Liberating Mission: When Gospel meets Culture (DM9332Y)

Content

The unit explores approaches to theologies and practices of cultural meeting and understanding. By examining a range of theologies of culture and inculturation, students are able to develop an understanding of the challenges, complexities, and issues associated with mission attuned to cross-cultural engagement and the contextualisation of Christian practice and belief.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

Either a PG Foundational CT or DM unit

Pedagogy

The ‘information, formation and transformation’ model underpins this Unit. Pedagogy for the unit is informed, framed and modified in relation to the religious and cultural experience and context of students. The teaching methodology fosters dialogue and critical reflection skills.

Indicative Bibliography

• Adeney, Frances. Women and Christian Mission: Ways of Knowing and Doing Theology. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2015.

• Andraos, Michael, Bernadeth Caero Bustillos, Geraldo de Mori, eds. Christianities and Indigenous Peoples, London: SCM Press, 2019.

• Stephen Bevans and Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, eds. Contextual Theology for the Twenty-First Century. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2011.

• Grenham, Thomas, G. The Unknown God: Religious and Theological Inculturation. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2005.

• McDowell, John C. Identity Politics in George Lucas (Jefferson, NC: McFarland Press, 2016).

• McDowell, John C. Theology and the Globalized Present: Feasting in the Presence of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2019).

• McDowell, John C. The Politics of Big Fantasy: Studies in Cultural Suspicion (Jefferson, NC: McFarland Press, 2014).

• Ross, Cathy and Stephen B. Bevans, Mission on the Road to Emmaus: Constants, Context and Prophetic Dialogue, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2015.

• Tan, Jonathan Y. Christian Mission among the Peoples of Asia. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2014.

• Tanner, Kathryn. Theories of Culture: A New Agenda for Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1997.

Assessment