CREATED AND CALLED FOR COMMUNITY

CREATED AND CALLED FOR COMMUNITY Community of Educators Messiah College Spring 2008

Inspiration • Ernest L. Boyer, Sr. – “Bridges between disciplines must be built, and the core program must be seen ultimately as relating the curriculum consequentially to life”. • Rodney J. Sawatsky – Our mission is “... to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith” ... by building a Christian community of learning…” • Kim S. Phipps, The core can transform our community of learners as we “gather around the core idea of learning how to live as thoughtful, faithful, gracious Christians in the 21st century.”

Mission “Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character, and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.”

Foundational Values • Unity of faith, learning, and life • Importance of person • Significance of community • Disciplined and creative living • Service and reconciliation

Course Objectives 1) Explain the Identity and Mission, Confession of Faith, and Foundational Values of Messiah College. 2) Describe the biblical and theological implications of the Old Testament emphasis on being created in the image of God and the New Testament emphasis of becoming a new creation. 3) Articulate defining characteristics of different kinds of communities, including those that are faith-based, academic, national, international, ethnic, inter-ethnic, and professional. 4) Develop a working definition of Christian Vocation as it relates to reconciliation, service, and leadership.

Unit One: Creation What does it mean to be fashioned in the Creator’s Image?

Creation Themes • Imago Dei • Renewing Creation • Creativity • Stewardship

Creation Learning Activities • Biblical texts (Genesis, 1 & 2; Psalm 104; Exodus 31:1-5; Acts 17:22-34). • Creation Projects • Convocation Chapel • Professor Valerie Smith • Selected Readings • J.R. Tolkien • Jacobsen & Sawatsky • Madeleine L’Engle • Bruce Birch

Unit Two: Community What is community? What strengthens and weakens community? How can we build better community- campus, locally, nationally, and globally?

Community Themes • Defining Community • Dynamics of Community • Building Community- Campus, Church, Local, National, and Global • Factors that undermine community

Community Unit Learning Activities • Biblical Texts (Exodus 19-20; Acts 2:37-47, 4:32-37; John 17:17-25; Luke 10:25-37; Romans 12; Matthew 5) • Convocation Chapel • Dr. Larry James • Selected Readings • Harold Bender • Martin Luther King, Jr. • Robert D. Putnam • Jacobsen & Sawatsky • Wang Anyi

Unit Three: Vocation What is Christian Vocation? How are service, leadership, and reconciliation expressions of vocation?

Vocation Themes • Love of God and Neighbor • “Doing” and “Being” • Service • Leadership • Reconciliation

Vocation Unit • Biblical Texts (Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13, 13:1-13; Mark 8:34-39; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 4: 1-6). • Convocation Chapel – David Brandt • Selected Readings • Desmond Tutu • Henri Nouwen • S.G. Hines & C.P. DeYoung • Albert Schweitzer • Gerald Sittser • Mother Teresa

Commonplace Book • Reflection and Critical Thinking • Engagement with Course Texts • Record of Learning • Preparation for Class Dialogue

Faith Journey Narrative • Course Culmination Project • Appropriate Creation, Community, and Vocation into Life Context • Cite 6 course texts [2 from each unit] • Traditional essay, visual metaphor with narrative reflection, monologue/script

Co-curricular Connections • Study Groups • Imago Day • Service Day • Residence Life • Created and Called for Cookies

CREATED AND CALLED FOR COMMUNITY