MSTM 501
Theology of Technology Syllabus
School of Science, Technology and Ministry
Mission Statement
To educate and equip others to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name through technology in both lay and professional ministry contexts.
Instructor: John Edmiston
Email:
Phone: (310) 783-1510
Course Description
Theology of Technology introduces students to the biblical and theological basis for a Christian theology of technology and to the concepts essential to the reflective life and practice of the Christian technologist.
Program Outcomes
At the conclusion of their MSTM program, the student will able to:
- Develop effective technology initiatives in a way that takes into account the unique cultures they will be serving and how to use technology to serve the poor.
- Understand the Biblical basis, theology and historical context of technology and how to apply that in professional and ministry settings.
- Understand the Christian vocation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers and their unique identity and role within their field in a way that maximizes their calling and enables Christian ministry 24/7.
- Understand complex systems in a way that helps them to effectively lead others and apply technology in ministry and professional environments.
- Understand some of the limits of technology and how to counter some of the negative implications of technology and its effect on relationships and creation of new addictions.
- Develop effective technology ministry strategies for developing sustainable initiatives by monitoring and understanding the latest theories, trends, tools and opportunities in technology in ministry
Course 501 helps students introduces students to the biblical and theological basis for a Christian theology of technology and to the concepts essential to the reflective life and practice of the Christian technologist in order to meet program outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 5 above.
Course Objectives
1Reflectively apply a coherent biblical and theological view of technology to a range of present and emerging ministry situations.
2Clearly evaluate, articulate and address the ethical dilemmas involved in the use of technology.
3Understand and articulate your unique identity as a technologist and the unique role played by technologists in the Body of Christ
4Demonstrate a grasp of the biblical history of technology and how it shapes both human consciousness and social and cultural practices including both true and false worship, idolatry and true spiritual imagination.
5Communicate a clear vision for the use of technology in areas such as the development of Christian character, spiritual values and service to the urban poor.
Expectations
1. This course requires extensive engagement with the readings, the instructor and with other students.
2. Careful pacing and scheduling will be required and it is the task of the student to keep up with the work.
3. You will need good high-speed Internet access and word-processing software such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.
4. You will be expected to have a basic working understanding of digital technology and the Internet.
5. All posting in forums will be done in a spirit of Christian love, though vigorous debate is encouraged.
6. This course is meant to challenge your intellectual and spiritual boundaries and you are not expected to agree with all the materials presented but rather to interact with it in a scholarly manner as reflective practitioners.
7. This is a THEOLOGY course so your posts and assignments should take on a theological tone (not a devotional tone or a purely secular analysis) and be well supported with references from biblical or other theological sources.
8. Major written work is expected to reference and to interactwith:
a) All three (3) of the required texts as well as the Scriptures.
b) At least six (6) of the recommended texts
c) The class readings and videos, MP3s etc.
Practical Theology
This course is classified mainly as a course in Practical Theology with some reference to Systematic Theology. Practical theology is the practical application of theology to everyday life. Richard Osmer explains that the four key questions and tasks in practical theology are:
What is going on? (descriptive-empirical task)
Why is this going on? (interpretative task)
What ought to be going on? (normative task)
How might we respond? (pragmatic task)
These are the questions we will be expecting you to ask as you think through the material in this course and should form the basis of your reflection in the forums and of your writing tasks.
Pre-Reading For Those Without Theology Majors
Glossary of Theological Terms (Roman Catholic):
Glossary of Theological Terms (Protestant) :
Wikipedia article on Christian Theology:
Required Texts
Dyer, John 2011 From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology, Kregel Publications, 2011
Dawson, Lorne L. (ed.) Cowan, Douglas E. (ed) 2004. Religion Online: Finding Faith on the Internet. New York, Routledge
Challies, Tim. The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion. (Kindle Edition)
The Holy Bible (NKJV, NRSV or NASB versions preferred as they better support scholarly exegesis)
Recommended Texts and Videos
Dawson, Lorne L. (ed.) Cowan, Douglas E. (ed) 2004. Religion Online: Finding Faith on the Internet. New York, Routledge
Miller, M. Rex. 2004 The Millennium Matrix, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass (A Wiley Imprint)
Suler, John. The Psychology of Cyberspace. PhD Department of Psychology, Science and Technology Center, Rider University. Download from:
Rojcewicz, Richard. The Gods and Technology: A Reading of Heidegger (Suny Series in Theology and Continental Thought).
