POTOMAC ASSOCIATION
UCC Theology Institute
October 9, 2010 10 a.m. to 4:00 pm

Location:

Emmaus United Church of Christ
900 Maple Avenue East
Vienna, Virginia 22180
703-938-1555

From Vienna

Head North on 123 (toward DC)
You'll pass Westwood Country Club on you left. Emmaus is immediately after the Country Club:
Turn left onto Westbriar Drive, and make an immediate left into the church parking lot.

From the Beltway (I-495)

Exit on 123 South (exit 46A)
Go 2.3 miles: you'll pass Tysons Corner mall and drive over Rte 7. You'll see a sign that you're entering the Town of Vienna, and the speed limit will drop to 30 mph; then:
Turn right onto Westbriar Drive, and make an immediate left into the church parking lot.

Bring a lunch or snack, we will take very short breaks

This Institute is part of a sequence of four Institutes that are offered each year in History, Polity, Theology and Ministry of the UCC by the Potomac Association, following the guidelines prepared by History, Theology and Polity teachers on the essentials of a basic one semester course. (see the complete Essentials list).  The Institute format is designed to serve the needs of persons who cannot enroll in a regular semester length seminary course to cover this material. The Institutes normally meet from 10 am to 4 pm on a Saturday, with the exception of the Polity Institute which meets on Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and requires Saturday attendance at the Central Atlantic Conference Annual meeting at the University of Delaware. 

Participants seeking formal evaluation for authorized ministerial standing are expected to do pre-Institute reading and assignments before coming to the Institute (all readings are resources posted here or linked to the web). Several weeks after each Institute participants seeking formal evaluation submit answers to a set of follow-up questions and participate in a 45 minute conference telephone evaluation with members of the Committee on Church and Ministry. Observer participants (those not seeking evaluation) are strongly encouraged to do the advanced reading and assignments.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Required reading assignments may be downloaded from this website or from other websites on the worldwide web.  Some materials are pdf files and you will need a reader to access them. The reading for this Institute is extensive. In some cases optional articles are suggested, but not required. Practical field assignments require personal activities/preparation before October 10. Short presentations are involved. These UCC Institutes are enrichment opportunities for all members of the UCC who want to learn more about the history, polity, theology and ministry of the UCC. Everyone is welcome. No fees and no pre-registration is required. If you come, however, please make a commitment to the whole time.

INSTRUCTORS:

Barbara Brown Zikmund, retired church historian, seminary educator, UCC   author   beebeezee@verizon.net

Janet Parker, Pastor for Parish Life, Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ  janet@rockspringucc.org

Ron Hopson, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Psychology of Religion, Howard University School of Divinity ronshrinks@yahoo.com

Goals for the Institute: (from the Essentials document)

                                                 THEOLOGY
Participants will obtain knowledge of . . .
----Theological documents and texts (e.g. Statement of Faith, Basis of Union, Prism articles, various working papers of the national setting, ecumenical documents, pronouncements of General Synod, etc.
----Worship (including Book of Worship, New Century and other hymnals)
----Ecclesiology (the nature of the church)
---- Creeds and confessions ("testimonies, not tests" of what is commonly held among us)

Assignments for the Theology Institute
read the items marked with an asterisk (*) first

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST INSTITUTE go to http://www.ucc.org and click on 411 and "About Us" and read the complete "Short Course on the History of the UCC" http://www.ucc.org/about-us/short-course/  Even if this is your second or third Institute, re-read this basic information. Better yet, purchase Margaret Rowland Post History and Program of the UCC, order from UCC Resources for $5.00 plus shipping  https://secure3.convio.net/ucc/site/Ecommerce/483654401?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=16661&store_id=1401

1. Read various statements about UCC Theology
*Read a brief statement about UCC beliefs http://www.ucc.org/about-us/what-we-believe.html
*In LTH vol. 7 read about UCC Theology in the Leaders Box pps. 306-311, excerpt at http://www.ucc.org/ministers/leaders-box/index.html 
*In LTH vol. 7 read the introductions to sections 4 and 5 pps. 283-293 and pps. 433-444 http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/Intros-Theology-Making-a-Difference-LTH-7.pdf
*In LTH vol. 7 read the UCC Basis of Union p. 9 also found at
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/basis-of-union.html
*In LTH vol. 7 read the Preamble to the UCC Constitution p.40 also found at http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/preamble-to-the-constitution.html)
*In LTH vol. 7 read documents about the UCC Statement of Faith pps. 16-40
Read the recent "What Matters" material outlining six basic beliefs important to the UCC http://www.ucc.org/vitality/what-matters/ 
Read Roger Shinn on the Statement of Faith.
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/shinn-ucc-statement-of-faith.pdf
 
