Ministry in a Multicultural World

Course Description

This course explores an invitation to discipleship
rooted in serving others
and will focus on ministry in everyday life
in the home, at work, out in the community,
as well as in communities of faith and in the world beyond.
It is designed for those who feel called to ministry and to service,
but not to formal ordination,
although its emphases are also essential for those who are ordained
or considering this ministerial path.
We will examine what ministry means from a variety of perspectives
and cultivate some basic ministry skills for practical application.

Goals and Outcomes

The primary goals of this course are:

• to broaden and deepen our understanding of ministry within our faith tradition/s from both an historical and a contemporary perspective

• to explore practical applications of a more integrated understanding of ministry, with an emphasis on the spirituality of ministry

• to chronicle one's own ministerial path by reflecting on on's experience and to identify future options  

The primary outcomes of this course are:

• a clear sense of multiple ministries in a multicultural world

• an understanding of the importance and value of a wide variety of ministries and their relationship to spirituality

• a more informed understanding of the many ways one might respond to a call to ministry

Course Reading List

Blythe, Teresa A. 50 Ways to Pray. Practices from Many Traditions and Times. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006.

Chittester, Joan. Welcome to the Wisdom of the World and Its Meaning for You.
            Universal Spiritual Insights Distilled from Five Religious Traditions.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2007.

Ford, Marcia. The Sacred Art of Forgiveness. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths Press, 2006.

Gillespie, Thomas W. “The Laity in Biblical Perspective.” In The New Laity.
Ed. by Ralph D. Bucy. Waco, Texas: 1978 - pp. 113-33.

Hahn, Thich Nhat. Peace is Every Step. The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.
New York: Bantam Books, 1991.

Heider, John. The Tao of Leadership. Atlanta: Humanics New Age, 1985.

Lindahl, Kay. The Sacred Art of Listening. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths Press, 2002.

Phillips, Jan. The Art of Original Thinking. The Making of a Thought Leader.
            San Diego, CA: 9th Element Press, 2006.

Rifkin, Ira. Spiritual Leaders Who Changed the World. The Essential Handbook to the Past Century of Religion. Skylight Paths, 2008.

Sokoloff, Arthur. Life Without Stress.The Far Eastern Antidote to Tension and Anxiety. New York: Broadway Books, 1997.

Thurman, Howard. Disciplines of the Spirit. Harper and Row, 1963.

Winter, Miriam Therese. eucharist with a small “e.” Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005.

Course Syllabus

Session 1 January 23 Ministry in a Multicultural World
Read: Welcome to the Wisdom of the World

Session 2 January 30 Leadership in a Multicultural World
Read: The Tao of Leadership

Session 3 February 6 Ministry in Daily Life
Read: Life without Stress

Session 4 February 13 Sacred Art of Forgiveness
Read: The Sacred Art of Forgiveness

Session 5 February 20 Sacred Art of Listening
Read: The Sacred Art of Listening

Session 6 February 27 Disciplines of the Spirit
Read:  Disciplines of the Spirit

Session 7 March 5 Mindfulness and the Path to Peace
Read: Peace is Every Step

Session 8 March 12 Art and Practice of Prayer
Read: 50 Ways to Pray

Session 9 March 19 eucharist with a small “e”
Read: eucharist with a small “e”

Session 10 March 26 Making of a Thought Leader
Read: The Art of Original Thinking

Session 11 April 2 Ministry in a Multicultural World
Read: “The Laity in Biblical Perspective”
Read: Spiritual Leaders Who Changed the World

Class meets Monday evenings from 5:15-9:15 pm

Credit Requirements and Grading Criteria

Required of all students taking this course for graduate credit are the following:

Attendance at all classes unless formally excused

Active participation in class and small group activities

Completion of the following assignments:

• Read all the books and the article on the Course Reading List
• Complete a single-page report/response to one of the readings           
• Final paper or Project

Grading will be based on:
Class Presence - 10%
Class Participation - 30%
Assigned Readings - 30%
Written Assignment - 30%

Written Response to one of the readings
In a single page (no more than two pages), assess one the course readings in the following way:

• what did you learn from this reading?
• how will this learning contribute to your ministry in daily life?
• did the reading help you achieve one or more of the course outcomes? If so, how?

Final Paper or Project
Your final class assignment is an integrating paper or project that focuses on one or several thematic elements featured in the course, such as:
A theme or themes

• that resonated with you
• that you intend to make a part of your own ministry in daily life

This is not meant to be an academic paper, but a personal and reasoned reflection on aspects of the course that you found to be especially helpful, or memorable.

In essence you are asked to develop a dimension of ministry in your everyday life based on what you have learned from the course readings, class conversations, and instructional content, demonstrating how you achieved stated course outcomes.
It is not necessary to go beyond the course bibliography, but you are certainly welcome to do so.
Direct quotes from course readings can be referenced in the body of the text.
For other citations, please use standard footnote format.

Length: 5 to 10 pages, double spaced, for a final paper.
A minimum of three written pages must accompany a final project.

Both professors will read each paper and review each project.

Final date for submission: May 30 - Earlier submissions are encouraged.