Zukowski, Angela Ann; Babin Pierre. 2002 .The Gospel in Cyberspace: Nurturing Faith in the Internet Age .Chicago: Loyola Press
deChardin, Pierre Teilhard. The Divine Milieu. Perennial Classics: 2001.
deChardin, Pierre Teilhard. The Future of Man.
Pattison, George. Thinking About God in an Age of Technology.
Cole-Turner, Ronald. Transhumanism and Transcendence: Christian Hope in an Age of Technological Enhancement [Kindle Edition] (Author, Editor)
Dickerson, Matthew. Mind and the Machine - What It Means to Be Human and Why It Matters. Brazos Press, (available free on Kindle)
Vinge, Verner.“On The Singularity” (speaking to Google staff) Video - 1hr 10 mins
Carr, Nicolas.The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (NewYork: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010). 276 pp.
Shirky, Clay.Cognitive Surplus (New York: Penguin Press, 2010). 242 pp.
Banks, Robert and Stevens, Paul The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity. 1997
Course Outline
Period / Assessments / DueDate / Esthrs / Weight / Objective #’s
Weeks 1-2 / THEME: CREATION & PURPOSE OF TECHNOLOGY, BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Read / 18 / --
Listen/View
/ 3 / --
Forum #1a -Technology & Morality. / 3 / 4% / 1,2,4
Forum #1b - Biblical Examples. / 3 / 4% / 1,3,4
Commence planning and outlining for two minor projects and major project / 2
Weeks 3-4
/ THEME: THE FALL & PROBLEMS WITH TECHNOLOGY
Read / 16 / --
Listen/View / 3
Forum #2a Technology & Idolatry. / 3 / 4% / 1,2,3,4
Forum #2b Transhumanism. / 3 / 4% / 1,2
Minor Project #1. –Christian Technological Ethics. / 10 / 10% / 1,3,5
Weeks 5-6
/ THEME: THE REDEMPTION OF TECHNOLOGY
Read / 16 / --
Listen/View / 3 / --
Forum #3a Technology for Christian Love. / 3 / 4% / 2,4,5
Forum #3b Technology to Serve the Needy. / 3 / 4% / 2,4.5
Minor Project #2 Ideal Christian Technologist. / 10 / 15% / 2,3,4,5
Weeks 7-8
/ THE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Read / 10 / --
Listen/View / 3 / --
Forum #4a Digital Strategy Analysis. / 3 / 4% / 1,3,4,5,
Forum #4b Technology’s Future. / 3 / 4% / 3,4,5
Major Project #1. Applied Theology of Technology. / 17 / 43% / 1,2,3,4,5
Overall / Total estimated hours based upon 17 hours per week for 8 weeks / 135 / 100%
Estimated Activities and Times
●Reading is measured at reading 25 textbook pages per hour and reading 20 journal pages per hour Total reading for this course is 60 hours.
●Listening to recorded audio/video elements or live sessions (in-class equivalent) - 12.00 hours
●Discussion (in-class equivalent) - 24 hours
●Written projects - 39.00 hours
Forum Expectations
We expect that students will spend at least one hour to post one initial message, one hour to read posts from 5+ students (presumes that a student doesn't read every post), and 60 minutes to post two reply messages. Forum grading will be based on the following items:
●Forum posts should be 150-250 words
●Students must demonstrate comprehension of the material and achievement of the related learning objectives related to that forum.
●Students should demonstrate critical thinking and use outside material researched beyond the assigned readings.
