IDIS: Developing a Christian Mind

Developing a Christian Mind (DCM) is a first-year core course that introduces students to the central intellectual project of Calvin College, the development of a Christian worldview, and a faith-based engagement with culture. All DCM sections include common readings and plenary lectures, which sketch out the broad contours. Each section then works out the implications of a Christian frame of reference in relation to an issue of contemporary relevance. Student evaluation is based on classroom participation, quizzes on the readings and lectures, writing assignments or presentations, and a final exam.

W50 01 DCM: The Brain, the Mind, and the Mystery of Consciousness. Consciousness is perhaps the most distinctive human characteristic, and as a consequence, its presence or absence is often central to considerations of personhood. However, as one philosopher has noted, “conscious experience is at once the most familiar thing in the world and the most mysterious.” The scientific community has not reached a consensus even on basic definitions of consciousness; indeed, until recently consciousness was not even considered a legitimate subject of scientific research. In this course students enter these debates about consciousness by considering the insights that neuroscience brings to our understanding of brain function and human cognition and by bringing Christian faith into dialogue with this ongoing and contentious discussion. While these debates (and our discussions) consistently center on scientific and philosophical questions regarding mind and brain, the stakes can be extremely high when life or personhood is defined in terms of human consciousness. Discussions, therefore, address the ethical implications of this debate in relationship to such issues as euthanasia, abortion, and advanced biotechnology, where such definitions can be decisive. S. Matheson.

W50 02 DCM: Societal Views on Drugs. The pharmaceutical industry and clandestine drug laboratories make drugs available that can have a myriad of effects. Drugs can lengthen lives, relieve pain, replace hormones, relieve anxiety, sharpen mental awareness, alter sensations, change behavior, enhance performance, help one lose weight, or just make one feel good. In this course students study the history of the legalization of drugs. Students determine how drugs currently are legally made available in the U.S. and what drug properties determine whether or not a drug is legal to purchase and use. Students consider when the use of drugs shifts from being a blessing from God to making one lazy to harming bodies and minds. What use of drugs is appropriate? Is it appropriate for Christians to take insulin, aspirin, Ritalin, coffee, tobacco, or marijuana? Readings taken from popular literature, government documents, and the Bible are used as a backdrop to assessing drug availability and use. Students reflect on, discuss, and write about drug use in various medical and social situations. R. Nyhof.

W50 03 DCM: The Totalitarian Temptation. What was the appeal of Nazi and Marxism-Leninism in the 20th century? This course examines the propaganda that promoted and sustained Nazi Germany and East Germany. Both systems were worldviews of religious scope that claimed to answer all of life’s questions and to provide meaning for human life. These claims put them in direct conflict with the Christian worldview. R. Bytwerk.

W50 04 DCM: Living Simply in a Complex World. Voluntarily choosing a simple life has traditionally been a mark of many Christian communities, yet in North American culture today, Christians have arguably become as materialistic as anyone else. In this course students discuss alternative ways of living that promote ecological and social justice. The first part of the course involves investigating the problems of disparity of wealth and the effects of globalization through readings from No Logo and Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Students also look at how advertising creates a culture of consumerism. The course includes trips to second-hand stores and discussions with local organic farmers and co-housing communities. Students pick particular areas of interest to investigate and present to the class. Students also participate in an overnight retreat at the Morning Star retreat center to discuss how Christian commitment should affect decisions about money and lifestyles. Fee: $25-$30 for retreat. P. Goetz.

W50 05 DCM: Hollywood Movies, Culture, and Morality. This course examines Hollywood film with a view toward understanding the cultural and moral significance of movies and movie-viewing. The course begins with a basic primer in film criticism, then moves on to examine 1) the interaction of movies and American culture, 2) the relationship of American Christianity and Hollywood, 3) moral issues embodied in the movies, 4) the morality of movie viewing, and 5) Hollywood as a global influence. The objective of the course is to enable students to develop an informed Christian perspective on Hollywood and its impact. C. Plantinga.

