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| Semester | spring semester 2018 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Andreas Heuser (andreas.heuser@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Mega churches are linked with the contemporary Pentecostal movement and have tremendoulsy changed the global landscape of churches within the last few decades. Mega churches attract thousands of worshippers regularly through new styles of ritual and liturgical life, media based ministries and hegemonial strategies in the public sphere. Significantly, all over the Global South the breakthrough of mega churches echoes democratization processes of the late 1980s and 1990s that ended authoritarian rule in postcolonial settings. The importance of mega churches in politics will be a guiding perspective in this seminar as well as their roles in public spheres. The seminar examines the intersection between different variants of mega churches, politics, and public life (not exclusively but) with a specific focus on African contexts. |
| Learning objectives | - identifying a range of megachurches - comparing megachurches in different contexts - analysing their theological, social, politcal profiles (also through examination of internal production of literature and use of new media) - highlighting the diverse networks of selected megachurches - interpreting their roles in public spheres |
| Bibliography | Christersen, Brad / Flory, Richard, The Rise of Network Christianity: How Independent Leaders Are Changing the Religious Landscape, Oxford, 2017. Miller, Donald / Yamamori, Tetsunao, Global Pentecostalism, Berkeley, 2007. Tucker-Worgs, Tamelyn N., The Black Megachurch: Theology, Gender, and the Politics of Public Engagement, Waco, 2011. van Wijk, Ilana, The Universal Church of God in South Africa, Cambridge, 2014. Wagner, C. Peter, Dominion! How Kingdom Action Can Change the World, Grand Rapids, 2007. |
| Comments | The seminar addresses students from an interdisciplinary background. Students in theology may for instance imeet with students in African Studies or in political sciences which might hopefully arouse intense debates on topics. Non-English speakers may be encouraged to test and practice English in debates and explore texts in English. (However, depending on the composition of participants the seminar language may be flexibly shifted to German.) |
| Admission requirements | - regular attendance; - motivation to engage in debates in English language; - intense preparation/reading of basic seminar texts - readiness for interdisciplinary approaches - presentation of seminar paper, incl. discussion |
| Course application | online |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
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No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul Antike / monotheistische / aussereuropäische Religionen (Bachelor's degree subject: Study of Religion) Modul Christentum (Bachelor's degree subject: Study of Religion (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Culture and Society (Master's degree program: African Studies (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Fields: Governance and Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul Fields: Knowledge Production and Transfer (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul Fields: Media and Imagination (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul Öffentlichkeit und Religion (Master Religion - Economics - Politics) Modul Reflexion interkultureller Gegenwartsfragen in der Theologie (ÖM 2) (Master Theology) Modul Reflexion interkultureller Gegenwartsfragen in der Theologie (ÖM 2) (Master's degree subject: Theology) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | preparation and presentation of a seminar paper; intense reading of seminar texts: oral participation |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: teaching staff |
| Repeat examination | one repetition, best attempt counts |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Theology, studiendekanat-theol@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Departement Theologie |