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CD 655 Ministering with Children through the Church

Catherine Stonehouse

Children Matter: Celebrating their Place in the Church, Family, and Community, Scottie May, Beth Posterski, Catherine Stonehouse, and Linda Cannell Joining Children on the Spiritual Journey: Nurturing a Life of Faith, Catherine Stonehouse Real Kids Real Faith: Practices for Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Lives, Karen Marie Yust Offering the Gospel to Children, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard Children in Crisis: A New Commitment, Phyllis Kilbourn, ed. Additional reading for research paper
CD 665 Curricullum Theory, Development, and Selection

Catherine Stonehouse

Fashion Me a People: Curriculum in the Church by Maria Harris. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God by Dallas Willard Learning Styles: Reaching Everyone God Gave You to Teach by Marlene D. LeFever. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen Creative Teaching Methods by Marlene D. LeFever.
BS 820 History of Interpretation

Lawson G. Stone

McKim, Donald K. Ed. Dictionary of Major Biblical Interpreters. Downers Grove, IVP, 2007. Greer, Rowan and J. Kugel. Early Biblical Interpretation. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986. Young, Francis M. Biblical Exegesis and the Formation of Christian Culture. Cambridge, 1997. Repr. Hendrickson, 2002. Saint Augustine. On Christian Teaching. R. P. H. Green, trans. Oxford, 1997. Selected Additional Reading
BT 605 Old Testament Theology

Lawson G. Stone

Sailhammer, John. H., Introduction to Old Testament Theology: A Canonical Approach. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1995. Childs, Brevard S. Bibilcal Theology: A Proposal. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002. B. W. Anderson. Contours of Old Testament Theology. Fortress. Von Balthasar, Hans Urs. The Glory of the Lord—A Theological Aesthetics: Vol. VI, Theology: The Old Covenant. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1991, orig. Germ. 1967.
OT 520 Old Testament Introduction

Lawson G. Stone

Course Aspirations and Place in the Curriculum Aspirations: OT 520 seeks to equip students for ministry by providing knowledge and tools fundamental to responsible interpretation of the OT. The course neither offers a comprehensive approach, nor emphasizes direct textual study, but enhances both by developing a framework within which competent interpretation can take place. Students explore contemporary approaches to the literary character, historical and cultural setting, composition, authorship, and literary unity of these books, their various literary types, settings, and functions, and how these affect Christian reading of the OT. An important axiom of the class is that the OT emerges from a cultural and ethnic setting significantly different from those of any contemporary culture. To study the OT in connection with the the ancient cultures that shaped it is to learn to receive God's word crossculturally, which forms a necessary preparation for testifying to the message of God's word crossculturally. Thus the very act of responsible and holistic interpretation involves grasping, affirming, and moving creatively between the text's ethnic and cultural framework and our own. Because the OT is a multi-dimensional text, embracing language, literature, culture, religion, politics—all seen as divine revelation—biblical exegesis must of necessity be multi-disciplinary, hence we will draw eclectically, but not chaotically, from a wide range of subject areas.
OT 617 The Book of Judges

Lawson G. Stone

Younger, K. Lawson, The NIV Application Commentary:Judges, Ruth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002. Gregory Mobley, The Empty Men: The Heroic Tradition of Ancient Israel. New York: Doubleday, 2005. Gunn, David M. Judges: Blackwell Bible Commentaries. Blackwell, 2005. Arnold, Bill T. and John H. Choi. A Guide to Hebrew Syntax. Cambridge, 2003. Elliger, K., and W. Rudolph, eds. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1967-77. A Hebrew-based Concordance or Biblical Software with full Hebrew root and grammar based search capability (For Wintel: Bibleworks, Logos; for Macintosh Accordance. The latter is sufficient reason to go out and buy a Mac!) The following are very helpful: Murphy, T. J. Pocket Dictionary for the Study of Biblical Hebrew. IVP. 2003. Vasholz, R. I. Data for the Sigla in BHS. Eisenbrauns, 1983. Provided by instructor.
OT 617 X The Book of Judges

