Content

This unit will address some of the challenges facing clergy and youth workers in the Church today in attempting to minister to adolescents who live in today’s youth culture. Students will examine the ever-changing adolescent world, which is in a continual state of flux, and look at the interaction of music, fashion, entertainment, media and peers, to name a few, with shaping the morals, values and ethics of today’s young people. The central question we will be asking is 'How do we make spirituality and Orthodox teachings relevant to the lives of youth in the 21st century?' Students will also develop methods for enhancing teen spirituality and critically evaluate approaches and strategies to youth ministry in light of modern scholarship and the Orthodox understanding of ministry.

Unit code: DA8109A

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Mission and Ministry

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: St Athanasius College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse at least three aspects of culture confronting young people today.

2.

Evaluate the influence of “pop” (popular) culture on today’s youth and their world view.

3.

Critically examine various models and approaches to youth ministry

4.

Develop various methods for enhancing teen spirituality and creating an environment where Christian faith is relevant in the lives of youth.

5.

Critique and evaluate strategies for ministering to adolescents based on both modern scholarship and Orthodox ministry approaches.

Pedagogy

Twelve weekly sessions, comprising guided readings from the set texts, additional reading resources. Online classes will also have an online tutorial. Students will be expected to contribute to six discussions on a fortnightly basis.

Indicative Bibliography

Textbooks

  • Clark, Chap.* Hurt 2.0 : Inside the World of Today's Teenagers. Youth, Family and Culture*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011.
  • Howe, Neil and William Strauss, Millennials Rising: The Next Generation, New York, NY: Vintage Books, 2000.
  • Smith, Timothy. The Seven Cries of Today’s Teens, Nashville, TN: Integrity Publishers, 2003.

Other Recommended Texts (not required)

  • Barna, George Real Teens: A Contemporary Snapshot of Youth Culture, Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2001
  • Borgman, Dean When Kumbaya is Not Enough, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997.
  • Borgman, Dean. Foundations for Youth Ministry: Theological Engagement with Teen Life and Culture. Second Edition. ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
  • Burns, Jim The Youth Builder, California: Gospel Light, 2001
  • Cole, Basil Music & Morals: A Theological Appraisal of the Moral and Psychological Effects of Music, New York: Alba House, 1993
  • Griffiths, Steve. Models for Youth Ministry Learning from the Life of Christ. London: SPCK, 2013.
  • Mueller, Walt Youth Culture 101, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007
  • Mueller, Walt Understanding Today’s Youth Culture, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999
  • Root, Andrew, and Kenda Creasy Dean. The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Books, 2011.
  • Schultze, Quentin J., and Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship. Dancing in the Dark: Youth, Popular Culture, and the Electronic Media. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1991.
  • “State of Australia’s Young People Report Statistical Snapshot,” Australian Government, accessed August 11, 2014,http://www.youth.gov.au/sites/youth/articles/pages/stateofaustraliasyoungpeoplereportstatisticalsnapshot

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

Topic Essay (2500 words )

2500 40.0
Report

Ministry based assignment report (2000 words)

2000 35.0
Seminar or Tutorial

Online Tutorial contribution (1500 words)

1500 25.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 1 Nov, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2021-06-04 10:15:12 +1000