Theology and Practice of Urban Poor Mission
MT595 Viv Grigg
(This is an introduction and integration into a 40 hour
intensive of three courses of theology of urban poor mission,
practice of urban poor mission and urban poor churchplanting each
of 40 hours.)
DESCRIPTION
Inductive development of a story-based
theological framework for practical experiences in entering poor
communities and developing holistic poor peoples' churches.
Integrated around reflections on Kingdom mission and the city, it
reflcets on the Holy Spirit among the poor, evangelism,
cooperative economics, land rights, poverty, justice, oppression,
class and racial conflict resolution, incarnation, suffering,
poor peoples' churches / movements in two-third world cities,
leadership from among the poor, etc.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY
This is (a) an opportunity for theological
reflection, (b) healing for those grappling with the hideous
realities of their experiences among the poor, and (c)
integration for those who have found a distance of common
theological formulations from these realities. This includes the
struggles by evangelicals over the last 25 years to emerge a
commitment to holism and the poor, without losing an evangelism
and church growth focus. (d) The course has developed out of
years of forming apostolic orders and preparing people to enter
city slums in both first and third world.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course will oscillate between three
teaching tracks, the practical issues met in establishing poor
peoples' churches; theological issues of the inter-relationship
of the Kingdom and poverty; and urban contextual factors.
Discussion of readings, and reflections on experiences of class
members and some outside practicioners will provide the basis for
expansion of theologies from traditional evangelical roots.
PRE-COURSE READINGS.......
Required
1. either Grigg, Viv, Companion to the Poor,
MARC, 1990.
or Grigg, Viv Cry of the Urban Poor, MARC,
1992.
2. either Nicholls, Bruce J. and Buelah Wood, Sharing
the Good News with the Poor, Baker, 1996.
or Craig, Jenny, Servants Among the Poor, OMF Publishers,
1996.
3. Davey, Cyril, Saint in the Slums: Kagawa
of Japan, Jersey City: Parkwest Publications, 2000.
or Axling, William, Kagawa, SCM, 1932
4. Theology from the Slums course reader
in library (300 pages of articles).
Background
Greenway, Roger, Discipling the City, 2nd
ed., Baker, 1993, CHAPS 1,7,8,12, 13, 14,16,18.
Urban Trek reader, 2001, (300 pages of articles).
Survey Urban Missions magazines (1986-93) for other
articles related to urban poor issues.
Conn, Harvey, ed., Planting and Growing Urban Churches,
Baker. 1997.
Carolina de Jesus, Diary of Carolina de Jesus,
Mass Market, 1983.
Glasser, Art, Kingdom and Mission, Orbis, 1993.
Tamez, Elsa, Bible of the Oppressed, Orbis, 1982
De Santa Ana, Julio, Towards a Church of the Poor, WCC,
1982
Bong Rin Ro, Urban Ministry in Asia, Asian Theological
Association, 1989
Ellul, Jacques, The Meaning of the City, Jersey: Attic
Press,1997
PRE-COURSE and COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Keep a reading log of each chapter (approx 1000
pages).
Visit an urban poor church and write a one page
reflection on your experience.
10 minute class presentation from your experiences among the poor.
POST-COURSE PROJECT
Assignments of readings and reflections are
designed to integrate into two final 10 - 15 page papers (double
spaced) - showing by words, diagrams, schematics, video, or audio-visual.
These could be integrated into one 20-25 page paper.
(a) Practice: the impact of Kingdom issues on an
urban poor church development setting you are familiar with, and
(b) Theology: developing a "slum-dwellers or workers
theology" for some practical setting.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER COURSES
Prerequisite introduction to the field, for
people moving to the missions field and for Urban Poor Mission 3:
Churchplanting and Revival Movements Among the Poor.
EXAM
1 Hour. Develop a strategy for entrance and
establishment of the Kingdom in a slum. Justify it theologically.
April 21, 2002. 92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,00,01,02 , Canada, Manila, US,
NZ,Viv Grigg
