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Pre-Campus Syllabus for RLED830-Fostering
Spiritual Growth
Instructor: Jane Thayer, Ph.D.
Session: June 10 to July 5, 2002
Office phone: 471-6703 Home: 473-2516
Class schedule: M-F 1:30 to 3:30
Office: Seminary Hall S228 Location:
To be announced
Office hours: Right after class
Credits: 2 semester hours
E-mail: thayerja@andrews.edu
____________________________________________________________________________________________
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This doctoral level course examines the contributions
of theology and the social sciences to a theoretical understanding of
spiritual formation and considers strategies to foster spiritual growth.
Desired Student Outcomes
Content Outline
Readings
Pre-Campus Assignments
Post-Campus Assignments
Reference List
Formative Testing
STUDENT OUTCOMES
No. |
Outcomes |
Item Nos. |
1 |
Students will understand that the goal
of spiritual growth is to become like Jesus. |
|
a. |
human need for redemption |
|
b |
God's provisions: new birth and abiding in Jesus
Christ |
|
2 |
Students will know terminology and biblical
passages related to spiritual growth and transformation. |
|
a |
definition of terms |
|
b |
key biblical passages |
|
c |
discipleship |
|
3 |
Students will know, in broad terms,
how Western Christianity has conceptualized the Christian life. |
|
a. |
Key metaphors |
|
b. |
Major movements |
|
c. |
Classic devotional literature |
|
4 |
Students will understand the contributions
of the developmentalists to theories of spiritual growth. |
|
a |
psychosocial tradition: Erikson, Marcia |
|
b |
structuralist tradition: Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan |
|
c |
analytical tradition: Jung |
|
d. |
theological critique of developmental theories |
|
5 |
Students will understand the contributions
of the transformationalists to theories of spiritual growth. |
|
a |
adult learning as transformation: Mezirow |
|
b |
transformation logic: Loder |
|
6 |
Students will be aware of basic elements
of key theories of learning. |
|
a. |
behaviorist orientation |
|
b. |
cognitive orientation |
|
c. |
humanist orientation |
|
d. |
social learning orientation |
|
e. |
constructivism |
|
7 |
Students will understand theories of
spiritual development. |
|
a. |
classic tradition |
|
b. |
Protestant spiritual renewal: Lovelace |
|
c. |
faith development: Fowler and Parks |
|
d. |
spiritual disciplines: Willard, Foster, Mulholland,
etc. |
|
e. |
logic of the Spirit: Loder |
|
8 |
Students will be able to integrate theology
and the social sciences for understanding spiritual growth. |
|
a. |
body and spirit: Willard |
|
b. |
Holy Spirit and human spirit: Loder |
|
c. |
personality and piety: Mulholland |
|
9 |
Students will be able to recognize the
special needs of diverse groups for spiritual growth. |
|
a. |
age related variables |
|
b. |
other variables |
|
10 |
Students will be able to articulate
a theoretical model of spiritual growth that has significant explanatory
power. |
|
a. |
Thayer model |
|
b. |
student's own synthesis |
|
11 |
Students will be able to design a plan
to facilitate spiritual growth for a selected group. (age, culture,
etc.) |
|
a. |
curriculum development |
|
b. |
instructional strategies |
|
12 |
Students will be able to assess spiritual
indicators to determine what interventions are needed or to determine
how effective interventions have been. |
|
a. |
qualitative measures |
|
b. |
quantitative measures |
|
13 |
Students will desire to abide in Christ
ever more completely. |
|
Total class experience |
|
14 |
Students will believe that spiritual
growth is the gift and work of the triune God. |
|
Total class experience |
|
15 |
Students will value the spiritual disciplines
as "means of grace" or as the methods by which human beings place
themselves before God so that he can transform them. |
|
Total class experience |
|
16 |
Students will value intentional teaching
for spiritual growth. |
|
|
Total
class experience |
|
17 |
Students will be committed to facilitating
discipleship. |
|
Total class experience |
|
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Revised 2-7-02
CONTENT OUTLINE
Caveat: Many of the following questions would each require a
full course to answer thoroughly. Even though we are taking an in-depth
look at spiritual growth, we cannot probe deeply into each of its many
aspects. Because this is a doctoral level course, the instructor intends
that the foundations of, and the key issues in, spiritual growth will
be explored by students and prove to be useful in their research and in
their personal lives.
- What is the evidence that human beings need spiritual transformation
and growth?
- Fallen nature of human beings
- Behavioral evidence; culture
- Biblical metaphors
- Felt need
- According to the biblical record, what is the journey and what is
the goal of spiritual growth?
- Discipleship
- Christlikeness
- How has God provided for human redemption?
