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.

150 01 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. 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 02 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. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 03 DCM: C.S. Lewis: A Liberating Christian Mind . This course will explore the extra-ordinary life and influential writings of one of the most exact and penetrating Christian minds of recent times, Clive Staples Lewis. C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) is perhaps the most widely read Christian intellectual of the twentieth century. The course concentrates on his integration of reason, imagination and faith. Students will be encouraged to freely investigate and find out how Lewis, honestly, painstakingly and faithfully, attempted to see, and apply to his life and writings, human life and history as held in God's hands. Samples of Lewis's works related to literary criticism, theology, philosophy, poetry, autobiography, and children's stories will be read and freely debated in a Socratic approach format. Also audio recordings of Lewis's own lectures and videos about Lewis's life will be presented and discussed. A. Ribeiro, P. Ribeiro. 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 04 DCM: C.S. Lewis and the Post Modern World . C.S. Lewis was the greatest champion of the Christian faith in the twentieth century. His writings, both fiction and nonfiction, continue to instruct, entertain, and challenge. This course engages Lewis through three of his classic works: Mere Christianity , The Screwtape Letters , and The Great Divorce . As a collateral text, students read select chapters of Lewis Agonistes: How C.S. Lewis Can Train Us to Wrestle With the Modern and Postmodern World , by Louis Markos. A documentary film and the movie “Shadowlands” complement the readings, as does a field-trip to the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College , which numbers among its resources a museum and research center devoted to Lewis. The goal of the course is not only to understand Lewis's journey from atheism to Christianity but to consider how his thought can contribute to the formation of a Christian perspective on such issues as ethical relativism, scientific naturalism, atheistic evolutionism, new-age paganism and literary deconstructionism. D. Harlow . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 05 DCM: Music in Christian Life . We live in a culture in which music of all kinds is readily available. This gives us unprecedented opportunities; it also presents us with a bewildering array of choices. Does it matter what choices we make or how we use the opportunities? Does it matter what music we listen to, make, study, or promote? What does it mean that “music is a gift of God”? Or, as some claim, that some music is “from the devil”? Does music have power? If so, what sort of power? Does it communicate anything? Does it have meaning? Can terms like good and bad be applied to music? Or beautiful or ugly? What, if anything, do the Christian doctrines of Creation, Fall, and Redemption have to do with music? The class will wrestle with these and similar questions with the help of readings and extensive listening to a wide variety of music. C. Stapert . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 06 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. 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 07 DCM: Resource Use and Sustainability. Throughout history humans have found and used natural resources from their environments. Civilizations have risen and fallen through resource discovery and depletion. Today's technological civilization depends more than ever on resources, and economic growth seems to depend on ever-faster use of resources. Students examine resource use from various perspectives, and address questions of resource exhaustion, resource recycling and renewability, and sustainability. In particular, students seek to understand various Christian perspectives on the ethical use of resources and various Christian outlooks on the question of sustainability and the future. Everyone uses resources; it is the goal of this course that its alumni become thoughtful users of resources. D. Van Baak. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 08 DCM: Environmental Sustainability, Land Use, and World Hunger. In this course, students will relate world hunger issues with land use and environmental sustainability. Students examine root causes of world hunger issues, relating current issues with biblical concepts of Christian stewardship and justice at personal and corporate levels. Students examine how Reformed Christians can engage nature, considering biotechnology, agriculture, and urban development. Students consider how they might be agents of renewal within global society, how local decisions impact global distribution and availability of daily bread. D. Dornbos, Jr. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 09 DCM: Welcoming People with (dis)Abilities . This course examines assumptions and common misperceptions connected with disability and especially meanings that reside in the mind of the observer rather than inherently in conditions labeled as physical, cognitive or emotional impairment. Facilitating inclusion of persons with disability labels into the life arenas of work, worship, recreation, education, and community living is a primary goal of the course, as is understanding the themes of powerlessness, interdependence, and hospitality to stranger as they affect each of our lives. In addition to readings, discussion, and written reflection, students will interact with people who live with disability and critique depictions of disability in popular media. T. Hoeksema . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 10 DCM: Luck, Chance, Statistics . Public opinion polls both reflect and shape public opinion, but how are they conducted and what do they really mean? What position should one take regarding lotteries and casinos? What is a false positive, and how does that affect my health care choices? This course equips students with the reasoning skills necessary to interpret and evaluate many of the statistical arguments that are common in contemporary speech. Discussions focus on how probability and statistics can be used to seek truth and pursue justice, but also how they can be used to deceive and manipulate. Particular attention is paid to public opinion polls and other surveys of human subjects. Advantages and disadvantages of putting our trust in numbers and the role of probability as a part of creation are also considered. No previous statistical training is required, but a willingness to learn the necessary mathematical material is assumed. This course focuses on a conceptual understanding of probability and statistics and on the issues surrounding their pervasiveness in our culture, rather than on the technical skills required to be a practitioner of statistics. R. Pruim . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 11 DCM: Environmental Fiction in Movies . Environmental issues are found in short stories, novels, children's fiction, science fiction movies and feature films. With a Christian understanding of God, humanity and the natural world in the foreground, this course studies some significant and interesting works of environmental fiction and environmental cinema. Of particular interest are their assessments of the causes and solutions to the world's environmental challenges, their environmental ethic, their views of person/nature, society/nature relationships, and their descriptions of environmental utopias and dystopias.H. Aay . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 12 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. T. Scofield. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 13 DCM: A Christian Perspective on Power and Influence in Organizations . Organizations exist within an increasingly changing, complex, and competitive environment where order seems nonexistent. Formal means of influence seem incapable of keeping up with radical advance in communication, transportation, and technology. In addition, matrix structures, pluralism and postmodernism have created an environment where rules for order are often replaced by power and politics. The political manager of the organizations seems best equipped to add value and survive. How does one manage in such an ambiguous and complex context? Should a Christian engage in the process of building power in order to influence others informally or politically? In this course we will study concepts related to power and influence, as well as specific examples of individuals (in corporate, non-profit and public service roles) recognized as using power to get others to do things they otherwise would not do. S. Jackson . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 14 DCM: Playing Shakespeare's Language . Theatre, and acting specifically, has traditionally been viewed with suspicion by Church fathers such as Augustine, and also by subsequent Reformed thinkers. On the other hand, the theatre has embodied some of the greatest of God's gifts to human art and culture, of which the work of Shakespeare is a most obvious example. This course seeks to explore ways in which these two seemingly antagonistic realities can be reconciled, and it will do so practically through the experience of Shakespeare's language in performance. Through performative work on sonnets, scenes, and monologues, students will discover how his language works and how it articulates some of the most profound truths concerning fundamental matters of faith life, and death. Students do not have to have any experience in acting to take this course. M. Page . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 15 DCM: Rethinking Common Grace in an Age of Empire . The notion of “common grace” is a central component of the Reformed tradition's affirmation that “the whole world belongs to God.” Rejecting the dualism of other Christian traditions, common grace underwrites the value of every sphere of creational life, including all of the institutions that we find ourselves a part of: education, recreation, political life, and the world of commerce and economic distribution. All of these spheres, despite the fallenness of the world, remain “good” aspects of creation to be affirmed by Christians. But there is another side to the story. While common grace is an important theme in the Reformed tradition, the notion of “antitheses” is equally important, though little discussed of late. An antithetical stance asserts that while the structure of each sphere is a creational good, the direction of such spheres can be terribly misdirected. As such, Christians seeking to be agents of redemption should distance themselves from given configurations of these institutions. (Often the notion of common grace is employed to baptize not only the structure of given institutions, but also the direction of such institutions.) This course will intentionally seek to revive the notion of antithesis, suggesting that such a stance is particularly important in an age of “empire.” J. K.A. Smith. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 16 DCM: Music, Manipulation, and the Mind of God . This course will examine music's power to persuade in light of the Christian's call to spiritual freedom and service. A primary object of study will be film music. Students need to be willing to evaluate both aspects of music and some of the primary means and manners by which people in our society engage with it. D. Fuentes . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 17 DCM: War and Peace . Christian faith claims to be faith in the “Prince of Peace” who commands his disciples to “turn the other cheek.” In light of this, what stance should the Christian take regarding war? From a Christian point of view, is a just war possible? This course examines the relationship between Christian ethics and war. Topics include: the relevant biblical material, the development of just war theory, Christian pacifism, Christian realism, and war in the contemporary world. M. Lundberg . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 18 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. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 19 DCM: Having Faith in the Theatre. This course explores theatre as a cultural art form through which we see and learn about ourselves as Christians in this world. The theatre, as an imitative art form, is a unique window through which we might observe human behavior and human culture, in all of its fallenness and all of its grace. Through watching plays, reading plays, and discussing them in class, we will explore topics ranging from the mystery of human existence to the importance of laughter and comedy. Readings and viewings will be drawn form the scope of theatre history, including ancient plays such as Anitgone and Oedipus as well as the most contemporary works form the New York and London stage. S. Sandberg . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 20 DCM: Science Fiction Stories . The way we work, play and worship as individuals, families, and communities has been radically altered by science and technology. This course uses science fiction stories and films as the basis of discussion to explore what it means to be human and Christian in a technological age. Using thought provoking classic and modern science fiction literature, the effects of technology on individuals and society are examined. The course also explores current topics such as artificial intelligence, cloning, space stations, and virtual reality. S. VanderLeest . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 21 DCM: Models as Mediators . Students study and discuss the many and varied ways in which models function in natural and social science, particularly in the field of Economics with some attention paid to the field of Physics. A framework is offered for understanding how models can act as mediators with special attention paid to autonomous mediators. On a parallel track students study the mediation of Christ with the goal of understanding how general revelation might mirror or illuminate special revelation. The major objective of this course is for students to understand the role of models in modern culture and how that relates to the nature and work to their Savior. W.D. Laverell . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 22 DCM: Human Nature: Psychological and Religious Perspectives . Does the Bible or religion have anything to say to Psychological Science? This course suggests that psychological issues have been contemplated throughout history. Issues such as mind and body, emotional disorders, child development, and social interactions have been addressed by many religious traditions. Students will review some of the basic topics of current psychological science. Each area will be followed by an exploration of what people- particularly as found in the Bible- have historically understood about these issues. Discussions will focus on the contrasts and similarities between each perspective. Considerable weight will be given to appropriate ways to understand biblical passages, theological interpretations and modern psychological theories. Discussions will also focus on ways to develop a coherent approach to resolve apparent conflicts or to benefit from each perspective. P. Moes . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 23 DCM: Human Nature: Psychological and Religious Perspectives . Does the Bible or religion have anything to say to Psychological Science? This course suggests that psychological issues have been contemplated throughout history. Issues such as mind and body, emotional disorders, child development, and social interactions have been addressed by many religious traditions. Students will review some of the basic topics of current psychological science. Each area will be followed by an exploration of what people- particularly as found in the Bible- have historically understood about these issues. Discussions will focus on the contrasts and similarities between each perspective. Considerable weight will be given to appropriate ways to understand biblical passages, theological interpretations and modern psychological theories. Discussions will also focus on ways to develop a coherent approach to resolve apparent conflicts or to benefit from each perspective. S. da Silva . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 24 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 50 th 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, Jr. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