Lawson G. Stone

Course description This course explores the major exegetical issues in the Book of Judges and provides students with opportunities to apply original-language tools to several of the book’s salient passages. The primary concern in any exegetical work rests in the attempt to see beyond the limited perspectives of our particular cultural heritages and experience the text of the OT as a witness from a time, place, culture and ethnic location far removed from our own. Once we have learned to receive God's word across a cultural and ethnic divide, we become better able to communicate our witness to God's word across the cultural divides of our times. So our attention to language, textual matters, style, syntax, literary genres, social settings, etc. is only partly antiquarian. They open up to us how God's word speaks through cultural and ethnic horizons very different form our own. In a world in which ministry must necessarily deal with cultural and ethnic differences, learning to negotiate such differences as an integral part of hearing God's word makes exegesis an effective preparation for living and serving in a diverse world. The events recorded in the book of Judges occurred and were recalled, recorded, and collected in the midst of historic changes in the life, politics, and culture of ancient Israel. The tribalism that divided the Hebrew People, the oppressions that threatened them, the provincialism that prevented them from responding effectively to their crises, and the recurrent apostasy that diluted their identity and drained their strength all emerge clearly in the book of Judges. Likewise, the various literary genres in the book and the signs of the use and re-use of the materials as the book took shape point to a struggle to receive God's word and reshape it for another generation, place, and circumstance. The tensions and conflicts of tribe, race, empire, culture, and faith that mark the book of Judges recur in contemporary life. Thus time spent with the book of Judges provides a meaningful encounter with problems and possibilities of contemporary ministry. The Spirit of God clearly found rich material for shaping this portion of the inspired scriptures. The objectives below, as they note matters such as language, text, historical and cultural setting, etc. should be understood as the specific steps necessary toward the fulfillment of this encounter.
CO 601 Counseling Theories and Techniques

Stephen P. Stratton

Corsini, R. J. & Wedding, D. (2008). Current psychotherapies, 8th Ed., Belmont, CA: Brooks Cole. Jones, S.L. & Butman, R.E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies. Downer's Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press. Johnson, E.L. & Jones, S.L. (2000). Psychology and Christianity: Four views. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press
CO 715 Assessment Tools and Inventories

Stephen P. Stratton

Aims and Objectives: This course is designed to give the student a general introduction to and broad overview of psychological assessment, while also providing an opportunity for personal growth. Some specific goals are as follows: a. To begin development of the interviewing skills necessary to provide clinical care. b. To acquaint the student with general principles of psychological test evaluation, interpretation, and use. c. To help the student understand the major principles of psychological test construction. d. To sensitize the student to social and ethical implications and issues involved in psychological assessment. e. To broadly familiarize the student with the kinds of assessment instruments and methods available. f. To involve the student in practical, personal, and experiential as well as theoretical learning about psychological assessment. g. To familiarize students with the basic principles and format for constructing assessment reports.
CO 715 Assessment Tools and Inventories

Stephen P. Stratton

Aims and Objectives: This course is designed to give the student a general introduction to and broad overview of psychological assessment, while also providing an opportunity for personal growth. Some specific goals are as follows: a. To begin development of the interviewing skills necessary to provide clinical care. b. To acquaint the student with general principles of psychological test evaluation, interpretation, and use. c. To help the student understand the major principles of psychological test construction. d. To sensitize the student to social and ethical implications and issues involved in psychological assessment. e. To broadly familiarize the student with the kinds of assessment instruments and methods available. f. To involve the student in practical, personal, and experiential as well as theoretical learning about psychological assessment. g. To familiarize students with the basic principles and format for constructing assessment reports.
PC 510 The Servant as Pastoral Care Giver

Stephen P. Stratton

Benner, D. G. (2003). Strategic Pastoral Counseling, 2nd Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. (This book is our basic text for the theory and philosophy of pastoral counseling.) Carkhuff, R. R. (2000). The Art of Helping in the 21st Century, 8th Ed. Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press. (This book is our basic text for micro skills of pastoral counseling.) Haugk, K. (1984). Christian Caregiving: A Way of Life. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Press. (This book written by the founder of Stephen Ministries is a general overview of caregiving in congregational settings.)
PC 515 Pastoral Crisis Intervention

Stephen P. Stratton

Course Description: This advanced pastoral counseling course is based upon the premise that crises are an essential aspect of any structured understanding of human life and development. The class will learn about episodes of crises in people’s lives where the stakes are very high for disintegration or for growth. Theoretical orientation to pastoral crisis intervention techniques for various types of crises will be taught and practiced. Theological and faith issues during crisis events will be examined.
CO 611 Dynamics of Human Sexuality

Michael R. Sytsma

Hyde, J. S. (2006). Understanding Human Sexuality, (9th Edition), Boston: McGraw Hill. (Chapters 1-12, and 20 required – other chapters recommended) Laaser, M. (2004). Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Rosenau, D. (2002). A celebration of sex (Rev. and updated. ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Rosenau, D., & Wilson, M. T. (2006). Soul virgins : redefining single sexuality. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books. Rosenau, D.E., Sytsma, M., and Taylor, D.L. (2001). Sexuality and Sexual Counseling: Learning and Practicing the DEC-R Model. In T. Clinton, and G. Ohlschlager (Eds.) Competent Christian Counseling, Colorado Springs: Waterbrook. Schnarch, D. M. (1995). A Family Systems Approach to Sex Therapy and Intimacy. In R. Mikesell, D. Lusterman, and S. H. McDaniel (Eds.), Integrating Family Therapy: Handbook of Family Psychology and Systems Theory. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Sytsma, M., Taylor, D. (2003). Current thinking in how to help couples and individuals struggling with low sexual desire. Marriage and Family: A Christian Journal, 5(3). Rosenau, D., Childerston, J., & Childerston, C. (2004). A celebration of sex after 50. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers. (Chapters 1 and 20 only.) Brinkmann, S. (2004). The Kinsey Corruption: an exposé on the most influential "scientist" of our time. West Chester, PA: Ascension Press. (See webpage for required pages.)
CH 500 Turning Points in Church History

