Greenville College - Fall 2008 COR101 Descriptions

Whether a single sentence or well developed story, parables were given to stimulate thought and a right response in those who heard or read them. To understand and interpret parables, one must learn what can be learned about the original audience for each, the setting and cultural presuppositions, the symbols relevant to the audience and the response the original audience was pressed to make. Furthermore, one must also examine the interpretation given by the author or source and discern the theological themes each parable affirms or presupposes. In this course we will attempt to understand, interpret and apply a variety of parables found in Biblical literature.

The Instructor:
Robert Johnson does most of his teaching in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He has taught many outdoor activities included rock climbing, canoeing, water-skiing and sailing. During the winter months he teaches fencing. He also teaches Exercise Physiology, Kinesiology and several other courses in Recreation. Professor Johnson also enjoys music and once team-taught “Blues-based Music Appreciation” during Interterm with a colleague from the Music Department.

COR 101.02 Living Below the Surface – Exploring the Spiritual Disciplines

Jesus told us that He came to give us abundant life, yet many Christians live defeated lives, full of worry, frustration, fear, and nagging sin. And when the storms of life come? We are tossed back and forth because there is no depth to our spiritual lives. “Living Below the Surface” explores the importance of cultivating a deeper walk with Jesus Christ through the Spiritual Disciplines. We will explore (and practice) the inward disciplines of meditation, prayer, and study, and the outward disciplines of simplicity, submission, fasting and service. If you’re ready to venture “below the surface” where the waters are calmer, richer and fuller, then join us on the journey inward!

The Instructor:
Lori Gaffner is the Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Formation, and she is beginning her sixteenth year at the college. After earning her undergraduate degree from Greenville College, she worked in pastoral ministry for five years as an Assistant Pastor, in charge of children's and youth ministries. She has undergraduate degrees in psychology and religion, as well as elementary education, and a master's degree from Eastern Illinois University in Educational Guidance and Counseling. Life is busy but quite fulfilling for Lori and her husband, with three children (including a son and twin "miracle" daughters – born 10 weeks early and weighing under 3 pounds each), campus life, and other responsibilities. Someday, there may even be time for a hobby or two!

COR 101.03 God's Politics: Helping Elect God's Man or Woman

Does God want Christians to be politically active? Does one political party represent God's interests more so than another? Does the Bible provide guidance for Christian involvement in politics? What can we learn from the history of Christianity? What have Christians in other countries done with these issues? These questions carry added significance in this presidential election season. This course will explore the issues behind these questions with a view to taking action consistent with our convictions.

The Instructor:
Richard Huston grew up in Paraguay, South America, with missionary parents, the main reason he now teaches Latin American history at GC. He has studied at Greenville College, Asbury Seminary and UCLA. This past year Dr. Huston lived in Costa Rica and Nicaragua while on a sabbatical leave. Living in Latin America has helped him become more aware of the church’s responsibility to influence all aspects of society in order to help God establish His kingdom here on earth. This includes influencing the political system to establish governments more favorable to peace, justice and a consistent ethic of life. When he’s not teaching, Professor Huston loves to watch his son, Peter, play soccer and basketball. He also loves long-distance motorcycle touring, camping and fishing. One of his favorite memories from this past year is dancing the Mambo in Cuba, during a concert at the national mental-health hospital (check out his Facebook page).

COR 101.04 Beauty and the Beast – and Beyond: Does Disney shape our thinking?

Folk tales have been around for centuries; why are we still intrigued by them? Do they have the same meaning for us as for the original tellers? What happens when Disney (or Shelly Duvall) gets hold of them? Why were the Grimms so grim? And what about those two-timing princes in “Into the Woods”? We’ll investigate how our worldview affects the way we understand these traditional tales – and how modern versions may affect our worldview.

The Instructor:
Dale Martin, Professor of English, is a long-time veteran of the Greenville College faculty. He earned degrees at Greenville College (BA), University of Wisconsin – Madison (MA), and Southern Illinois University – Carbondale (PhD). His musical tastes run from Bach to bluegrass, he has taught more than 30 different courses, has performed in Smoke on the Mountain and Messiah, has biked to the Gulf of Mexico, enjoys woodworking, and reads Shakespeare, Grisham, Tolkein, Hopkins, Frost, Silverstein, and Dilbert, among others.

