Postgraduate Course: Critical Debates in Christian Mission (WRCH11016)
Course Outline
School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | Using David Bosch's 'Transforming Mission' as a general guide, the course looks at a range of new thinking and writing on mission since the 1960s, and seeks to challenge students to consider the relevance of new definitions of mission for the contexts in which they live and work. |
Course description |
Academic Description:
The course aims to stimulate critical thinking and debate on the meaning, scope, and contemporary relevance of Christian mission. The course introduces students to a broad range of seminal texts on Christian mission from Catholic, mainline Protestant and evangelical sources, with the accent on the post-colonial era.
Syllabus/Outline Content:
The course begins by outlining the challenges that the contemporary context presents to traditional ideas of Christian mission. Attention is then paid to the idea of the missio Dei, debates over the meaning and scope of mission, religious pluralism, inculturation, and controversies over proselytism and conversion. Later sessions of the course examine a number of key issues, including the impact of postmodernity, mission and justice, and mission and the created order.
Student Learning Experience Information:
Each week comprises a two-hour class which combines formal lecture input, (normally) a student presentation, and interactive discussion on the basis of key primary texts set for each week. Each student selects one week of the course to make a 15-minute presentation focussed on the texts for that week. Specific guidance is offered on the approach that is most suitable for that week, and prompt feedback is given as formative assessment.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | None |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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Academic year 2019/20, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 11,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
90 %,
Practical Exam
10 %
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Additional Information (Assessment) |
The course will be assessed by one 4,000 word essay: topic to be agreed with the course manager (90%) and a class presentation (10%). |
Feedback |
Not entered |
No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Engage critically and intelligently with recent major debates on the meaning and scope of Christian mission.
- Interact critically with some of the main documentary statements on mission to have been issued by major confessional groupings since around 1960.
- Demonstrate understanding of the implications for Christian mission of relevant contested topics within the field of religion.
- Construct a coherent presentation introducing a selected topic within the field and engaging intelligently with relevant primary texts.
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Keywords | CDCM |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Alexander Forsyth
Tel: (0131 6)50 8970
Email: Alexander.Forsyth@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Katrina Munro
Tel: (0131 6)50 8900
Email: Kate.Munro@ed.ac.uk |
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