| Unit name | Integrated Learning Week: The Spirit in Context (Trinity & Baptist College) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS20146 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. D'Costa |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
College Unit Code: N21002
College Unit Director: Rev Dr Emma Ineson
The third person of the Trinity provides a fruitful focus for an integrated study experience. Using a series of contextual scenarios, this Integrated Learning Week will introduce students to aspects of the nature and work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the individual, the Church and the world, using a variety of cross-disciplinary tools and resources. Students will reflect on key questions such as:
1. What is the distinctive role of the Holy Spirit?
2. How do we experience the Holy Spirit?
3. How do we wisely discern the work of the Holy Spirit?
An emphasis on the place of the Holy Spirit within a Trinitarian framework will be maintained throughout.
This unit aims to:
1. enable students to apply appropriate tools from various areas of theological study in order to inform and comment on a series of hypothetical contextual situations
2. facilitate students in integrating biblical, theological, pastoral, ethical and liturgical approaches to the Holy Spirit with their prior experience
3. enable students to integrate a range of Christian resources on the Holy Spirit with a view to formulating their own coherent personal response
4. enable students to think laterally about issues concerning the Holy Spirit and to how they might apply them in future life and ministry.
On completing the unit students will:
1. have developed skills in lateral thinking and making critical connections between different elements of their training and studies and between their past, present and future life and learning experiences;
2. be better able to reflect on theories and controversies relating to the Holy Spirit (Biblical, historical, theological, missiological, ecclesiological, pastoral) and to relate them competently to practice;
3. have become adept at integrating theory to practice and drawing appropriately upon material taught under other biblical, doctrinal, discipleship, and mission units to inform their thinking about the Holy Spirit;
4. be able to integrate their use of a wide range of Christian resources in a coherent way.
Resources will be made available to the students in the form of lectures, project work, small group work and visits. These resources will draw on the disciplines of mission studies, discipleship and spirituality, biblical studies, pastoral and ministry formation, ecclesiology and church history, ethics and doctrine.
The week will be based around a series of hypothetical scenarios located in a parish/church context, to which each part of the week’s teaching will be applied. Students will work mostly in small groups, using a mind-map to develop their thinking through the week and to help them make connections between disciplines, and between the topic and the scenario. All participating tutors will take part in a plenary panel discussion at the end of the week.
Formative assessment will be through the students' participation in a group of 5/6 students throughout the unit engaging in discussion, application of the various themes presented in the lectures, and other activities. In addition, students will write a daily learning journal of personal reflections and engagement with the theme of each day’s activity during the unit, for which written feedback will be given.
Summative assessment will be through a written task of 2,500 words.
1. Cox, H., Fire from Heaven (Da Capo Press, 2001)
2. Menzies, R.P., Empowered for Witness: The Spirit in Luke-Acts (Sheffield Academic Press1994)
3. Smail T., Walker, A. and Wright, N., Charismatic Renewal (SPCK, 1995)
4. Turner, Max The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts (Hendrickson 1998)
5. Walker, A., Restoring the Kingdom (Eagle, 1988)
Other texts to be decided by the participating tutors according to the approach of their speciality to the week’s theme.