COR 101.05 A Christian Pilgrimage to Mecca and Beyond: Exploring the Middle East through Fiction and Film

Want to take a vacation to the Middle East? Despite the lovely beaches and mountains, for most of us, the words “vacation” and “Middle East” are contradictory. We know this part of the world as a region of violence and conflict. Why do we think of the Middle East as “other-worldly”? Why do we fear its people? In this class, we will try to look at the world through the eyes of Middle Easterners. We will travel in our minds to the area in and around the Middle East by reading good novels and watching good films about life in this part of the world. We will frame our discussion of these creative works with theological reflection about how God wants us to understand the whole of his created world. We will put ourselves in the places of these people. We will wrestle with the pain that often intersects with their daily lives, but we will also pay attention to the beauty and joy present in their world. We will experience their cultures through a variety of creative activities that you will help design. We will try to see the Middle East and its people as God sees them today.

The Instructor:
Georgann Kurtz-Shaw, a member of the GC faculty since 1991, earned a masters degree in library science from the University of Illinois and a Masters degree in literature from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. In addition to serving as Head of Public Services for the GC Library for several years, she has also taught at both the University of Illinois and GC. While she has only traveled to the Middle East through fiction and film, Georgann did study Norwegian language and culture for a year with Middle Eastern immigrants while living in Bergen, Norway. Through this experience, along with other travels throughout Europe, she developed a curiosity about life in other countries. For fun, besides traveling, Georgann enjoys reading novels aloud with her husband and eight-year-old daughter and biking as much as she can.

COR 101.06 Radical Christianity: Changing the World One Person at a Time

Can ordinary people solve global problems (like poverty, starvation, global warming and genocide)? In this class we will study ordinary people who, upon discovering their passions, changed the world around them. At the same time we will each examine our personal sense of mission as college students and beyond. In our pursuit of “extraordinary-ness” we will engage in a process of self-discovery (using a variety of personality tests and inventories), conduct interviews with extraordinary people, do service with a community partner, and dream of the new world we would like to create through faith and God’s grace.

The Instructor:
Teresa Blue Holden teaches in the History/Political Science Department. With a PhD in American Studies, she studies the process of social change and works to bring about a more just society through her own volunteer activities. In 2006, she was the Volunteer of the Year for the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis Illinois, and was first runner-up for the St. Louis Rams Metro St. Louis Community Quarterback Volunteer of the Year. Teresa is married to Dave Holden and has three children: Lindsey (17), Ashley (15) and David (11).

COR 101.07 "Don't Just Say Something. Stand There!" - The Power of Nonverbal Communication

We laugh. We frown. We flirt. We pout. We touch. We shrug. We wink. We cry. Nonverbal communication is a powerful and compelling force in our lives. It is estimated that almost two-thirds of the meaning in any social situation is derived from nonverbal cues. Through the vehicle of improvisation and performance, this course will explore various aspects of nonverbal communication such as territory and personal space, gender attraction, gesture, body language, touch, clothing, scent, use of time, and the distinctiveness of this form of communication from culture to culture. Activities will include a lip-sync contest, nonverbal real-life experiments, nonverbal communication as creative expression, and improvisation and discussion of nonverbal communication misunderstandings as a result of cultural differences.

The Instructor:
Dr. Cecelia Ulmer serves as Professor of Communication and Artistic and Managing Director of the Factory Theatre. She earned undergraduate and Master’s degrees from Murray State University and a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Dr. Ulmer has worked with St. Louis Repertory Theatre and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She brings over thirty years teaching experience to the G.C. classroom and leads classes in theatre performance, literature, fine arts, and communication. Dr. Ulmer has traveled extensively in Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Central and South America, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras. She enjoys canoeing, camping, music, theatre, bird watching, landscaping, and foreign films.

COR 101.08 Examining the Cultural Mosaic: Where do you fit in?

Ever wonder about different cultural actions, traditions, food and experiences? Have you ever wondered about our different cultures here in the U.S.? Have you ever participated in events that promote global fellowship? What are some reasons behind other people’s traditions, be they family, religious or cultural?

During this class, by taking a personal, reflective, participatory journey into both the familiar and unfamiliar, the comfortable and the uncomfortable, we will examine, discuss and explore cultural and spiritual heritage, and it’s relevance to the body of Christ. HOW? We will accomplish these objectives through film, discussion, church visits and cultural immersion experiences. Be prepared to rock your spiritual house and enhance your cultural palate that will promote awareness to other cultures, people, places and things!!!

