1) Theology in the Wild—Artifact and Reflection
You will submit the artifact and reflection, due at 11:59pm on the Tuesday following the conclusion of the unit chosen. Your reflection should detail where you found your artifact or conversation, what theological idea it communicates and embodies or challenges, how it does so (connecting with readings). Your reflection should more personally relate how/why it captured your attention and whether it satisfied what you were setting out to find.
Activity and reflections due 11:59pm on the Tuesday after the conclusion of the unit chosen.
Assignment Overview:
Theology is everywhere in the world. Twice during the first 5 weeks of the course, you will find a theological connection in everyday life and reflect on it using the week’s theological themes. It could be a news story, a meme, a work of art, an overheard conversation, a social media post, music, or a scene from your neighborhood.
You will submit a photo, screenshot, or short media clip, plus a short written reflection that theologically interprets what you found. Your two assignments should be focused on different weeks. The second assignment should focus on week 3, 4, or 5.
Examples include a mural that evokes hope, a protest that raises questions about grace and power, an ad that presents certain visions of salvation, a billboard, TikTok, or news story with theological implications.
2)
Theology in the Wild—Plan
You will submit a plan ahead of time, due at 11:59pm on the Friday of the week of the unit you chose (at the conclusion of the unit). Your reflection should briefly indicate where (there could be several places) you plan to look, why you intend to look for inspiration there, and what kind of thing you’re hoping to find.
Plans due Friday 11:59pm of the unit you choose.
Assignment Overview:
Theology is everywhere in the world. Twice during the first 5 weeks of the course, you will find a theological connection in everyday life and reflect on it using the week’s theological themes. It could be a news story, a meme, a work of art, an overheard conversation, a social media post, music, or a scene from your neighborhood.
You will submit a photo, screenshot, or short media clip, plus a short written reflection that theologically interprets what you found. Your two assignments should be focused on different weeks. The second assignment should be completed on week 3, 4, or 5.
Examples include a mural that evokes hope, a protest that raises questions about grace and power, an ad that presents certain visions of salvation, a billboard, TikTok, or news story with theological implications.
3)
Weekly Discussion: Christology
Prompt: What does it mean that Christ is both fully divine and fully human — and why does it matter that Christ’s humanity was embodied in a particular, vulnerable body?
You might explore one of these directions—or something else that stood out to you:
How does the doctrine of the Incarnation shape how you think about human dignity or vulnerability?
How does Copeland’s vision of Christ reframe or challenge traditional images of Jesus you’ve encountered? In other words, specifically, what does it challenge, what questions emerge for you, what do you find comforting and why?
What difference does it make that Christ’s body suffered—not just spiritually, but politically, socially, and physically?
Initial Post: Share a concrete insight, story, question, or connection. Make sure to engage with one of the texts (a specific line with page numbers from Copeland or Chalcedon is a great start!) and tell us how it intersects with your own experiences or questions.
Peer Responses: Push the conversation forward—ask something new, offer another perspective, or make a connection to your own context or the readings.
As always, be sure to touch base with the rubrics. Pasted again, below:
4)
Weekly Discussion: Grace
Prompt: Where do you see grace at work—in your life, in your community, or in our world? How do Pelagius, Augustine, and Ellacuría help you see grace differently?
You might reflect on one of these angles, or something else that emerged for you:
Did one of these authors challenge something you’ve assumed about grace?
Do you see a tension between divine initiative and human effort?
Where do you notice grace showing up in unexpected or collective ways?
- Is there another way that grace might be present in our current reality?
Remember:
Be specific. Share a concrete insight, story, or connection.
Make sure to reference one of the readings or concepts from the module.
Use your voice — let us hear what you’re genuinely wrestling with.
As always, be sure to touch base with the rubrics. Pasted again, below:
