Indigenous Spirituality and Christian Discipleship (DS8050W)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

(NAIITS Indigenous unit – open to Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants)

Students will be introduced to a ‘spirituality’ or way of life that grows from the roots of both Indigenous and Christian traditions, noting that there are many ways of mingling the two into one set of practices and rituals. Along the way, students will be invited to consider the value and meaning of practices such as communality, kinship, guidance, initiation, worship, prayer, hospitality, prophecy, evangelisation, sacrifice and solidarity, especially as these are performed by Indigenous peoples. They will also engage with resources that will help them articulate a Christian and Indigenous critique of the dominant forms of spirituality in Modernity.

Unit code: DS8050W

Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Spirituality

Delivery Mode: Blended

Proposing College: Whitley College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Articulate a personal ‘spirituality’ that draws, in a nuanced and informed manner, on notions of the good life that are both Indigenous and Christian.
2.

Articulate a theological critique of forms of spirituality that are driven by individualism, capitalism, and consumerism.
3.

Design and choreograph a Christian ritual that is contextually appropriate for a specified Indigenous community.
4.

Identify or design a form of daily prayer or meditation that draws, in a nuanced way, on both Christian and Indigenous forms of spiritual practice.

Unit sequence

Prerequisites: CT8102W Introduction to Indigenous Theology or BN8002W Introducing the New Testament Narrative

Pedagogy

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

Indicative Bibliography

  • Benner, David G. Spiritual Companions: the gift of Spiritual friendship and direction. Grand Rapids: InterVarsity Press, 2004.
  • Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. London: SCM Press, 2015.
  • Champion, Denise. Yarta Wandatha. Salisbury, SA: Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, 2014. (recommended for purchase)
  • Charleston, Steven. The Four Vision Quests of Jesus. New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2015. (recommended for purchase)
  • Chupungco, Anscar J. Cultural Adaptation of the Liturgy. New York: Paulist Press, 1982.
  • Deverell, Garry Worete. Gondwana Theology: a trawloolway man reflects on Christian Faith. Reservoir, Victoria: Morning Star Publishing, 2018.
  • Donovan, Vincent. Christianity Rediscovered. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005. (recommended for purchase)
  • Gutierrez, Gustavo. We Drink from our Own Wells: the Spiritual Journey of a People. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1992. (recommended for purchase)
  • Lathrop, Gordon W. Holy Ground: a Liturgical Cosmology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Short Answer Tests

Quizzes

 1000 20.0
Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper

Tutorial Presentation

2000 30.0
Essay

Research essay

3000 50.0
Approvals

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

Unit record last updated: 2022-10-20 16:10:22 +1100