Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Course Syllabus
Zion Bible College
SS 3232-01 - 2 Credits
Fall, 2009
Tuesday, 8:00 am – 8:50 am & 9:00 am – 9:50 am
Course Description:
Throughout Christianity believers and church leaders have struggled to put into practice the
Biblical instruction to be “in the world but not of the world.” This class will explore this tension
between Christianity and culture. Emphasis will be placed on historical patterns, biblical
examples, and how to live faithfully as Christian leaders in today’s society.
Objectives:
The student will define culture and explore the relationship between Christianity and
culture.
The student will identify the various methods (historical and present) of dealing with the
tension of “being in the world but not of it.”
The student will study historical movements of culture and how they have been formative
in the Church’s dealing of culture today.
The student will engage with biblical accounts describing ways of handing the tension of
being “in the world but not of it.”
The student will examine how Christ dealt with this tension
The student will research modern day churches and movements to identify the strengths
and weaknesses in their handling of this tension.
The student will learn to analyze cultural indicators which are both descriptive and
formative of culture.
The student will develop and discuss various ways of redeeming Christianity and Christ
in culture.
The student will initiate research of subcultures with the intention of understanding
ministry in their context.
Required Textbooks:
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Course Requirements
These short papers are due at the start of class on the deadline and are to be typed double-
spaced in 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font. Be sure to include your name and box
number as well. Reading Reflection 1 Due 9/22, Reading Reflection 2 Due 10/6, Reading
Reflection 3 Due 11/10.
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There is no minimum length for this project. Students may take a variety of approaches to
this project, but regardless of the approach, true research (not wikipedia, though you may
start there and then go to the sources) must take place. The defining characteristics and
values must be discussed as well as unique information that is vital to preparing to minister
to this group. Sources must ALWAYS be cited and original thoughts and connection of the
data is essential. Some examples of creative approaches follow:
Tell a story about a typical day in the life of someone in one of these subcultures
Write a poem or an article about life and values in that subculture.
Interview people who identify themselves within that subgroup
Design and create an experiment that evaluates the values and identity of that group
Plan a trip, or a series of trips to visit and get to know people in that group
Provide hands-on examples of objects that are valuable to people in that subculture
Create a PowerPoint presentation or a video that explains the subculture.
Create a series of art pieces that demonstrate the values and identity of that group
Discuss how the music associated with this subculture contributes to its identity
Present a plan for creating a ministry targeting this unique subculture.
Participate in a service project or ministry to people in that group and share your
experience.
As you research, keep a journal that identifies what you learned about the group and
how it resonates with you or your future ministry
Describe how the environment that this group exists in relates to their identity.
Students may choose to use one or many of these approaches. Should there be multiple
students in the class who desire to study the same subculture, they may do a combined effort,
if they get prior approval from the instructor. Students working in groups should be able to
address even more areas than those students working alone. The basic concept for the project
will be submitted on 9/22. The professor is available in the weeks prior to the presentations
to review notes and provide guidance and recommendations to the student or group. Call or
email for an appointment. This project is due on 10/20.
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or the other on this church’s ministry in this project or the presentation. This assignment is
due on 11/17.
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Late Work
Late work is subject to point deductions per weekday it is late. For each weekday the work is not
handed in, 2 points will be deducted from the final grade for the assignment. Points are not
deducted on Saturdays and Sundays. Therefore, a paper that is handed in 2 days late will have 4
points deducted, 1 week late will have 10 points deducted; 2 weeks, 20 points, unless otherwise
arranged with the professor. After 4 weeks, students will have 40 points deducted from the total
grade from the assignment.
POLICIES:
1. Attendance: Students are expected to attend all class periods. Please refer to the Student
Handbook for information on absences.
2. Assignments/Tests: All assignments and tests must be completed in accordance with the
policies set forth in the “Assignments and Examinations” Section of the Handbook.
3. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious problem not only in the world of academia, but in all
areas of business and communication. As a school intent on training men and women of
integrity for the ministry Zion takes plagiarism seriously. Plagiarism consists of:
a. Use of another’s ideas without giving credit.
b. Quoting material from published or unpublished works, or oral presentation, without
giving proper citation;
c. Paraphrasing material, whether published or unpublished, written or oral, without proper
citation;
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Any material, whether published or unpublished, copied from another writer must be identified
by use of quotation marks and documentation with specific citation of the source. Paraphrased
material must likewise be attributed to the original author.
Any Student found guilty of plagiarism as described in categories 1-3 above will face:
1. Faculty discipline on first offense along with a filed “Plagiarism Report”
2. Academic Affairs discipline on second offense. Such discipline will be:
(a) Receive an “F” for the course
(b) Dismissal for one year (three or more offenses)
Any student who is found guilty of plagiarism as described in categories 4-5 will face:
1. Dorming/Campusing
2. Suspension
3. Dismissal
4. Cheating
A student who engages in dishonest behavior such as: using unauthorized notes or material
when taking an examination, copying answers to examination questions, or engaging in securing
unauthorized copies of examination questions (including aiding another person in doing so), is
subject to the action or penalty indicated above. Copying another person’s class work and/or
homework and submitting it as one’s own, or having another person perform an assignment and
submitting it as having originated from themselves personally is guilty of plagiarism, which is
cheating. Such students will therefore be subject to the above discipline.
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Bibliography
Borgmann, Albert. Power Failure: Christianity in the Culture of Technology. Grand Rapids:
Brazos Press, 2003.
Dyrness, William A. Visual Faith: Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue. Grand Rapids:
Baker Academic, 2001.
Driscoll, Mark The Great Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2004.
Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology second ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998.
Gay, Craig M. The Way of the (Modern) World Or, Why It’s Tempting to Live As If God Doesn’t
Exist. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998.
________. Theology For the Community of God. Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 2000.
Guinness, O. S. Fit Bodies Fat Minds: Why Evangelicals Don’t Think and What To Do About It.
Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994.
Kimball, Dan. The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2003.
Niebuhr, H. Richard. Christ & Culture. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1951.
Schrag, Calvin O. The Self after Postmodernity. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997.
Seay, Chris and Greg Garrett. The Gospel Reloaded. Colorado Springs: Pinon Press 2003.
Thielicke, Helmut. A Little Exercise for Young Theologians. Grand Rapids: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962.
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White, James Emery. Serious Times: Making Your Life Matter in an Urgent Day. Downers
Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2004.
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