W50 06 DCM: A Christian Response to Racism. Racism was present in America before the founding of the United States as a nation and is still present today. Though legislation has made it illegal to discriminate against people on the basis of race, many contend that racism is still a problem. It affects all of us, whether one is conscious of it or not. This calls for a response from us as Christians. In this course students study concepts related to racism as well as the reality of racism in the United States. Students seek ways to work against racism, thus fulfilling part of our calling to work for justice in our society as citizens of God’s kingdom. The course includes films, readings, discussions, lectures, journals, and student presentations. G. Monsma.

W50 07 DCM: A Christian Response to Racism. Racism was present in America before the founding of the United States as a nation and is still present today. It affects all of us, whether we are conscious of it or not. This calls for a response from us as Christians. In this course students study concepts related to racism as well as the reality of racism in the United States. Students seek ways we can work against racism, thus fulfilling part of our calling to work for justice in our society as citizens of God’s kingdom. The course includes films, readings, discussions, lectures, journals, student presentations, and field trips. J. Rhodes.

W50 09 DCM: Men and Women at Work. This course explores the daily work of men and women in and beyond North America. Students consider the purpose, nature, and organization of Monday-through-Saturday work, looking at paid occupations in conjunction with unpaid work within the family. The course considers cultural assumption, economic structures, historical events, social policies, and technological changes that have and continue to influence the design of work for men and women. S. Roels.

W50 10 DCM: Analyzing Sport in Our Culture. In this course students investigate cultural views and norms through the lens of sport. Through readings, videos, and in-class discussions, a Reformed worldview is used to study and discern topics relevant to sport in today’s society. Topics include the role of sport in society, socialization, violence in sport, hero worship, gender roles and discrimination, race, fan behavior, and competition. J. Bergsma.

W50 11 DCM: Utopian Literature: The Good, the Bad, and the Nowhere. One translation of the word utopia is good place. This kind of utopian literature describes ideal societies and asks questions such as these: What would an unfallen world look like? What is the best civilization one can envision? What would one have to do to make that vision real? Another translation of utopia is simply no place, and this includes very bad places, or dystopias. Dystopias ask questions such as these: What are the possible consequences of our current society? What aspects of human nature limit or pervert even our best plans? In this course students read a broad range of utopian and dystopian literature (Utopia, Herland, Brave New World, and We) and also few films (The Mosquito Coast, Brazil, and Gattaca). C. Engbers.

W50 12 DCM: Dramatic Families: Dreams, Dysfunctions, and Occasional Solutions. This course studies a number of plays featuring families suffering from maladies such as death, abandonment, and betrayal; these same families have members who each have their own dreams and aspirations. Students ask questions such as these: What has brought about these problematic situations? How do characters’ dreams seek to rise above the dysfunction? How are they the cause of it? How is hope present (or absent) in the different families? Students study Sophocles’ Antigone, Shakespeare’s King Lear and The Tempest, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. Videos of these plays are shown in their entirety in the afternoon, not in the morning class sessions. D. Urban.

W50 13 DCM: The Holocaust, History, and Human Nature. Among all the many atrocities of the 20th century, the Nazi effort to destroy the Jews of Europe stands out as a particularly terrifying example of evil and inhumanity. The Holocaust raises troubling questions about history and human nature, not least of all for Christians. How could such a thing have been possible in an enlightened society—and one in which most people were members of a Christian church? Who ought to be held responsible, and why? Is it possible for guilt to be collective, or is it purely individual? Should the Holocaust be regarded as simply one case of genocide among many, or was it somehow unique? Why do some people insist on denying that the Holocaust occurred? And how could a sovereign and merciful God have permitted it to occur? Through readings, videos, class discussions, and written work, students explore the historical dynamics of the Holocaust, consider some of the issues of analysis and interpretation raised by scholars, and reflect on the challenges that the Holocaust poses for the way one thinks about God, the world, and oneself. D. Diephouse.

