Christianity and Culture. Sociology of Religion
SR515. Methods of Social and Congregational Analysis
Credit, three hours. (Faculty) (Same as CC515.)
This course provides students an introduction to methods of contextual analysis and the opportunity to conduct an analysis of their context of ministry, be it a congregation, community, or community organization. Students will be encouraged to develop a multidimensional lens that provides a framework for critical reflection on the theological, sociological, and cultural dimensions of ministry in their setting. This course is required for all students enrolled in the MRL program, but is open to all Candler master’s degree candidates. (SR/CC515CEE when offered as a Contextual Education Elective.)
SR536. Religion and Health in Context: HIV
Credit, three hours. (Blevins)
This course will explore the ways in which religion has been utilized over the last 25 years to make sense of the HIV epidemic and to mobilize or hinder productive responses. These processes of making meaning and responding have occurred in a variety of contexts; the course will critically explore a broad spectrum of religious, political, and public health contexts to demonstrate the ways in which religion is invoked in response to questions and practices of health and wellness.
SR593. Religion and Health in Context: Sexual and Reproductive Health
Credit, three hours. (Blevins)
This course will offer a sustained critical analysis of the complicated relationship between religion and sexuality, particularly in relation to issues of central concern to sexual and reproductive health. Students will examine the teachings of major world religions (with a primary focus on Christianity and Islam) on sexuality from global perspectives, place those teachings in historical contexts, critically assess the impact of those teachings in the context of sexual and reproductive health initiatives in both national and international contexts, and work to align religion and sexual and reproductive health initiatives through group projects and case studies.
SR601. Sociology of Religion
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
This course explores the meaning of religion as a dimension of all social life: ritual, myth, and symbolic reality; churches as organizations and institutions; different social identities and situations among the faithful; secularization and revival, conflict and change in globalization and liberation.
SR612. The Church and Disabilities
Credit, three hours. (Faculty) (Same as CC612.)
This course introduces students to disability studies and theologies emerging from the disabilities community. Students will have the opportunity to examine the architecture, as well as religious practices of inclusion/exclusion of a variety of congregations. Preaching, religious education, worship and sacramental life, congregational leadership and ordination, fellowship, mission and outreach ministries, and denominational statements/policies, will be observed and critiqued with the hope of full inclusion of those with intellectual and physical disabilities. (SR612CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
SR613. Gender in U.S. Religion
Credit, three hours. (N. Phillips)
This seminar examines how religion and gender intersect in American society. We will approach religion sociologically, interpreting its particular roles in the United States and understanding the causes and conditions of religious and social change. We will employ sociological perspectives on gender as well, exploring it as a socially constructed phenomenon (gender differences are not innate or “natural,” but are responses to cultural norms that are reinforces by society). (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR615. Immigration, Religion and the American Church
Credit, three hours. (Hanciles)
Massive post-1965 immigration is radically transforming American society and religious life, with profound implications for the ministry and witness of the church. This course introduces students to a biblical and historical understanding of human migration. It also examines the concepts, major trends, critical issues, and variety of challenges associated with contemporary realities from a Christian perspective. Among other things, particular attention will be given to the importance of South-North migration for understanding long-term developments within global Christianity; the formation and missionary significance of proliferating new immigrant congregations (African, Asian, and Hispanic); Christian ministry in a context of vibrant religious plurality; and the on-going de-Europeanization of American Christianity. Classroom lectures and interactions are combined with limited ethnographic research (principally among immigrant Christian communities).
SR617. Memory, Culture, and Redemption
Credit, three hours. (N. Phillips) (Same as CC617.)
In this course, students are introduced to the cross-disciplinary fields of memory and trauma studies. We will focus on the connection between collective group remembrances and religion to assess how constructions and reconstructions of past memories serve as resources of redemption for social groups who have faced persecution. Interdisciplinary readings will draw upon sociology, anthropology, history, and theology to inform students about select historical social atrocities and to encourage learners to witness to the traumatic experiences and legacies of these social groups. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR620. Nonviolent Strategies of Social Change
Credit, three hours. (Faculty) (Same as CC519.)