CANCELED 150 25 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 . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 26 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 21 st 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 . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 27 DCM: Gender and Performance in American Culture . What does it mean to be “feminine” or “masculine,” to act like a man or a woman? Is gender God-ordained or culturally constructed? Is it natural or is it performance? Why was it once against the law for women or men to cross-dress? Why do we frequently laugh at comic representations of men dressing as women but are rarely affected when women dress as men? This course examines how American culture and the church have historically viewed the concept of gender and how we as Christians might form a response. Discussion will be focused around historical and theoretical writings, popular cultural representations of gender, and what was arguably nineteenth-century America 's most popular work of fiction: The Hidden Hand , by E.D.E.N. Southworth. This Christian writer sets in motion a plot that humorously questions our conceptions of gender and provides ample opportunity to examine how we might form Christian perspectives on the issue. L. Naranjo-Huebl . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 28 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the public media, 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? The course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist , post-modern , and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to the 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. Piers. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 29 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the public media, 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? The course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist , post-modern , and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to the 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. DeKock. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 30 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the public media, 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? The course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist , post-modern , and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to the 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. 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m .

150 31 DCM: Total War: A History of World War II in Europe . World War II is one of the most significant and influential realities of the twentieth century. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the world-historical significance of the war and to evaluate it from a Christian perspective. The course consists of three parts. The first part addresses the necessary background information for understanding the outbreak of World War II. In this section considerable attention is given to the analysis of the Nazi worldview and its origins. Also in this section of the course the Marxist worldview is given attention since in a way World War II was a battle between Marxist Russia and Nazi Germany. The next section addresses the major phases of the war. A major component of this section is an analysis of the connection between worldviews and decisions regarding the Holocaust, military policies, and the like. The third section of the course focuses on some of the consequences of the war, including the Cold War and the creation of the state of Israel . In the latter case, the worldview of Zionism is explored as the main factor that led to the creation of Israel . A very significant aspect of this course consists of viewing videos and movies that tell the story of World War II from a variety of perspectives. F. Roberts. 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 32 DCM : Culture Clashes in the American Southwest . Many southwest Native American young adults are taking renewed interest in their native culture, particularly the religious aspects. Some of the associated customs and practices clash with modern (or post-modern) American culture. Some conflict dramatically with Christian worldviews while others may hold compatible perspectives. This course examines these cultures and how they have blended or clashed with Western culture and religion. Students, working in groups, select and study one particular southwest native group by focusing on the distinctive aspects of that culture and completing a project that synthesizes what they have learned. General introductory content is delivered by lecture, primary and secondary readings, and video. R. Sjoerdsma. 8:30 a.m. to noon .

150 33 DCM: Art Illustrates God's Word . While in their exodus, Israeli artisans were filled with God's Spirit and instructed to complete the blessed task of giving aesthetic value to the Tabernacle, Ark of the Covenant, priestly robes, vessels and utensils. Since that honored appointment, artists have been challenged to employ the arts for God's glory and allegory. Students in this course parallel this artistic journey through readings and lectures and in their writings. Working as artists, students discuss and plan projects considering the materials at hand, become familiar with the struggle Christian artists have bringing meaning to their works, and are challenged with how artist wrestle with material's limitations and how they rejoice in the fruits of their labor. Students add color, shape, direction and form to each lesson by sharing ideas orally and visually. Fee: $75. D. Wright . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 34 DCM: A Christian Response to Racism . Why are we still talking about racism in 2006? Haven't we legislated the problem away? Isn't it just ancient history? While most Christians would agree that racism is a sin; few understand its continued presence or scope of impact in the United States . And just when think we “really can all just get along,” there is a major news story with charges of racism in the headlines. Racism, by any definition, is a form of oppression that affects all people. Racism is a reminder that life on earth is not the way it was meant to be and is a reflection of the injustice that plagues our world. As Christians we are to respond to injustice and work for justice in our society. In this course students study the complex social reality of racism, investigate responses to racism from Christian institutions and leaders, and develop their own plan of response. This course includes films, lectures, journals, discussions, and student presentations. M. Loyd-Paige . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 35 DCM: UFO's, Psychics, and Pseudoscience . Millions of people believe in alien abductions, psychic readings, and other forms of pseudoscience--beliefs that sound scientific but have no scientific evidence. While pseudosciences may make for interesting entertainment, a deeply held belief in a pseudoscience can waste or misdirect money and other resources. God has blessed humankind with scientific discernment, and, as part of the Cultural Mandate, Christians are called to use this discernment to discover His truth. Students in this class study various pseudosciences ranging from urban legends to Holocaust deniers to UFOs. Students examine the failings of each pseudoscience, the harm they cause, why they fool so many people, and how they fit into a Reformed worldview. J. Frens . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 36 DCM: Who Cares What Truth Is? What is Truth? "Truth" is a basic human concept, but postmodernity has made some powerful challenges against naive ideas of what it means for something to be true. It has implications for religion, morality, politics, art, and every human endeavor. While some see postmodernity as a great corrective for the Church, others see postmodernity as incompatible with Christianity. Students in this course look at what parts of postmodern thought agree with and conflict with historical Christianity, with a focus on postmodernity's dismissal of absolute truth. The class also covers some of the intellectual and practical impacts of postmodernity from a personal to the global level. B. Heyink . 8:30 am to noon.