W50 14 DCM: Citizenship and Politics: A Christian Perspective. This course focuses on key questions involved with a Christian understanding of and action in the public sphere. These topics include the purpose of government and Christian attitudes toward government (with special emphasis on comparing Reformed perspectives to other Christian and religious perspectives), civil religion and its dangers (with special reference to the United States), church-state separation/integration issues, mixing biblical readings and public policy, and Christian citizenship and political engagement. The main objective is to encourage intelligent, critical, and humble Christian reflection on and engagement in political and public policy issues. Objectives are achieved through lectures, critical reading of texts, class visits by political practitioners, classroom debates, and videos. D. Koopman.

W50 15 DCM: Sport Ethics: Who Me? Cheat? The complex and rapidly changing sport environment imposes new demands on sport participants and organizations. The increased pressure to address ethical issues is one of these new demands. While there are no simple prescriptions for dealing with ethical issues, the purpose of this course is to show how both sport participants and organizations can more effectively address these ethical dilemmas. The course examines and applies current understandings, concepts, models, and techniques that help manage ethical dilemmas in sport, as well as show how a Reformed worldview can help Christian sport participants discern responsibility in this area. J. Timmer.

W50 16 DCM: When Justice and Compassion Compete: Kids that Offend. Locked facilities for minors are over-flowing and long waiting lists characterize nearly every juvenile treatment and out-of-family placement program. Status offenders, such as truants from school and curfew violators, are housed with more violent youth offenders, putting status offenders at personal risk and in an excellent deviance-teaching environment. Increasingly, violent minor offenders are tried as adults and sentenced to “punk” prisons. Clearly juvenile justice amply illustrates the effects of sin and the need for redemption. The Reformed world and life view is applied to examine both personal and systemic manifestations of sin. Students explore faith-shaped strategies for prevention, enforcement, detention, juvenile courts, corrections, and treatment. Teaching methods include lecture, films, speakers, a juvenile panel, a site visit, and a reflective journal. F. De Jong.

W50 17 DCM: Reading Genesis in the Context of Science. In this course students explore and reflect on the problem that modern evolutionary science creates for the traditional Christian doctrine of creation, especially at the points where that doctrine is shaped by the origin story of Genesis. Students read and discuss the problem as described analytically in texts and then look at diverse theories that Christian scholars have offered for reading Genesis in response to it. Readings include origin stories in translation from the Ancient Near East, for which students develop keys to interpreting such cosmogonies successfully. Students also explore similarities and differences between these stories and the account of creation in Genesis. Course objectives are to become informed on this textual problem, to understand the debates over how to engage it, and to appreciate the plausibility of differing approaches to the problem. J. Schneider.

W50 18 DCM: Human Nature East and West. This course examines through art, writings, and movies the different depictions of what it means to be a human being in the West and in Asia. Attention is given to what a meaningful life looks like from the two perspectives and how birth, death, and food rituals partially reveal a culture’s beliefs about human nature and meaning. The course also examines ethical issues such as organ transplant/donation from the perspective of both Eastern and Western culture. K. Corcoran.

W50 19 DCM: Global Climate Change. Global climate change is a widely discussed topic today: in the media, among politicians, among scientists. Yet the various summaries offered often seem mutually exclusive. Has man ruined the environment beyond repair? Or is it simply not possible for humans to have a significant impact at all? In this course students practice reasoning skills needed to sift through competing claims, and to define which issues, if any, are pressing. Students also consider moral questions raised by scientific results, such as stewardship of a common earth or justice when the actions of one group affect the environment of another. Finally, students consider how environmental policies must balance environmental, moral, and economic factors. L. Molnar.