The course will examine historical, biblical, theological, and theoretical bases for nonviolent initiatives. The empowerment of the local church, organizations, and individuals will be a central concern in the analysis of strategies.
SR621. Howard Thurman: Spirituality and Community
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
Howard Thurman’s writings and ministry focused upon the meaning of personal commitment and social transformation as they reflect religious experience. The course explores how spirituality influences concepts of community and assesses the practical implications of such concepts.
SR622. Ethnographic Research for Ministry in Congregations and Local Communities
Credit, three hours. (N. Phillips) (Same as CC622.)
Ethnography is a social scientific approach to studying human behavior and the cultural patterns of communities, congregations, and institutions. Pastoral practitioners have adopted ‘theological ethnography’ as a method for garnering more extensive knowledge about ministry in congregational settings and local communities. In this course, students will be introduced to ethnography as social research requiring participation in fieldwork. Learners will apply basic techniques of ethnography, form the development of a research question to analysis of collected data, to better understand the religious practices of Christian communities, the lived realities of social groups, and social change.
SR623. Religion in Urban Landscape
Credit, three hours. (Calvillo)
As cities have often been loci of spiritual innovation, this course examines unique characteristics of spiritual communities embedded in urban contexts. Class will examine urban religion from two sides: 1) the manner in which spiritual communities contribute to the shape & life of the city 2) the ways that urban realities influence spiritual communities. As such, urban religion will be framed as more than just religion which happens to be in the city, but rather as religion which is complexly intertwined with the realities of the modern cityscape. Particular attention will be given to spiritual communities & practices that serve marginalized communities in the city. Course material will primarily draw from the social sciences and will examine not only formal religious institutions, but also informal spiritual communities. To that effect, we will employ a lived religion approach which privileges the voice of the everyday person above that of institutional authorities.
SR624. Preaching in a Secular Age
Credit, three hours. (Smith) (Same as P624.)
The course is designed to help students understand, evaluate, and use key concepts from theories of secularization; interpret concrete situations in ministry using these concepts—letting the concepts illumine particular situations, even as the situations rebuke, refine, and revise the concepts; gain a sense of the variety of ways that different preachers from different theological traditions and social locations relate to processes of secularization; preach with richer consciousness of the questions of secularization that might be at stake in a context the student cares about; and cultivate habits for this pattern of practical theological reflection (moving between theories, concrete situations, and the practical actions of everyday ministry).
SR628. Priestly and Prophetic: Ritual Practice and the Nature of Ritual Performance
Credit, three hours. (N. Phillips) (Same as CC628.)
Ritual action can maintain social stability or provoke social change. Both will be the foci of this course. Through the social scientific study of ritual, we will capture how ritual affects social transformation while investigating ways in which ritual confirms status quo conditions. This course surveys the priestly and prophetic functions of ritual performance in congregational and communal life. (SR628CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
SR629. Christianity and the Roots of White Nationalism
Credit, three hours. (Frederick)
Whiteness, attended by a belief in its purity, superiority and rightness, is killing white people. Wrestling with this idea is part of the fundamental framework of this class, as we prepare leaders and ministers for life-saving/soul-saving work in the 21st century. Understanding that race and religion are co-constitutive this class examines the ways in which religion has been central to the construction, maintenance and fierce guardianship of racialized categories in the US. In this course we explore the many variations of that embodiment and wrestle with its historical and contemporary consequences. We ask how race has become so integral to religious identity, especially in the US? And, we explore how religion has informed our racial narratives. Through historical, anthropological and sociological works we examine their social import particularly to American Christianity. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR633. African American Religion and Culture
Credit, three hours. (N. Phillips) (Same as HC633.)
This interdisciplinary course offers a panoramic view of cultural practices that have been the social glue for African Americans, historically and advancing into the present. We will move through the ways ecclesial and nonecclesial religious belief and practice have intersected with black folk tradition, ritual, music, art, literature and other material and nonmaterial cultural forms to give rise to a vibrant and enduring black social, political and economic life in America. In this culturally thematic course, we will also wrestle with ethical subjects and issues that despite the strength of black spirituality possess the potential to contribute to forms of black social death. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR634. Globalization and the Church’s Mission
Credit, three hours. (Hanciles) (Same as M634.)