●The goal of course forums is to have scholarly dialog among peers combining both the strengths of in-person class discussion and providing concise, professional quality writing (similar to a well thought-out academic or scholarly blog) and responding in a way that adds value to others writings
●For further reading on quality forum posts, see recommendations from other schools at:
●The following is a sample grading rubric (from
Development of Ideas / Well-developed ideas; introduces new
ideas; stimulates discussion (5-6 pts) / Developing ideas; sometimes stimulates discussion (3-4 pts) / Poorly developed ideas which do not add to discussion (1 pt)
Evidence of Critical Thinking / Clear evidence of critical thinking application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Postings are characterized by clarity of argument, depth of insight into theoretical issues, originality of treatment, and relevance. Sometimes include unusual insights. Arguments are well supported. (5-6 pts) / Beginnings of critical thinking; postings tend to address peripheral issues. Generally accurate, but could be improved with more analysis and creative thought. Tendency to recite facts rather than address issues. (3-4 pts) / Poorly developed critical thinking (1 pt)
Response to Other Students and Instructor / Interacts at least twice with other students and/or instructor (4 pts) / Interacts at least once with other students and/or instructor (2 pts) / Does not interact at least once with other students and/or instructor. (0 pts)
Timeliness and Mechanics / Individual message and at least two responses posted before deadline. Standard English mechanics and grammar were used in the initial post. (4 pts) / Noticeable problems with mechanics or late postings. (2 pts) / Does not meet expectations with mechanics or timeliness (0 pts)
Major Project #1. Applied Theology of Technology.
a) Develop and elucidate your own personal theology of technology,
b) Then using the questions from the Technology Tetrad in the Appendix of From the Garden to the City as a framework:
- Apply this to an organization. i.e. theology of technology for your church, college, ministry, etc.
- OR apply this to a new technology. i.e. theology of technology applied to smartphones, mobile, blogging, online education, etc.
- OR apply this to a particular people group. i.e. the poor, developing countries, women, men, Latinos, etc. (15pages)
Part 2 should be 15-25 pages for Master’s students and 12-20 pages for Undergraduate students.
Written Work
Except for Class Forum posts, all written assignments should be double-spaced using 11-point font and 1-inch margins, and include a relevant heading (name, date, assignment title), and subheadings where appropriate. Multi-page assignments should also include page numbers. Please correct spelling and grammatical errors before submitting all assignments. Spelling, grammar, and writing style will be taken into consideration in evaluating written work.
Assignments MUST be submitted BOTH:
1. To the Course Dropbox within Moodle
2. and by email to the instructor John Edmiston
- the filename MUST include your name (Student Name) and the assignment topic e.g. Bill_Smith_Final.doc
Written work must be reflective, balanced, scholarly analysis and be well-supported by references. Deep familiarity with the biblical text will be appreciated as will the ability to showcase extensive theological reading and reflection and to critically examine an issue from many points of view.
Very informal or highly opinionated writing styles will be severely penalized. Do not preach.
Late Policy
Coursework is scheduled over a seven-day week to provide structure for students residing on six continents. The weekly schedule begins on Monday at 12:01AM US ET (USA Eastern Time), and ends on Sunday at 11:59PM US ET.
●Assignments submitted more than 1 week late (after the following Sunday) will lose 1 letter grade (i.e. "A" becomes a "B")
●Assignments submitted more than 2 weeks late will lose 2 letter grades (i.e. "A" becomes a "C")
●All assignments and quizzes must be submitted by the week after the term ends or they will receive a failing grade
●Extensions: professors may grant an extension if the student has a prolonged sickness or major family crisis. The length of the extension is up to the professor’s discretion.
●Applications for extension must be submitted via the online extension request form at least 2 or more days before the due actual date. If an extension is granted, no other courses may be taken until that course is completed.
Week Eight is the last class session with assignments posted. All course work must be completed by the student and submitted to the instructor by Friday of the tenth week of the course. No credit will be given for work submitted after this date.
For more academic policies, please visit: