Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School · Courses
INT
26 courses with the subject INT, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
INT 701Discerning the Context for Ministry in the 21st Century
Beginning with a historical and theological study of how the Church was at first active across the full range of human concerns, but in later centuries reduced its arena of concern to the “spiritual,” this course then suggests a future for ministry that envisions a call once more for the practice of faith across the widest spectrum of social expressions. A biblical theology of creation-shalom will be explored as a resource for revisioning ministry in the context of contemporary postmodern culture.
Beginning in the Bible, we shall consider the texts and genres (often surprisingly) described as ‘prophetic’ before tracing something of the history of the term. The course will reach its journey’s end in critical reflection on understandings of prophecy and the role of the prophetic today.
The Bible has been received and read not only in the West but also in the rest of the world. This course facilitates reading the Bible with others—global Christian communities in Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The course helps students not only engage with other ways of reading in the global context but also recognize the contextual nature of their own readings. In so doing, students will embrace the face of global Christianity in the church and in their everyday lives.
Students will sharpen their research skills and hone the writing and editing abilities necessary to write a doctoral- level thesis or ministry project. Each student will develop a model thesis proposal. 35 course Instructor The Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady Dr. John R. Tyson
INT 716Preaching the Power and Promise of the Hebrew Scripture Dr. Mark B
Recognizing that the Old Testament—the whole Old Testament—is no less ‘Scripture’ than the New, we shall engage with a wide selection of texts, both the well- known and otherwise, and consider how they might function in preaching and the pastoral setting. Chosen passages will include narratives, prophecies, and Psalms, and these will be read in dialogue with commentators, theorists, and theologians.
Preaching is more than a reflection on the Word. It is, in addition, a challenge to the preacher and the listener to transform their lives and the structures in which they find themselves. Prophetic preaching is a critical art in our day as we address the “Powers” that surround and impact us.
To minister in our time, proclamation must be not so much telling the Gospel as revealing it to our hearers. With that goal in mind, this course is designed to develop the craft of homiletics by exploring the interface between the arts and the pulpit. A number of creative approaches to engage the imagination will be cultivated, including the use of narrative, autobiography, and multimedia in preaching.
INT 720Preaching in the African-American Tradition
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the basic features of preaching in the African- American tradition. The course will consist of lectures, group discussions, actual preaching services led by distinguished area pastors, and guest presentations. Students will have the opportunity to study the diverse styles and approaches that make up the African- American preaching tradition.
The course will focus on the “bold speech” of the biblical prophets, and urge 21st century preachers to incorporate those themes both in their sermons and in their souls. The course will identify the recurring themes found in prophetic preaching, and search for their corollary issues in contemporary American society and on the global scene as well. Attention will be given to the fact that most prophetic preaching occurred under successive forms of colonial and cultural domination and thus the need to “speak truth to power.”
This homiletics course examines the nature and function of prophetic preaching in the African American lived experience. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this course explores the implications of biblical, historical, and sociological realities on prophetic preaching in the African American Experience.
INT 725Teaching the Gospel in a Religiously Pluralistic Society
Christian preachers in our pluralistic and multicultural/ multi-religious society are presented with challenges that did not exist when our world was more homogenous. Now our listeners are hearing the gospel in a context where they work and live with people of many world religions. How does a preacher proclaim the gospel with integrity while respecting the traditions and commitments of people of other world religious faiths with whom her parishioners live and work? This course will introduce students to the Christian theological responses to religious pluralism as they have been articulated in the tradition. From that foundation students will then write sermons on various texts from the Revised Common Lectionary that pose challenges with respect to religious diversity. We will also lift up texts from the RCL that offer special opportunities for a pluralistic preacher to celebrate religious diversity. 37 course Instructor
INT 727Christian Faith, the Churches, and LGBTi Persons Dr
Perhaps the most debated, and divisive issue among Christian churches today is human sexuality, specifically same-sexuality. Heated discussion and exclusionary practice within and among churches is matched by homophobia in the society. While there is an overall rise in the number of hate crimes, this is markedly higher for anti-gay hate crimes, as well as for hate crimes based on religion. Anti-gay violence is endemic not only in the U.S. but around the globe. Engaging this conflictive context, this course will explore the teachings of Christian scripture and tradition, as well as recent states of Christian churches on sexuality and same-sexuality, as well as on marriage equality, ordination of LGBTi persons. Attention will also be paid to the construction of sexuality, to legal issues related to marriage equality, to hate crimes and sexualized violence. Finally, we will engage LGBTi perspectives on scripture and Christian theology. Throughout the course LGBTi voices will be privileged. At every point, issues raised will be related to students’ practice of ministry in Christian churches and in other settings in church and society.