W50 20 DCM: Art Illustrates God’s Word. While in their exodus, Israeli artisans were filled with God’s Spirit. They were instructed to complete the honored task of adding aesthetic value to the architecture of the Tabernacle; the adornment of the Ark of the Covenant; texture, color, and variety to the priestly robes; and symmetry and harmony to the furnishings and utensils. Since that appointment, artists have been challenged to this day to employ the arts for God’s glory and His teaching. Students parallel the artist’s journey in a journal. Working as artists, students anticipate and plan projects and record how artists struggle to bring meaning to their designs. Students experience how artists wrestle with setbacks, materials, and defects and how they rejoice in the fruits of their labors. Knowing the impact visuals have on the viewer, students attempt to add color, shape, texture, line, and form to the lessons. Fee: $75 for art materials. D. Wright.

W50 21 DCM: Developing a Conservative Mind. What does it mean to be a conservative? How should Christians think about political and social conservatism? Is a conservative by definition narrow-minded or illiberal? What is the proper role of tradition in conservative—and Christian—thinking? Is the Republican Party the conservative party? Does the Christian faith require one to be conservative? Can one be conservative without being a Christian? The 50th anniversary of the first publication of Russell Kirk’s remarkable exploration of this subject, The Conservative Mind—a book that is credited with both igniting and continuing to fuel modern American conservatism—presents a fine opportunity to address these questions. This course asks students to see conservatism through the eyes of perhaps its preeminent spokesman, and then to grapple with what is seen. The class includes a one day visit to the Russell Kirk library and homestead in Mecosta, Michigan where students tour the Kirk home and have a private lunch with Russell Kirk’s widow, Mrs. Annette Kirk. W. Stevenson.

W50 22 DCM: Money Matters: A Reformed Approach. Christ’s parable of the talents challenges men and women of faith to use wisely what God gives. After exploring essential topics in personal finance from budgeting to investing, this course builds paths to seeking the heart of God in more complex consumer issues. Class discussions, videos, and guest speakers delve into issues such as fair trade and living wage products, and the ethical and economic challenges of the gambling and pornography industries. Students analyze biblical concepts developed or critiqued from a Reformed worldview to find ways for Christians to be agents for renewal as consumers in the marketplace. Biblical concepts are centered in the norm of stewardship. M. Sampson.

W50 23 DCM: The Scandal of the Incarnation. This section is designed for students who wish to explore in greater theological depth various readings of the creation-fall-redemption paradigm and the implications the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation of the Son of God might have for that paradigm. Readings are from St. Irenaeus, the 2nd century theologian who first clearly articulated the Church’s response to the growing anti-creational and anti-incarnational threat of gnosticism. Implications for the contemporary setting of Christians and Christian churches in American society are discussed. A. Griffioen.

W50 24 DCM: The Problem of Illiteracy. This course explores questions related to the problem of illiteracy in the United States and why “the rate of reading failure for African-American, Hispanic, limited-English speakers, and poor children ranges from 60–70 percent.” Students examine the findings from recent scientific studies that have provided a new basis for understanding how literacy develops. Students also consider how certain understandings of teaching and learning contribute to patterns of education that perpetuate the problem of illiteracy and to the unjust treatment of certain groups in society in the form of systematic schooling practices that fail to address the needs of the learners. In addition to the readings and discussions, students spend time tutoring children in local schools and hear from teachers working in these schools. J. Rooks.

W50 25 DCM: Interpersonal Relationships. Students investigate the psychology of interpersonal relationships—particularly one-to-one relationships—by examining their initiation, development, and patterns of interactions. Discussion includes topics such as roles, motives, aspirations, expectations, communication, self-disclosure, and resolution of problems. Classes consist of lectures, small-group discussions, analysis of case studies, films, and videotapes. A. Shoemaker.

W50 26 DCM: Infinity and the Christian Mind. A.W. Moore has well said that infinity “must raise questions of the most fundamental kind about the world, about us, and about our place in the world.” It is a concept that has intrigued not only mathematicians, philosophers, and theologians, but also musicians and artists. This course focuses on the development of the concept of infinity in mathematics and philosophy, beginning with the Greeks (Plato, Aristotle) and medieval philosophers (Aquinas, Nicholas of Cusa). Students consider how the discovery of Calculus (Newton, Leibniz, Berkeley), the introduction of rigor leading to transfinite set theory (Cantor, Bolzano, Gutberlet), and the reactions to the paradoxes involved (Brouwer, Hilbert, Wittgenstein, Dooyewerd) have further developed the notion of infinity. The interplay among mathematics, philosophy, and theology is particularly important as students reflect on the significance of infinity, not only in relationship to intellectual history, but also in relationship to our lives of faith. M. Hanisch.

W50 27 DCM: What Is Music Good For? Even though most of us emphatically agree that music plays an important role in our lives, it is hard to put a finger on exactly what that role might be. This course helps. Students explore music's power, beauty, meaning, use, and design so that one is able to come up with articulate answers to such questions as “Can a piece of instrumental music be ‘bad’?”, “Which music is more spiritual: Classical or Pop?”, or “Why does my roommate listen to the ‘wrong’ kind of music. C. Stapert.

W50 28 DCM: What Is Music Good For? Even though most of us emphatically agree that music plays an important role in our lives, it is hard to put a finger on exactly what that role might be. This course helps. Students explore music's power, beauty, meaning, use, and design so that one is able to come up with articulate answers to such questions as “Can a piece of instrumental music be ‘bad’?”, “Which music is more spiritual: Classical or Pop?”, or “Why does my roommate listen to the ‘wrong’ kind of music?” B. Kuykendall.

W50 29 DCM: Thinking about Decisions and God’s Will. How does our reasoning shape our beliefs and how do our beliefs shape our reasoning? This course explores decision-making as it relates to understanding ourselves, others, and God. A particular focus is on how the strengths and weaknesses of human decision making influence our choices and our ability to choose. In addition, students examine understanding God’s will in light of our reasoning practices. D. Tellinghuisen.

W50 30 DCM: UFOs, Psychics, and Pseudoscience. In this postmodern age where all viewpoints are valid, many people believe in alien abductions, psychic readings, and other forms of pseudoscience. While alien abductions and invasions make for interesting entertainment, they are not things on which one should base one’s life. Many waste money by putting magnets in their shoes or on their wrists in the hope that these magnets will promote healing. Psychics prey on the grieving, promising to deliver messages from beyond. In response to this pseudoscience, skeptics are devoted to the promotion of science and critical thinking and the investigation of extraordinary claims and revolutionary ideas. Skeptics offer cash rewards and followers of pseudosciences fail to deliver any scientific proof. God has blessed human beings with scientific discernment and it is inappropriate to ignore this gift. Students in this class study various pseudoscience, examine why these pseudosciences are not considered true science and what harm these pseudosciences can cause. Students examine the difference between one’s faith and scientific knowledge. J. Frens.

W50 31 DCM: Science Fiction and Technology. Science fiction is used to develop a Reformed perspective on technology and, more broadly, to explore concepts within the Reformed tradition including the themes of creation–fall–redemption, the sovereignty of God, and transformational engagement with the culture of technology. The effects of technology on individuals and society are studied through classic and modern science fiction literature. Thought-provoking short stories, a few novels, and science fiction films are used as the basis for all-class and small-group discussions on what it means to be human and Christian in a technological age. T. Fetzer.

W50 32 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the press, among policy-makers, and on a personal level. What shapes our view of the natural environment and how do these views affect our response to environmental issues? This course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist, postmodern, and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to environmental issues, drawing on biblical themes of creation, fallenness, and redemption and their implications for environmental action, as well as develop a mode of being in this world that is consistently inspired by a Christian worldview and a Christian mind. K. Muyskens.

W50 33 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the press, among policy-makers, and on a personal level. What shapes our view of the natural environment and how do these views affect our response to environmental issues? This course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist, postmodern, and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to environmental issues, drawing on biblical themes of creation, fallenness, and redemption and their implications for environmental action, as well as develop a mode of being in this world that is consistently inspired by a Christian worldview and a Christian mind. R. De Kock.