2.  Learn more about the four pre-1957 theological traditions that shape the UCC.
REFORMED
*Read the Heidelberg Catechism
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/heidelberg-catechism.html
*In LTH vol. 3 read a commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism by Good and Harbaugh, pps. 422-432 or an excerpt at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/good-harbaugh-heidelberg-catechism-lth-3.pdf
*Read about Mercersburg Theology
http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/mercerbu.htm
Visit the website of the contemporary Mercersburg Society
http://library.lts.org/mercersburg/index.htm
 LTH vol. 3, "The Principle of Protestantism" by Philip Schaff, pps. 358-371
http://books.google.com/booksid=cKQ9AAAAYAAJ&ots=KTU8cUPDfU&dq=schaff%20principle%20of%20protestantism&pg=PA2#v=onepage&q=&f=false 
CONGREGATIONAL
*In LTH vol. 3 read the Cambridge Platform pps. 85-119, also found at http://www.pragmatism.org/american/cambridge_platform.htm
*Read modern comments on the Cambridge Platform by Charles Hambrick-Stowe
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/theology/the-cambridge-platform-and.html
*In LTH vol. 4 read the Burial Hill Declaration pp. 501-504, also found at http://www.maxfieldbooks.com/eofburialt.html
*In LTH vol. 4 read the Kansas City Statement of Faith pps.508-510
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/kansas-city-statement-of.html
CHRISTIANS
*Read the Six Principles of the Christian Church
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/principles-of-the-christian.html
*Read Nathan Hatch, "The Theology of the Christian Movement" http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/hatch-christian-movement.pdf
Read the seven small pamphlets on Christian Leaders
http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/people/jburnett.html
Skim the The Centennial of Religious Journalism 1908 (google bks)
http://books.google.com/books?id=Qxg3AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA15&dq=%22+Christian+Publishing+Association,+Dayton%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0
EVANGELICALS
*In LTH vol. 6 read the Bekenntnisparagraph pps. 399-400, also at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/bekenntnisparagraph-lth-6.pdf
*Skim LTH vol. 4 materials about the Evangelical Catechism pp. 283- 335, also at  http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/evangelical-catechism.html
In LTH vol. 4 read Jacob Spener, Six Proposals (1675) pps. 230-239, also read about Spener at http://people.bu.edu/wwildman/WeirdWildWeb/courses/mwt/dictionary/mwt_themes_410_pietism.htm

3. Examine various UCC theological statements created since 1957 (all very short)
*Read 1985 On Becoming an Open and Affirming Church
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/ona-resolution-1985.pdf
*Read 1986 Theological Foundations of a Just Peace Church
http://www.ucc.org/justice/peacemaking/pdfs/Just-Peace-Church-Pronouncement.pdf
*Read 1987 Statement of Mission
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/statement-of-mission.html
*Read 1993 Toward the 21st Century
http://www.ucc.org/beliefs/toward-the-21st-century.html
*Read 1993 Becoming a Multiracial Multicultural Church
http://www.ucc.org/justice/multiracial-multicultural/
*Read 2005 Statement on theology and disability
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/gs-25-called-to-wholeness-in-christ.pdf
*Read 2008 Pastoral Letter on Faith and Science
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/pastoral-letter-on-faith-and-science.pdf
*Read 2008 Pastoral Letter on Faith and the Environment
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/pastoral_letter-on-faith-and-the-environment.pdf

4. Review materials that reflect how traditional theologies and the women's movement have challenged and shaped UCC theology
*Read about three theological groups that reject some national UCC statements and cultivate different theological positions, but remain part of the UCC.
*The Biblical Witness Fellowship LTH vol. 7 pps. 342-346, read the "Dubuque Declaration" (1983) http://biblicalwitness.org
*Confessing Christ LTH vol.7 pps. 389-391 (1993)
http://confessingchrist.net/About/tabid/54/Default.aspx
*Faithful and Welcoming Churches, read the "Lexington Confession" (2005)
http://faithfulandwelcoming.org/content/show.asp?mne=home
*In LTH vol. 7 read "Language Guidelines" and a statement by Davida Foy Crabtree on "Inclusive Language  pps. 164-172, also at
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/inclusive-language-lth-31.pdf
In LTH vol. 7 read Sharon Ringe "Feminist Theology" (1995) pps. 355-362, excerpt at
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/ringe-feminist-theology.pdf
Read Barbara Brown Zikmund, "The Trinity and Women's Experience"
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=86 )
Read Lee Barrett "Theological Worlds in the United Church of Christ"
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/Barrett-Theological-Worlds-in-the-UCC.pdf
Read Gabriel Fackre "Jesus Christ in the Texts of the UCC"
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/fackre-on-christ-in-texts-of-the-ucc.pdf

5. Review materials that show the theological and multiracial multicultural diversity of UCC theology. Select several to read in depth, skim some of the others:
*All of these selections are in THE LIVING THEOLOGICAL HERITAGE vol. 7
Barbara Essex ,"Black Theology" pps. 659-661, excerpt at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/essex-black-theology.pdf
David Hirano, "Theology among Asian Americans in the UCC" pps.713-718 excerpt at
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/hirano-asian-am-theology.pdf
Norm Jackson, "An Indian Perspective on the UCC" pps. 690-696, excerpt at
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/jackson-indian-perspective.pdf
Enrique Armijo, "Immigrant Theology" pps. 744-750, excerpt at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/armijo-immigrant-theology.pdf

6. Come to class with your own theological questions. Be prepared to write on small post-in notes two or three serious "theological" questions that are important to you, or bother you. What theological positions do you like about the UCC?  What aspects of UCC theology makes you uncomfortable? Is there a UCC theology?  What is it?  You will be asked to put your questions anonymously on post-it notes during class and we will talk about them. Please be absolutely honest. If you have questions, raise them?

7. Learn about worship traditions and practices within Christian history and the UCC?
*Read about the history of Protestant Worship in recent decades
http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/apr1986/v43-1-article6.htm
 What are the seven things that have happened to Protestant worship in the last 50 years?
*Read two small UCC pamphlet statements on sacraments:
Baptism http://www.ucc.org/worship/baptism/
Communion http://www.ucc.org/worship/communion/
*Read LTH vol. 7 Louis Gunnemann on Baptism pps. 173-180, available at
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/gunnemann-on-baptism.pdf
*Read Louis Gunnemann on Eucharist (not in LTH), available at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/gunnemann-on-eucharist.pdf
*Read the Introduction to UCC Book of Worship http://www.ucc.org/assets/pdfs/worshipintro.pdf
Read LTH vol. 7 Thomas Dipko, "Theological Guidelines that shaped UCC Book of Worship" pp. 185-193, summary of the twelve guidelines is found at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/dipko-12-principles-behind-the-bow.pdf
*Read the Introduction to the New Century Hymnal
http://www.ucc.org/assets/pdfs/intro.pdf
Read LTH vol. 7 about the debate over the New Century Hymnal pps. 200-206
*Read about the new Sing, Prayer and Praise praise songbook published this year (2009)
http://www.ucc.org/music-arts/sing-prayer-and-praise/
Visit the UCC Worship Ways website and the SAMUEL website to learn about online resources for planning and leading worship
http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/
http://www.ucc.org/worship/samuel/

8. Click on the "Change in the World" tab at the top of http://www.ucc.org  and choose one of the topics related to UCC peace and justice work or social witness. Read the texts about what you selected and answer the question: "What theological belief or concept underlies or informs the UCC witness in this area?" Another way to put the question is to say, "Why do we do that, or why are we concerned about that?" How are UCC motives different from those of other social activist groups? Come prepared to tell the other members of the class the topic you chose AND the theological rationale behind UCC involvement in that issue.
*Read 1997 statement by John Thomas "Contemporary Commitment and Catholic Substance"
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/thomas-contemp-commitment-cath-substance.pdf

9. Read about the UCC "theology of the church" (ecclesiology)
Consider how the UCC motto and logo express that theology. How does a "comma" express UCC ecclesiology? Visit the "God is Still Speaking" website
http://www.ucc.org/god-is-still-speaking/
*In LTH vol. 7 read the background paper on UCC Ecclesiology (1991) pps. 758-766, also available at http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/ucc-ecclesiology-lth-138.pdf
*Read Steckel, "UCC Ecclesiology at Fifty"
http://www.ucc.org/education/polity/pdf-folder/Steckel-UCC-ECCLESIOLOGY-AT-FIFTY.pdf
Read several sermons/speeches by General Minister and President of the UCC John H. Thomas
"A United Church that Stands for Something"
http://www.ucc.org/news/john-thomasa-unite.html
"Is it Time to Grow Up: UCC at 50"
http://www.ucc.org/news/john-thomas-is-it-time.html

SUMMARY OF ASSIGNMENTS FOR OCTOBER 10, 2009
Prologue: Read the "short course" online or read Margaret Rowland Post, History and Program book pps.1-69.
1. Read various statements about UCC Theology
2. Learn about the four pre-1957 theological traditions
3. Examine theological statements since 1957
4. Review materials on the impact of traditional theologies and the women's movement
5. Read materials on theological diversity and multicultural multiracial traditions in the UCC
6. Prepare two or three serious theological comments or questions to put on post-it notes
7. Read materials about worship
8. Visit the UCC "Change the world" menu online, choose an issue. What is the theological rationale for activism on that issue?
9. Read about UCC ecclesiology. What is the UCC theology of the church?

Updated 7/28/10  If you find mistakes, or dead links please notify bbz at beebeezee@verizon.net  Thanks.