Seminar Introduction
A primary question that will be implicitly present is the connection between what and how one believes (roughly, faith) and how one chooses to behave and act in one’s life (action). What do we do with these different understandings? How are they molded by contemporary circumstances and does this automatically result in a departure from more traditional theological understandings?
My initial goal for class is to help guide you through the material; my ultimate goal is to render myself obsolete. In this seminar, one goal is to work on developing a sense of “structured empathy”, appreciating how people could believe and do things you may not, including your own classmates. There is a distinct way of learning and gaining knowledge through the fine art of “conversation”.
“Conversation is a game with some hard rules: say only what you mean; say it as accurately as you can; listen to and respect what the other says, however different or other; be willing to correct or defend your opinions if challenged by the conversation partner; be willing to argue if necessary, to confront if demanded, to endure necessary conflict, to change your mind if the evidence suggests it.”
I view this class as a community of learning. Dialogue, discussion, and raising questions in class are encouraged. You also have insights, perspectives, experiences, and information that are important and unique. Please contribute to the class discussion, but remember that silence when you really want to speak and dominance of discussion by speaking too much will both stifle and prevent good class discussion.
This seminar offers an opportunity to grow in and contribute to a more just society through exploring the link between faith and justice. The role of Christian Faith toward the problems and issues confronting our society has to be translated into the role of the individual Christian. Like a braid, this seminar weaves together three main strands: critical reflection on one’s own experience, values, and attitudes.
Lectures will provide appropriate historical context and offer a framework to analyze text, news sources and other materials. Class discussion will be an engine driving this seminar and students are expected to prepare for class and be ready to discuss the readings.
Aim of the Seminar:
The academic study of Faith examines the dimension of depth in human experience and the various intellectual formulations or doctrines which attempt to explain it. The purpose is not to persuade, but to understand. Responsible religious reflection is based not on our spontaneous liking or disliking neither of values, nor on their popular appeal, but rather on our judgment of the grounds on which they are affirmed. Once you know what a belief means, why it is held, and what follows from holding it, you have fulfilled the purposes of the seminar.
Procedures: There are four steps to be followed in our study. We must interpret:
The intrinsic meaning of a belief or doctrine and its relation to the family of beliefs of which it is a member.
The grounds or presuppositions of the belief which answer the questions as to why it is held.
The consequences, intellectual and moral, which follow from holding the idea or doctrine.
The Meaning of Modernity: The Challenges to Faith in the Modern Age
SEMINAR OBJECTIVES:
In this seminar, the objective is to discover by Scripture what faith is and what faith is not. This discovery is vital to the believer, since it is by faith that we please God. Strong's defines the word "faith" as coming from the Greek word "pistis" meaning, "persuasion, credence, moral conviction, of religious truth or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation." It also means "constancy in such profession." It is assurance and belief. The Greek word "pistis" is from another Greek word "peitho," meaning to convince by argument, true or false. Other objectives will include
- Assist students in developing a firmer grasp of his/her understanding of the Christian faith and how it relates to our pluralistic society.
- Examine the contributions of Christian and non-Christian thought too contemporary society.
- Demonstrate the ability to listen patiently and respond respectfully to those with differing or contrasting opinions.
- Explore and discern the relevance of Scripture for understanding and addressing key issues being faced by society.
- Articulate the biblical, historical, and contemporary meaning of the faith-justice relationship.
- Define and practice a method of linking faith and justice in addressing selected social issues.
- Evaluate one’s own social justice values and actions in relation to one’s own faith.
- To construct your own articulate and respectful assessment of the materials under consideration, including the viewpoints of classmates
- To be able to articulate as well as assess what it means to “have faith” in a contemporary context.
- To obtain a better perspective on the relationship between Faith and theology and contemporary issues of life
- To develop and support your own reasoned evaluations and creative responses based on clearly formulated criteria of these contemporary movements
- To learn how to synthesize and correlate disparate information as well as cover large amounts of material.
Seminar Goals:
- To understand the historical origins of Christian faith in Scripture.
- What Does The Word Faith Mean?
- How important is Faith.
- What Causes Faith to Arise in Our Hearts.
- Definition of Faith, Faith Has Two Sides.
- Where Does Faith Come From
- Faith Has a Language.
- Importance of Faith.
- What is True Faith?
- Reasons for Faith.
- What Faith Is.
- Works (Deeds) of Faith
Proposed Topics for discussion:
- In what ways are the religions united?
- Historical attitudes towards women
- Religious support for the subjugation of women
- Homophobia and Social Status of Homosexuality
- Reproductive Health, Abortion, Sacredness of Life, and Women’s Choice
- Violence in Family and Society, Criminal Justice System, Death Penalty and Gun Control
- Racism, Ethnicity, Cultural Diversity, Melting Pot, and the Oneness of Mankind
- The role of men in promoting equality of the sexes: the greatness which might be theirs
- Attitudes towards sexual, physical and emotional abuse of women and children
- Affirmative action and protection of women’s rights
- Educating girls: an investment in the future
- Critical concerns for the girl child
- Public virtues and private vices
- Corruption and moral decadence within leaders/clergy
- The sexual revolution, and the deepening cult of the individual
- History of oppression against women
- Societal patterns that would imprison women at home
- Religious support for mistreatment of women
- Neglected condition of women’s health issues
- Consequences of sexual revolution, and unwanted pregnancies
- Timing of the appearance of the soul
- Debates around when to consider the foetus as a separate individual
- Viability of an independent life, and the first tri-mester
- Sex education before puberty
- Abortion in rape cases
- A brief history of war as organized collective violence
- Common assumptions about the violent nature of man
- Violence, like hunger and disease can be eradicated
- External control of violence vs. self control
- Violence within the family
- The abused wife syndrome
- Principles of justice
- The role of education in reducing instances of violence
- Justice as a faculty of human beings
- Arguments for and against death penalty
- Idealistic considerations and practical solutions
- Arguments for and against gun control
- The role of guns in the society
- Who wants global disarmament? Who does not want it?
- Far greater biologic differences within individuals in one race, than mean values between races
- Common ancestry of mankind
- Slavery
- Entrenched racism as a political tool for domination
- Civil rights movements in America, Martin Luther King, legal liberation, forced integration, busing to schools, equal employment opportunity, the federal commission, quota systems, affirmative action, and the great divide that still exists
- Why racism does not simply go away despite so many efforts?
- What causes racism: group identity, pride, prejudice and superstitions
- Unity in diversity versus the melting pot concept
- Unity is a spiritual truth and its acceptance is a deliberate spiritual posture
- The role of religion in promoting unity
- Building trust among people
- The role of trustworthiness in building unity
1. Unity of Religions, Fundamental Doctrinal Differences, and Syncretism
2. The status of women in the family, at work place and in community
3. Moral Relativism, Personal Preferences, Alternative Lifestyles, Homophobia and Social Status of Homosexuality
4. Reproductive Health, Abortion, Sacredness of Life, and Women’s Choice
5. Violence in Family and Society, Criminal Justice System, Death Penalty and Gun Control
6. Racism, Ethnicity, Cultural Diversity, Melting Pot, and the Oneness of Mankind