Jennifer L. Woodruff Tait

Welcome to CH500! This course is a whirlwind introduction to the history of the Christian church. History is much more than names, dates, and places; it is the story of real people facing real problems. Church history, especially, is the story of our brothers and sisters in Christ trying to be faithful to the Gospel in the face of changing circumstances. As we move through the course, I will be asking you to think about what people thought the heart of the Gospel was, and what they thought life together in community (that is, in the church) looked like. I will also be asking you to think about whose stories particularly appeal to you, and why. As we think together about how our mothers and fathers in the faith have faced crises and challenges, we will become better able to equip those with whom we minister to understand and apply the riches of the Christian tradition to their own spiritual walk.
CH 502 Church History II

D. Allen Tennison

“An introduction to the development of Christianity from the apostolic period to the Reformation. Emphasis is placed on the central historical figures, movements, and theological issues, with attention given to their importance for Christian ministry today. Major texts and interpretive studies will be read.” The purpose of this course is to introduce the history of the Church from the first century to the Reformation. Emphasis will be placed on the major individuals, movements and theological debates that have shaped Christianity up to the 1500s. Attention will be given to the development of various movements, the relevance of major debates, the personal stories of select individuals, and the reception of Christianity in different cultures. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon their Christian vocation in the light of the historical and theological currents of the Christian tradition.
CS 640 Christianity and Social Justice

James R. Thobaben

Virkler, Henry A., A Christian’s Guide to Critical Thinking [read Chapters 1, 4, 5, 6 & 7] Monahan, Mirola & Emerson,Sociology of Religion: A Reader THIS SUBSTITUTES FOR: McGuire, Meredith B., Religion: The Social Context [DO NOT USE THIS BOOK] Kivisto, Peter, Social Theory: Roots & Branches [read all except skim Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 15, 17, 20, 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 35, 36, 41, 43, 45, 52, 54, 58, 59, 65, 68, 69] Stark & Finke, Acts of Faith [read entire book] Thobaben, James R. "Ecclesiology & Covenant: Christian Social Institutions in a Pluralistic Setting" (available on closed reserve)
CS 654 Morality at the end of Modernity

James R. Thobaben

Thobaben, James “Holy Knowing: A Wesleyan Epistemology” The Death of Metaphysics; The Death of Culture (Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, 2006) [available through Info Commons] Gardner, John, “Moral Fiction” in On Moral Fiction Beowulf, More, Thomas Utopia, Bunyan, John A Pilgrim’s Progress, Swift, Jonathan, Gulliver’s Travels, Voltaire, Candide, Shelley, Mary Frankenstein, Rousseau, J.J. Emile, Golding, William Lord of the Flies Burroughs, Edgar Rice, Tarzan of the Apes, Grey, Zane, Riders of the Purple Sage, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Stevenson, R.L. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Conrad, J. The Heart of Darkness, Melville, Herman, Moby Dick, Bradbury, Ray Something Wicked This Way Comes(film), Sinclair, Upton The Jungle, Orwell, George Animal Farm, Orwell, George Nineteen Eighty-Four Wells, H.G., Island of Dr. Moreau, Kafka, Franz, “Metamorphosis”, Capek, Karel R.U.R., Huxley, Aldous Brave New World, Steinbeck, John Of Mice & Men Lewis, Sinclair, Babbitt, Baldwin, James Go Tell It on the Mountain, Speare, Elizabeth George The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, Herland, MacDonald, G. “Gifts of the Child Christ” Tolstoy, L. The Death of Ivan Ilych Wilde, Oscar, Picture of Dorian Gray, Abbott, Edwin A. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions OR Dostoyevski, Fyodor Notes From Underground Chesterton, G.K., The Man Who Was Thursday Lewis, C.S. Till We Have Faces, Miller, Walter A Canticle for Leibowitz Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose
CS 680 Bioethics- Death and Dying

James R. Thobaben

To prepare students for ministry by training them to analyze and address issues in the arena of healthcare from a Christian perspective. To develop ministers who are responsive to the needs, contexts, and insights of parishioners and members of the larger community who are patients, family members of patients, or practitioners. To enable ministers to equip their congregations for understanding their moral responsibility in decisions about the delivery and receiving of health care and the impact of social decisions in health care and biotechnology on the broader community. This course focuses on the bioethical issues that most commonly arise for pastors, chaplains, and other caregivers in clinical settings. Specifically, the course examines the cultural and religious meanings of and the moral response to sickness, disability, and death. The course specific consideration of how Christian death rituals, specifically the funeral. This course is one of five 1-hour bioethics courses. The others examine: • Biotechnologies (focusing on genetic alteration, abortion, stem cell research, etc.), • The moral questions arising from current discussions of cosmology, evolution, and creation, • Environmental ethics, and, • Sickness and disability (along with the distribution of healthcare).
BS 504 Introduction to Biblical Studies: Old Testament

David Loren Thompson

Coogan, Michael D., ed. The New Oxford Annotated Bible (3rd augm. Ed., 2007; ISBN 9780195288803). NOAB Pritchard, James B., ed. The HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991; ISBN 0062514997 HCAB
NT 511 The Gospel of Mark

David Loren Thompson

Thompson, David L. Bible Study That Works. Revised edition. Evangel Press, 1994.(=BSTW). A Bible. Green, Joel B., Sct McKnight, and I Howard Marshall (eds). Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992.
NT 511X The Gospel of Mark

David Loren Thompson

Course Description This course introduces you to methodical, inductive Bible study and to the message and significance of the Gospel of Mark, with emphasis upon understanding biblical books as wholes. By the study of Mark’s Gospel itself, the course helps you gain and hone skills necessary for using inductive Scripture study in life and ministry. When I took a similar course here at Asbury it changed forever my approach to Scripture study. That class gave me tools without which I would not want to attempt Christian ministry. This is not my first experience teaching NT(IBS)511 as an ExL class. Even so, I have much to learn about designing and guiding this sort of “cyber–learning.” It may or may not be your first venture into online learning. Adjustments may be necessary on both ends of the line. I welcome your feedback to help me in this growing process and in enabling the course to run as smoothly as possible. These and all of the other materials of this course are designed specifically and solely for distribution in this ExL class and are not to be reproduced without my permission for any other purpose. Note at the outset that NT(IBS)511X presents a class experience. Cyber–learning opens up remarkable independence and flexibility for us. Nevertheless, this course is not simply an “independent study.” Interaction and group consultation will contribute significantly to our learning. This will affect the pace at which you do your work, since peer feedback will prove significant. More on this below.
OT 615 Minor Prophets

David Loren Thompson

This course is a study of the Minor Prophets that builds on the methodology of the first Inductive Biblical Studies course by further use of the skills learned there and by emphasizing the study of books as wholes. Accordingly, there is special focus on the initial survey of books as wholes, the interpretation a) of parts of books in the context of the books as a whole and b) of the books themselves as wholes. In addition, increased attention is given to thinking, valuing and living biblically by placing individual passages within their larger canonical contexts and by applying Scripture to life and ministry.
CA 614

Mark A. Torgerson

Begbie, Jeremy, ed. Beholding the Glory: Incarnation Through the Arts. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2000. Jensen, Robin M. The Substance of Things Seen: Art, Faith, and the Christian Community. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004. Kapikian, Catherine. Art in Service of the Sacred. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006. Schultze, Quetin J. High-Tech Worship? Using Presentational Technologies Wisely. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004. Sullivan, Michael. Windows into the Soul: Art as Spiritual Expression. Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing, 2006. Torgerson, Mark A. An Architecture of Immanence: Architecture for Worship and Ministry Today. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007.
CL 616 Leading Change

Thomas F. Tumblin

Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within by Robert E. Quinn (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996), 236 pages. (ISBN: 0787902446) Diffusion of Innovations, 5th ed. by Everitt M. Rogers (New York: The Free Press, 2003), 512 pages. (ISBN: 0743222091) The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World by Alan Roxburgh and Fred Romanuk (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2006), 220 pages. (ISBN: 078798325X) Leading Congregational Change by Jim Herrington, et al. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2000), 240 pages. (ISBN: 0787947652) Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, 2nd ed. by William Bridges (New York: Perseus Publishing, 2003), 144 pages. (ISBN: 0738208248)
CL 616 Leading Change

Thomas F. Tumblin

Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within by Robert E. Quinn (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996), 236 pages. (ISBN: 0787902446) Diffusion of Innovations, 5th ed. by Everett M. Rogers (New York: The Free Press, 2003), 512 pages. (ISBN: 0743222091) Leading Congregational Change by Jim Herrington, et al. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2000), 240 pages. (ISBN: 0787947652) The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World by Alan Roxburgh and Fred Romanuk (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2006), 220 pages. (ISBN: 078798325X) Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, 2nd ed. by William Bridges (New York: Perseus Publishing, 2003), 144 pages. (ISBN: 0738208248)