This course examines the globalization phenomenon and its wide-ranging implications for the contemporary church. It is divided into two parts. Part one provides a detailed assessment of the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of globalization with a view to unravelling myth and reality and applying biblical lenses. Part two examines, among other things, the role of Christianity as a globalizing force, emerging initiatives, models, and strategies of Christian missionary engagement, and plausible responses of the church to the problems, perils, and opportunities of the processes of globalization. Issues to be spotlighted include global processes and local change, missions and money, religious movement and economic development, modernity and religious commitment, some implications of the recent demographic shift in world Christianity for missions. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts) (SR634CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
SR636. Faith and Philanthropy
Credit, three hours. (Franklin)
This course is critical for current and future leaders and managers of nonprofit organizations, faith-based ministries that rely on fundraising, and future employees and board members of grant making organizations. With the exponential growth of the organized philanthropy sector, it is important for leaders to understand the history, mission, culture, regulations, and impacts of foundations and other benevolent organizations. The goals of the course are to introduce students to the practice of philanthropy, to explore theological and ethical dimensions of altruism, giving, asking for, and stewarding financial assets; to understand “toxic charity” and the harm that philanthropy can do; and to provide skills that are important in fundraising, managing and evaluating grant supported ministries and projects. The instructor is an ordained clergyperson and has been a foundation executive seminary president, college president, and member of various boards including the Community Foundation of Atlanta, the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, and the Salvation Army.
SR642. Black Institutions: Then and Now
Credit, three hours. (Frederick, Franklin)
This course explores the history of institution building within the African American community. While black churches are the oldest black institutions in the U.S., out of these organizations have emerged black schools, colleges & businesses. While many of these institutions were established in the crucible of racial segregation, some presently struggle for viability in a presumably “post-racial” U.S. We will examine their historical development as well as the contemporary issues that animate their existence and trace how multiple & changing formations of blackness influence their future. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR645. Race, Class, and the Making of American Religion
Credit, three hours. (Frederick)
Religion, regardless of attempts at transcendence, is inevitably raced, classed and gendered. In this course we explore the many variations of that embodiment and wrestle with its historical and contemporary consequences. This class asks how race has become so integral to religious identity, especially in the U.S. We will explore how religion has informed our racial narratives. Through historical, anthropological and sociological works we will examine their social import. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR653. Religion and Public Health
Credit, three hours. (Idler) (Cross-listed course from Laney Graduate School)
This course will provide graduate students and advanced undergraduate students with a sociologically-oriented interdisciplinary survey of research on the intersection of public health and religious practices and beliefs, in individuals and populations. Religion is one factor among many others in the social environment that to some extent determines the health of populations. Religion also has a role in the organization and practice of medicine and public health, in the lives of individuals, their families and social networks, health professionals, and the institutions in which they interact. The course will emphasize evidence from quantitative social science and epidemiology, the role of religion in the historical development of public health institutions, and the theoretical social science origins of religion and health research. Under the large umbrella of religion and health research, the class will be attempting to map the part of the field that is distinctively oriented to public health, rather than to medicine.
SR665. Catholicism in America: Migration, Transnationalism, and Devotion
Credit, three hours. (S. Reynolds) (Same as HC665)
This course explores the history and present of U.S. Catholicism by tracing the migrations that have shaped Catholic life in the Americas throughout the past five centuries, beginning with an examination of accounts of the Guadalupan apparition and of Catholic slaves and slaveholders. We attend in a particular way to the role of the parish and populare religious practices in immigrant communities throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as to dynamics of race, culture, and borders in shaping U.S. Catholic identities through the present day. (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts)
SR698. Special Topics in Sociology of Religion
Credit, variable. (Faculty)
Special topic or one-time offering courses led by Candler regular and visiting faculty. Prerequisites may be required and are noted on the course schedule when applicable.