The Greek word kairos means the right moment, the decisive moment; kairos is God’s timing breaking into our chronos timing as a moment of truth-telling, and a moment of great opportunity. Jesus proclaimed: “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). In this course we will engage the realities of the 21st century world—for example, the growing gap between rich and poor, mass incarceration, endemic violence and drone warfare, human trafficking and the new slavery, the degradation of the earth—and “interpret the present time” (Luke 12:54-56) as our kairos time. We will think critically and creatively about our kairos time at the intersection of texts—scripture and tradition—and contexts—contemporary situations of struggle for justice, freedom, and human dignity. Standing at this intersection, we will discern the mission and witness of the churches the churches in solidarity with persons and communities. Students will be asked to “interpret the present time” in their own places of ministry and bring these for ongoing discernment and critical reflection during the course.
INT 740The Theory and Practice of Peace Building Pro
In a world marked by violence, extremism and terrorism, the need for a deeper understanding of the theory and practice of peace building is of paramount importance. Peace Building in its essence is a process of transforming conflict and embarking on a journey of reconciliation in the midst of conflict. This course takes a closer look at some of the main pillars of peace building and how they manifest in reality through movements in conflict zones across the globe. We will explore the potential of innovative peace building movements while confronting the harsh realities of polarized communities. Operationally, the morning session will focus on concepts and theories such as integrated peace building, conflict transformation, justice and peace, reconciliation, youth and peace building. The afternoon session will explore practical implementations of these concepts and their potential, success, limitation and long-term goals.
In this course we investigate the nature of Islam as a religion with emphasis on global issues. To understand Islam and Muslims in America and the world, we will begin this class discussing faith and practice, history and growth, politics and law, family and social institutions, Sufism and its spiritual experience. After understanding Islam, we will go through some selected and contemporary topics, like Islam’s relation with other religions, the role of woman, humanism, Jihad, extremism, violence and terrorism. We will also discuss challenging issues that Muslims in America are facing today including Islamophobia.
INT 742Mystics, Communities, and Revolutionary Change Rab
This course considers mysticism as knowledge of God, Christ, ourselves, our communities of faith and our world, which is grounded experientially in love of God and love of “our neighbors as ourselves.” From the angle of vision, we will explore definitions of mysticism, biblical foundations of Christian mysticism, and read primary texts form the communion of Christian mystics who sought the hidden, loving and transforming God revealed in Christ and in all creation. Accordingly, we will pay attention to dynamics of power, gender, race and the call to revolutionary change as we read the texts of mysticism more deeply. We will consider the seeking and the becoming of mystical experience as it leads inexorably to healing, growth in holiness, and the lived praxis of “new creation.” 39 course Instructor f. Prashan De Visser
INT 743Jewish and Christian Ideas of the World to Come Dr. M
In this course, we will explore perspectives on the Messiah and Messianic Age, social justice, and the work of repairing and perfecting the world. Jewish texts from the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Midrash, and medieval philosophers will be read alongside comparable texts from the New Testament and Church Fathers and subsequent Christian theologians both east and west.
Transforming Conflict begins with the task of transforming self; self-transformation being with knowledge of self, acquisition of skills and excellent self and sprit care. This course will focus upon understanding the nature of conflict and skills necessary to respond to conflict in constructive, collaborative, transformative ways that satisfy the needs of all parties in a dispute.
INT 750Creation Stories and the Old Testament Dr. M
We will be reading creation stories, both ancient and modern, with special attention to those in the Old Testament and the reading strategies to interpret them. The course will be primarily exegetical; there will also be an emphasis on comparative, cultural, and theological reflection.
Traditional interpretation of Paul has focused on the theological themes of individual sin and salvation and justification by faith. This dominant view of Paul is not apolitical in effect as it brought anti-Judaism to the core of Protestant theology by understanding Paul as against Judaism and its law. Taking into account political dimensions of the texts and of interpretation of Paul’s letters, this course intends to read Paul’s letters in his own contexts in which he communicated with local communities of Jesus-followers—both Second Temple Judaism and the Roman Empire. As a diaspora Jew in the Roman imperial context, Paul’s politics will be discussed in terms of empire, economy, chu trch, body, and identity. Equipped with critical approaches to studying Paul’s letters, students will be encouraged to engage and reflect on politics not only in and of the text but also its interpretation, which has impacted the lives of people and churches today.
The Second Semester of Thesis Writing (formerly Thesis Extension). If a student needs an additional Semesters to complete their thesis, they may request a Thesis Extension. The school policy states that a student may not exceed six (6) years from the beginning of their courses work to complete their course work and their thesis. 41 course Instructor