- Christ as Savior
- Christ as Lord
- Christ as intercessor
- Holy Spirit
- What are key biblical metaphors for the spiritual growth of Christians?
- New birth
- Growth
- Transformation
- Throughout its history, how has Western Christianity conceptualized
the Christian life?
- Key metaphors
- Major movements
- Classic devotional literature
- Drawing from the social sciences, what do the developmentalists contribute
to an understanding of spiritual growth?
- Psychosocial tradition: Freud, Erikson
- Humanist tradition: Maslow, Rogers
- Structuralist tradition: Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan
- Analytical tradition: Jung
- Theological critique of developmental theories
- Drawing from the social sciences, what do the transformationalists
contribute to an understanding of spiritual growth?
- Adult learning as transformation: Mezirow
- Transformation logic: Loder
- Drawing from the social sciences, what does learning theory contribute
to an understanding of spiritual growth?
- Behaviorist orientation
- Cognitive orientation
- Humanist orientation
- Social learning orientation
- Constructivism
- How have theorists from a variety of disciplines conceptualized the
process of spiritual transformation and growth?
- Classic tradition
- Protestant spiritual renewal: Lovelace
- Faith development: Fowler, Parks, and others
- Spiritual disciplines: Willard, Foster, Mulholland, and others
- Logic of the Spirit: Loder
- Through the integration of theology and the social sciences, how have
theorists attempted to explain the interaction of the divine and the
human for spiritual growth?
- Body and spirit: Willard
- Holy Spirit and human spirit: Loder
- Personality and piety: Mulholland
- How does human diversity affect spiritual growth?
- Age related variables
- Cultural, socio-economic, setting, and other variables
- How can one design a theoretical model of spiritual growth that has
significant explanatory power?
- Example of the Thayer model
- Bringing together contributions from the Bible, theology, and the
social sciences
- Centering the model on a response to Christ
- How can one design a plan to foster spiritual growth for a selected
group?
- Selecting the group
- Basics of curriculum development
- Instructional strategies for attitude and behavior changes
- How can one assess spiritual indicators to determine what interventions
are needed or to determine how effective interventions have been?
- Qualitative measures
- Quantitative measures
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READINGS
For a list of required and optional textbooks, check
the Bulletin Board and click on Textbooks.
This reading list is like a treasure hunt. The readings here will introduce
you to a wide range of resources related to spiritual growth. (It will
take some hunting to assemble them.) I have found no single book, or even
2 or 3 books, that capture the complexity of spiritual growth. In presenting
the list, I have given the readings first as they relate to specific outcomes.
At the end of this presentation, there is a simple bibliographic list
with complete information for locating the sources. You may prefer to
use that.
You may not need to read all of the sources listed here. And you may
find superior sources dealing with the same topics. (Having the readings
listed according to outcomes will help you understand the purpose for
each reading.)
No. |
Outcomes |
1 |
Students will understand that the goal of spiritual
growth is to become like Jesus. |
John 3:1-21 John 15:1-17
Willard, Disciplines, preface Blazen,
Salvation, 294-299
Wilkins, Following, Chapters 1, 2, &
18 Hoekema, Five Views of Sanctification, your choice
Mulholland, Invitation, Chapter 10
|
2 |
Students will know terminology and biblical passages
related to spiritual growth and transformation. |
Loder, Logic, 34-36
Wilkins, Following, Chapter 7
Texts to be given in class
|
3 |
Students will know, in broad terms, how Western
Christianity has conceptualized the Christian life. |
Gangel & Wilhoit, Chapters 1-5
Willard, Disciplines, Chapter 8
See also for an annotated bibliography, Peterson,
Take and Read
|
4 |
Students will understand the contributions of the
developmentalists to theories of spiritual growth. |
Wilhoit & Dettoni, Nurture,
Chapters 1-3, 5
Loder, Logic, 1-26; 96-106
|
5 |
Students will understand the contributions of the
transformationalists to theories of spiritual growth. |
Loder, Moment, (Preface to
the 2nd ed. vii-xii); 1-8; 35-44; Chapters 3 &
4
Mezirow, Transformation, xi-xiv; Chapter
1
|
6 |
Students will know the basic elements of key theories
of learning. |
Merriam & Caffarella, Adulthood,
248-266 |
7 |
Students will understand theories of spiritual development. |
Mulholland, Invitation, Chapter
8
Foster, Celebration of Disciplines, 1-11
Loder, Logic, 46-54; 66-70 (Classic model illustrated)
Helminiak, Development, (Section on the
Classical theory)
Lownsdale, Fowler,
Lovelace, Dynamics, 61-80
Dunn, Shaping the Spiritual Life of Students,
Sections 1-3
Willard, Disciplines, Chapters 1 and
2
Foster, Mulholland, Loder as given above
|
8 |
Students will be able to integrate theology and
