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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS:  Theology and Culture

Course Title:	TH425 - Theology and Culture
Department:	Bachelor of Theology
Instructor April 1, 2008:	Dona Williams, MTh, BS, E-Mail Vita
Instructor Before April 1, 2008:	Rev. Don E. Peavy, Sr., Ph.D., J.D., M.Div., E-Mail Vita
Prerequisites:	None

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

In naming this course, a fierce debate was had between naming it the Theology of Culture rather than Theology and Culture. Obviously, the imminent Paul Tillich has already written extensively on what he called the “theology of culture” and so it would not violate academic rigor to name the course the Theology of Culture. However, such a phrasing carries the baggage of particularity and exclusivity as it suggests that there is only one proper theology of culture and all else would then be pretenders to the throne. We would then spend an inordinate amount of time in a quagmire of language disputes and conceptual disorientation. To avoid such problems, we settled on the name of Theology and Culture to indicate that there is great commerce between these two concepts and we can study that commerce without having to judge whether it ought to be or not. One has only to look at the themes of the books on the New York Times Bestseller Lists, or the movies at the cinema to see the prevalence of religious themes within and around our culture and how so many movies, books songs, plays, works of arts, etc., have religious themes and explore the ultimate concern of humans. In this course, we will take such looks at our culture. There is a nexus between theology and culture and even though there is much debate as to whether that nexus ought to exist at all and whether it ought to be limited, the nexus exists and our task is to study it toward achieving an understanding of this very critical phenomena.

By the end of the course, students should have a command of the language of theology and culture and the nexus between the two. Student should also be able to engage in cultural criticism in such a way as to exhibit critical thinking skills.

INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

Students should strive to use inclusive language in their writings. By inclusive language is meant language that is not gender specific and which attempts to include as many people as possible. For instance, instead of writing that “God wills that every man obeys His will,” inclusive language would suggest that we write, “God wills that everyone obeys God’s will.”

Requirements

1. Reading - The required text is:
   
   
   1. The Blackwell Guide to Theology and Popular Culture, by Kelton Cobb. Blackwell Publishing (2005). ISBN13: 9781405107020 ISBN: 1405107022
      
      
2. Conferences - Students may schedule up to two conferences with the professor during the course. Students desiring to schedule a conference should email the professor and provide a general description of the matter(s) to be discussed. Of course, students may ask questions of the professor at any time by sending an E-mail to the address at the link above or by posting them to the bulletin board.
   
   
3. Exams - There will be one exam, which will be a comprehensive mid-term examination. The exam will cover the assigned readings and the conferences and should be taken during the ninth week of study.
   
   
4. Papers - There will be a short paper of no more than two to three single-spaced pages or 1,250 – 1,500 words, due at the end of each week’s readings in which students will answer the discussion questions and give a reaction to their readings; and, a final paper due at the end of the sixth week of study of between 1,750 and 2,200 words
   
   These papers are to be e-mailed to the professor. Students should include a word count with the heading of their papers, as well as the course title and number and the week of the assignment.
   
   
5. Grades - Course work will be weighted as follows:
   
   

   Papers	30%
   Final Paper	40%
   Midterm Exam	30%

6. Grading Scale
   
   

   90 - 100%	A Excellent
   80 - 89%	B Above Average
   70 - 79%	C Average
   60 - 69%	D Below Average
   59% or below	F Failing Grade

   
   
   

Week 1

Read - Cobb viii to 52.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does Cobb mean by spheres of culture?
2. On page 6, Cobb writes that “theology could use some help, and coming to a better understanding of popular culture and its fascinations might assist theology to overcome some of its own prejudices and break through some of its impasses.” What do you understand Cobb to mean by this statement? What help does theology need?
3. Do you agree/disagree with Cobb’s statement in “2” above?
4. What does Cobb mean by high and low cultures?
5. What does Cobb mean by the culture concept? In what way is this concept related to the “workings of divine providence”?

Week 2

Read - Cobb 53-100.

Discussion Questions:

1. Please describe the birth of cultural studies. Who are some of its founders?
2. What is hegemony and what is its relevance to cultural studies?
3. What are the three main criticisms against cultural studies noted by Cobb? Please discuss these and state which one, if any, you deem is justified and why.
4. “Be ye not conformed to the world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” What is the image of the nexus between culture and theology that you get from this quote by Paul? How does Cobb say Augustine viewed the boundary between theology and culture?

Week 3

PLEASE TAKE THE MID-TERM EXAMINATION BY THE END OF THIS WEEK!!!

Week 4

Read - Cobb 101-176.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the six characteristics of religious symbols, according to Tillich?
2. Cobb writes that a symbol can go into hibernation and that a symbol can die. How do you see the symbol of the cross in popular culture today? Give at least three examples.
3. What is a myth? What is a religious myth? Give an example of each from popular culture today.
4. What are some of the ways Cobb sees God portrayed in popular culture? Is there a way of speaking of the God of popular culture? If so, explain.

Week 5

Read - Cobb 177-228.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your understanding of human nature as portrayed in the Old Testament? In the New Testament?
2. What are some of the ways Cobb describes human nature as portrayed in popular culture?
3. How are humans portrayed in “Planet of the Apes,” (The Remake) and “AI”? What do you think of those portrayals?
4. What is sin? What is the “primary sin,” according to nature religion, as recorded by Cobb? Give some examples from popular culture to support Cobb’s observation.

Week 6

Read - Cobb 228-294.

FINAL PAPER

Watch the movie, “The Wicker Man,” starring Nicholas Cage. Your paper must be a coherent essay in proper form and not just an enumeration of the questions and answers.

1. How is God portrayed in the film?
2. How is sin portrayed in the film?
3. How is human nature portrayed in the film?
4. Why was this movie made? What is the “point” of the movie?
5. Discuss the movie’s portrayal of the boundary between theology/religion and culture.
6. What is your overall impression of the movie?

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOUR FINAL PAPER IS DUE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

Dated: 5 Mar 2007 (For students enrolled after this date)