overboard (cf. baptism, regeneration) Prince and the Pauper (Mark Twain novel) Shawshank Redemption
*	Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1979. (See my Resources page under Miscellaneous for the first edition of Strunk.)

Resources to consider
	CRTA (Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics)
	Reformed distinctives ("Essential Tenets and Reformed Distinctives")
	Resources page for McGill, AV, & Web resources
	R-drive: course folder and the "Religion" folder

Keeping in touch

During the semester check your e-mail regularly for messages regarding course matters (e.g., changes in the syllabus). Also visit this page for updates to the syllabus, as well as my homepage for other information and resources related to the course. Please feel free to make an appointment any time about any course matters.