W50 34 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the press, among policy-makers, and on a personal level. What shapes our view of the natural environment and how do these views affect our response to environmental issues? This course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist, postmodern, and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to environmental issues, drawing on biblical themes of creation, fallenness, and redemption and their implications for environmental action, as well as develop a mode of being in this world that is consistently inspired by a Christian worldview and a Christian mind. G. Bakker.

W50 35 DCM: Gay Marriage: Civil Right or Moral Wrong? This course addresses the issue of gay marriage from within a Reformed Christian perspective. In so doing, it addresses several fundamental issues to provide a foundation for the discussion of the issue: What is the role of the state related to the maintenance of morality and the establishment of justice? How is marriage understood within the Christian faith? And how should homosexuality be viewed from the Christian perspective? In addition to these normative frameworks, the course addresses empirical realities related to the presence of gays within social life, legal difficulties currently experienced by gays, efforts to differentiate between civil unions and gay marriages, and proposed legislative efforts to address the issue. These normative frameworks and empirical realities provide the context for a mutual effort of attempting to establish an understanding on the issue that remains faithful to Reformed Christian perspective. C. Smidt.

W50 36 DCM: The Church in the 21st Century. Few institutions have undergone more change in the past twenty-five years than the local Christian church. Changes in worship style, music, the visual arts, and the role of lay leadership are just a few of the elements that have driven these changes. These shifts have challenged many Christians to reexamine the question: What is the role of the local church in the Kingdom of God? As we enter the 21st century, society is becoming more pluralistic, more secular, and more materialistic. Local churches must be ready to respond and speak clearly to these and other issues. This course will challenge students to think about their individual roles within the local church, and to think carefully about the nature and mission of the local church within a broad Kingdom context. S. Greenway.

W50 37 DCM: Reading Banned Books. The impulse to censor, ban, or restrict access to objectionable literature remains strong in contemporary North American society and is motivated by ideologies that span the political spectrum. To the defenders of free speech, the issue is unambiguous: the right to free expression guarantees every artistic expression, no matter how controversial. To those who challenge such books, the issue seems equally clear: for the well-being of society (and especially of its children), communities should not tolerate morally dubious content. How might Christians contribute to the public dialogue about controversial books? Is the primary purpose to act as moral censors for society? Can Christians celebrate the imagination, or must it be viewed with suspicion? Students in this course seek to sort out such issues by considering the challenges to novels like Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. Students seek to cultivate a mature Christian engagement with literature, drawing on the biblical theme of the cultural mandate to help develop a responsible appreciation for literary expression. K. Saupe.

W50 38 DCM: The Created Order, Science, and Symmetry. Science is able to unravel the mysteries of nature because nature proceeds in an orderly and discernable way. But questions arise. Why is nature so orderly? In what way is that order so useful to science? How is it that the minds of scientists are able to discern that order so deeply? In this course these questions are addressed from a Christian perspective. In particular, the orderly concept of symmetry is looked at from various angles, such as the theological, philosophical, and mathematical. It is this last perspective which is seen to be very important to science. J. Turner.

W50 39 DCM: Jesus, the One Name that Saves, and Other Faiths. World events reveal a variety of faiths interacting and often conflicting. These other faiths concern politicians and missionaries, but also each citizen of North America, for Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus are now neighbors, met in stores and streets. This course explores the relation of the Christian claim that Jesus is the only way to the Father to the claims made by other faiths. Using Reformed teaching on the Creator, common grace, the mystery of God’s plan, and some key passages in the prophets, the gospels, and Acts, it looks for ways to maintain the uniqueness of the Christian faith while being open to civil dialogue with those of other faiths. M. Greidanus.