the social sciences for understanding spiritual growth. |
Mulholland, Invitation, Chapters,
5, 6, & 7
Willard, Disciplines, See above
Loder, as given above
|
9 |
Students will be able to recognize the special needs
of different groups for spiritual growth. |
Wilhoit & Dettoni, Nurture,
Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11
|
10 |
Students will be able to articulate a theoretical
model of spiritual growth that has significant explanatory power. |
Thayer, Assessing Participation,
Chapter 2 (Presented in class) |
11 |
Students will be able to design a plan to facilitate
spiritual growth for a selected group. (age, culture, etc.) |
Wiggins & McTighe, Understanding
by Design, Chapter 1
LeFever, Creative Teaching Methods, Chapter
1; other sections throughout the book, dealing with methods
|
12 |
Students will be able to assess spiritual indicators
to determine what interventions are needed or to assess the results
of interventions. |
To be given in class: Thayer &
Thayer, Steps |
13 |
Students will desire to abide in Christ ever more
completely. |
Total class experience
|
14 |
Students will believe that spiritual growth is the
gift and work of the triune God. |
Total class experience |
15 |
Students will value the spiritual disciplines as
"means of grace" or as the methods by which human beings place themselves
before God so that he can transform them. |
Total class experience |
16 |
Students will value intentional teaching for spiritual
growth. |
Total class experience |
17 |
Students will be committed to facilitating discipleship. |
Total class experience |
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REFERENCE LIST
Blazen, Ivan. (2000). Salvation. In Handbook of
Seventh-day Adventist theology (Vol. 12, pp. 271-313). Hagerstown,
MD: Review and Herald.
Dunn, Richard R. (2001). Shaping the spiritual life
of students. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity.
Foster, R. J. (1988). Celebration
of discipline (Rev. ed.). San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
Gangel,
K. O., & Wilhoit, J. C. (Eds.). (1994). The Christian educator's
handbook on spiritual formation. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books,
Scripture Press.
Helminiak,
Daniel A. (1987). Spiritual development: An interdisciplinary study.
Chicago: Loyola University Press.
Hill, Peter C. & Hood, Ralph W., Jr. (Eds.). (1999).
Measures of religiosity. Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press.
Hoekema, Anthony A. 1987. The
Reformed perspective. In Five views on sanctification by Melvin
E. Dieter, Anthony A. Hoekema, Stanley M. Horton, J. Robertson McQuilkin,
and John F. Walvoord, 61-90. Grand Rapids, MI: Academic Books, Zondervan.
LeFever, Marlene. (1985/1996). Creative teaching
methods, (Rev. printing). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Ministry Resources.
Loder, James E. (1989). The transforming moment. 2d ed. Colorado
Springs, Colo.: Helmers and Howard.
Loder, James E. (1998). The
logic of the Spirit: Human development in theological perspective.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lovelace, Richard F. (1979). Dynamics
of spiritual life: An evangelical theology of renewal. Downers Grove,
Ill.: InterVarsity.
Lownsdale, S. (1997). Faith development
across the life span: Fowler's integrative work. Journal of Psychology
and Theology, 25 (1), 49-63.
Merriam, S. B., & Caffarella,
R. S. (1999). Learning in Adulthood (2nd ed.). (pp.
248-266). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Mezirow, Jack, & Associates.
(2000). Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory
in progress. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Mulholland, M. Robert. (1993).
Invitation to a journey: A road map for spiritual formation.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
Parks, S. D. (2000). Big
questions, worthy dreams. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Peterson, Eugene H.
(1996). Take and read: Spiritual reading: An annotated list. Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
Thayer,
Jane. (1996). Assessing participation in the spiritual development modes:
Construction and testing of the Christian Spiritual Participation
Profile. (Doctoral dissertation, Trinity International University,
1996). Dissertation Abstracts International, 57 (05), 1995. (University
Microfilms No. AAC 9631861)
Thayer, Jane, & Thayer, Jerome.
(1998). Steps in developing a theory-based Christian spiritual assessment
plan. Unpublished document.
Wiggins, Grant, & McTighe, Jay. (1998). Understanding
by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Wilhoit, James C., & Dettoni, John M. (1995). Nurture
that is Christian: Developmental perspectives on Christian education.
Wheaton, IL: Victor Books/SP Publications.
Wilkins, Michael J. (1992). Following the Master:
A biblical theology of discipleship. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Willard, Dallas. (1988/1991). The spirit of the
disciplines: Understanding how God changes lives. San Francisco:
HarperSanFrancisco.
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