Introduction to Indigenous Theology (CT8102W)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

Students will be introduced to the tasks and tools of Christian theology, including the development of a common theological vocabulary, so as to strengthen capacity to describe and critique their own cultural-religious forms and to converse with others in shared terms across different cultural contexts and expectations. An introduction to Indigenous theological terminology is a key part of the unit as a bridge to further studies in this area.

Unit code: CT8102W

Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Systematic Theology

Delivery Mode: Blended

Proposing College: Whitley College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Describe their own cultural affirmations of Christian theology and the cultural forms in which it is embodied, including the place of ritual, song, metaphor and story in the student’s own theological position.
2.

Articulate their own theological terminologies and understanding as they relate to the larger communities in which the student finds her/himself;
3.

Describe in one’s own terms the basic creeds of the Christian tradition and how these have been operative in the Christian experiences of First Nations peoples;
4.

Critique the ways in which Christian theology enabled Indigenous communities to resist the powers of colonisation while simultaneously appropriating the heritage of Christian theology.

Pedagogy

Face to Face: Lectures, Discussion groups Online: Reading comprehension quizzes, online discussions

Indicative Bibliography

  • Kidwell, Clara Sue, Homer Noley, and George E. Tinker. A Native American Theology. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2001.
  • Friesen, John W. Aboriginal Spirituality & Biblical Theology: Closer than you think. Calgary: Detselig, 2000.
  • Gondarra, Djiniyini, and Uniting Church in Australia. Northern Synod. Series of Reflections of Aboriginal Theology. Darwin: Bethel Presbytery, Northern Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia, 1986.
  • Grenz, Stanley J. Theology for the Community of God. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000.
  • Grieves, Vicki. Aboriginal spirituality: Aboriginal philosophy, the basis of Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing. Darwin: Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2009.
  • Pouono, Terry. “Coconut water in a Coca Cola bottle” In search of an Identity: A New Zealand-born Samoan Christian in a Globalized World. Auckland, University of Auckland. PhD: 208, 2016
  • Sanneh, Lamin O. Whose Religion is Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West. Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans, 2003.
  • Skye, Lee Miena. Kerygmatics of the New Millennium: A Study of Australian Aboriginal Women's Christology. No. 4. ISPCK, 2007.
  • Tiénou, Tite. "World Christianity and Theological Reflection." In Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity, edited by Craig Ott and Harold A. Netland. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006.
  • Twiss, Richard. Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys: A Native American Expression of the Jesus Way. Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 2015
  • Wilson, Martin J. New, Old and Timeless: Pointers Towards an Aboriginal Theology. Nelen Yubu Missiological Series. Moorabbin, Vic.: Chevalier Press, 1979.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Book Review

Book Review (1500 words)

 0 30.0
Report

Report (3000 words)

 0 40.0
Forum

Forum (online) (1500 words)

 0 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 20 Oct, 2022

Unit record last updated: 2022-10-20 16:06:01 +1100