W50 40 DCM: History from the Bottom Up. This section explores how history can focus on both broader trends and the roles individuals played in those historical events. The premise for this approach is simple: God governs the entire creation through the actions of its component parts. Individuals make history, and history molds individuals. More than just the deeds of great leaders and trend setters, history is equally the story of those who formed the ranks and files the leaders sought to lead and the trend setters hoped to influence. A firm understanding of both sides of this equation illumines the dynamics of history. Studying history through the stories of everyday lives illustrated the interconnections between ordinary people and their historical eras. The course examines the methods historians use to study the past, analyzes written and filmed versions of their work, and applies the resulting insights to familiar people and places. R. Schoone-Jongen.

W50 41 DCM: Welfare Reform in America. The welfare reform movement, a major social experiment of the last decade, has generated considerable, and often heated, debate. Proponents hail the movement as a much-needed corrective to an ineffective welfare system. Welfare reform critics see it as symptomatic of a society turning its back on the poor. Discussion within the Christian community reflects a similar division, with Christians weighing in on all sides of the debate. Students study welfare reform and poverty policy in the United states, attempt to sort through the rhetoric, and assess the actual effects of welfare reform. This includes studying the process by which reform took place, the effects of the reforms upon those who participate in welfare, and the discussions among Christians about these reforms. K. Schaefer.

IDIS 150 A DCM: Slavery and Abolition in American Thought. Slavery was a major feature of American life from the colonial period until 1865. This course examines the different arguments advanced both to justify that system and to demand its abolition. Attention centers on the 1830-60 generation when arguments on both sides attained their greatest variety, sophistication, and volume, and focuses on the assumptions and grounds from which these arguments proceeded. People across the spectrum of opinion appealed to nature, the Bible, history (church and/or secular), patriotism, economics, and/or race to warrant their case. Different circumstances brought these features forward in different combinations and to contrary purposes. Special attention is given to the uses made of religion in justifying and condemning the slave system, noting that people with roots in Reformed Christianity were prominent on both sides of the debate. Students examine some of the ironic complexities within these movements, exploring how abolitionists fell out with each other over the relative weight given to individuals versus institutions in ending slavery, and how reforms within the slave system might have both strengthened and undermined it. Students also examine how some of these arguments, as well as the historical fact of slavery itself, animate current disputes over affirmative action and reparations. J. Bratt.

IDIS 150B DCM: Africa through African Cinema. Much of one's understanding of Africa comes from various Western media and reflects a bias that can arguably be traced to colonialism. A biblical concept of justice impels one to unlearn the representations that many too readily accept as true. Through readings on African cinematography and screening of films by Africans (both documentary and feature films), students come to understand what the world--especially the African world--looks like through African eyes. Coursework includes discussion, a reading journal, and a critical response paper. G. Fetzer.

IDIS 150 C DCM: Colonizing the Other: Christianity and Colonization. How are Christians to relate to foreigners and people of different faiths, especially to those who have rejected Christianity? According to the Great Commission, Christians are to go and make disciples of all nations. Unfortunately, this has historically led to the colonization and destruction of many non-Christian peoples and cultures in spite of the commandment to love our foreign and culturally distinct neighbors. One critic has even claimed that a belief in monotheism in and of itself leads to violence against others. This course looks at how Judeo-Christian discourse and the Great Commission were used as justification for cultural annihilation in the conquest of the New World in the 16th century. European Christians in the 16th century were confronted with cultures that practiced nudism, sodomy, human sacrifice, and cannibalism, and this confrontation sparked a long and fractious debate over the proper shape of the Christian response to these “barbarous pagans.” Reading a few short texts from this historic clash of cultures serves as a springboard for approaching the question of how Christians are to understand their relationship with people of different cultures and faiths today. The later part of the course examines two contemporary novels, a few short essays, and a brief theological essay that specifically address these issues. Does belief in predestination preclude the need for mission work? Are missionaries inherently colonizers? Can twentieth-century Americans share their faith without imposing their culture on the Other? D. Ten Huisen.