150 37 DCM: Suffering and the Problem of Evil . What can we say about natural disasters like tsunamis, droughts or earthquakes? Is God in control of his creation? If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people? Every worldview must confront the issues of suffering, the existence of evil, and death. This course examines Reformed Christian perspectives on these difficult topics, finding similarities and differences with other worldviews. The unique role of Christ brings particular perspective to questions such as: Is it possible to fulfill Christ's calling without suffering? Are suicide and euthanasia deadly sins? How should Christians respond to persecution? The class includes small-group discussion, analysis of case studies, and films. D. Bud . 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 38 DCM: The American Scene . Life is lived in the context of landscape: both natural and humanly constructed. Each generation alters the landscape it receives, sometimes creating conflict between its own rights and its responsibilities to other communities and to past and future generations. Topics of conflict and creativity over landscape use include: environmental stewardship, resource exploitation, urban and rural land-use, suburban sprawl, transportation systems, and the development of "healthy communities" and "cool cities." This course examines the American landscape from distinctively Christian and Reformed perspectives, using themes like creation, sin, and redemption to aid in interpreting the American scene. Students reflect on the place of the Christian individual and the Christian community as contributors to the American scene, and explore the idea of a distinctively Christian contribution to this inheritance. B. Baugus . 8:30-noon.

150 39 DCM: Dissecting Democracy: Rule by the People meets the Christian Mind . For much of history, “democracy” has been a political four-letter word; some ancient Greeks considered it to be only slightly better than outright dictatorship. So how did it go from failure to global sensation? Students in this class will develop a better understanding of democracy's rise to prominence, wrestle with the best way to unpack the simplistic phrase “rule by the people,” and explore the role that democracy can play in our contemporary political world. Framing our entire discussion will be the question of how a Christian Mind makes sense of democracy, its potential, and its place in the political order. M. Roberts . 8:30-noon.

150 40 DCM: Two Christian Writers You Won't Find in Christian Bookstores . Even though Flannery O'Conner and Walker Percy are considered two of the most important and gifted Christian authors of the 20 th century, their works are rarely found on the shelves of Christian bookstores. O'Connor once said of her native South that while it might not be Christ-centered it is certainly Christ-haunted. Much the same can be said for the people who populate O'Connor's and Percy's works. Many of O'Connor's characters are truly grotesque, and more than a few of Percy's folks have been known to cuss profusely. The world as these writers describe it is a long way from a Thomas Kinkade painting.

The central fact of life for both O'Connor and Percy is our redemption in Christ, and yet the stories they tell don't always jibe with what we usually think of as “Christian fiction.” This curious disconnect provides the opportunity to consider what Christian writing (and reading) should be about: Are there aspects of human experience or language that Christian writers and readers should avoid? Must all novels by Christian be happy or uplifting, with fairy tale endings? In order to be good and worthwhile, must a Christian story contain the plan of salvation?

Though dissimilar in terms of style, O'Connor and Percy share the gifts of being great storytellers and insightful essayists. Encountering and wrestling with their ideas helps us to become more adept at thoughtfully critiquing our culture and ourselves – all with a view toward, as Percy often remarked, “attacking the fake in the name of the real.” H. Collin Messer . 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

150 41 DCM: Worldviews and the Natural Environment. Environmental issues generate much debate in the public media, 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? The course examines how different worldviews play out in human interaction with the created world. In particular students study modernist , post -modern , and some explicitly Christian worldviews with respect to our relationship to the natural world. This course seeks to cultivate a mature Christian response to the 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. L. Haarsma.. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 42 DCM: Dramatic Families: Dreams, Dysfunctions, and Occasional Solutions. This DCM section will study 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. We will 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 in (or absent) the different families? Students in this section will study Shakespeare's The Tempest , Henrik Ibsen's A Doll House , Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman , Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie , Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun . Videos of these plays will be shown in their entirety in the afternoon, not in the morning class sessions. D. Urban. 8:30 a.m. to noon.

150 43 DCM: Reading Banned Books: Better to Discern Than Burn. Students study the motivations, especially religious, for the censorship of literature. The course includes an analysis of two works, published roughly 100 years apart, that have been the subject of censorship, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Color Purple , both having been censored for issues related to race and religion. A third work, The Handmaid's Tale , portrays the negative effects of religiously-motivated censorship. After developing a philosophical and religious analysis of censorship, students reach their own conclusions about the need to censor literature in contemporary American education and culture. B. Ingraffia. 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.