Cities of God

‘The city’ has functioned as a social reality and symbol for millennia. Learners in this course inquire into meanings and critical insights about ‘the city’ in Scripture, the history of theology & ethics, urban sociology, ethnographic writings, local theologies, learners experiences in ministry, & a site visit. In light of these sources the course proposes that urban congregations and communities are ‘cities of God’: sacred places where Word and Spirit transform creation (ecologies, cultures, society) into graced forms of life. Methods include case study, small group reflection, faculty presentations, writing portfolio, and a site visit to an urban church in Chicago.