The Instructor:
Michelle D. Griggs is GC’s Director of Multicultural and Cross-Cultural Affairs. Michelle has come from a distinctively multicultural background after living and growing up in California, Illinois, and Georgia. She loves to travel and she has visited Mexico & Canada, and Uganda, Africa. She has a 3 year old son named August, an 11 year old sol named Daniel, and a husband named Charles. Charles is a published novelist, and they are both avid science fiction fans!

COR 101.09 Planning to be Successful in College

This special course is designed to help make the transition from High School to College by providing strategies for success. Students take charge of their learning experience by gaining a better understanding of their personality types and learning styles. Students also learn to overcome the challenges of college by improving and acquiring new skills associated with reading, note taking, study habits, class participation, active learning and research methods. Students engage in practical exercises that develop useful strategies that will guarantee success and a promising career after graduation.

The Instructor:
Will Boyd is the Assistant Dean for Student Success and also an Instructor of Business Management. He earned a bachelors of science in engineering, a Masters of Business Administration, and a Ph.D. in Religion and another Ph.D. in Organizational Management. Serving as Assistant Dean, he focuses most of his energies toward helping all students develop the skills necessary to succeed academically and socially while at Greenville. As an instructor, he teaches students the frameworks, models, paradigms and methodologies needed to achieve financial freedom and success in leadership. Outside of the college, he serves as an International Presiding Bishop to Zion Ministries. In this role, he trains up men and women of all ages to become successful leaders of not-for-profit organizations, including churches and ministries all over the world. As Will finds much joy helping others meet and exceed their personal goals and win others to Christ, he feels truly blessed as he spends with his beautiful wife and children.

COR 101.10 Together We Can!

This course will entail PHYSICAL CHALLENGES that test the mind body and spirit! We will participate in a ½ marathon, a weekend backpacking trip, and rappelling and rock climbing. It will be rigorous but ultimately all activities will be at your own pace. Coach Barber will lead the class and it will also include scripture memorization and a writing element.

The Instructor:
This course is taught by Dr. George Barber, Head Men’s basketball coach and Associate Professor of HPR at Greenville College. Coach Barber and his wife Lisa are the parents of five children, ages 5-13. He is an active jogger and enjoys playing basketball and golf, but says he not very good at either one. He enjoys studying and teaching in the area of leadership. He enjoys sports movies, and books about real life overachievers. Coach Barber has taken classes backpacking in Utah and Colorado, and Kayaking in Florida. Each Spring he heads up the Adapted Sports Olympics day at Greenville College. He has coached at Bradley University and at the University of Kentucky where in 1996 the team won a Division I National Championship.

COR 101.11 Estados Unidos: A Celebration of Hispanic Influences in America

Salsa/merengue music and dancing, Latin American cuisine, movies, articles, and Hispanic American panelists will all be a springboard for this class to dive into the wonderful, creative, passionate, unique, and extremely diverse Hispanic culture. Additionally, the highly controversial issue of immigration, both legal and illegal will be a part of our conversation, as we consider how it affects the American presidential race. We will attempt to bring each person to a greater awareness of how learning a second language and/or better understanding another culture will open many doors of opportunity for him/herself, and even more importantly, will help develop her/him into a much more valuable member of our own GC community and the larger North American, and global communities as well. No previous Spanish study or speaking ability is required for the course, but we will have some FUN with basic Spanish as well!

The Instructor:
Brian Reinhard teaches Spanish in the Language, Literature and Culture Department, and is the head softball coach at GC. He is a graduate of Greenville College, and earned both his Master’s degree (Madrid Campus) and PhD from Saint Louis University. His studies as well as his penchant for organizing student travel groups have taken him all over the Spanish-speaking world. These experiences include visits to Spain, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica, Bolivia, and most recently to Guatemala with a group of GC students. His passions are his God, his marvelous wife Carla and their three children, the Hispanic culture, and all sports.

COR 101.12 Ministry of Mercy

Discover what the Bible says about ministry to the poor and marginalized and the exciting things some churches are doing today in behalf of the “the least of these.” During the semester you’ll have opportunity for hands-on experience with the urban poor in St. Louis. Only those who are serious about serving and doing something with their faith need apply.

The Instructor:
Dr. Joe Culumber has broad experience in urban and cross-cultural ministry among the poor and marginalized. He has taught and ministered in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including fifteen years as an urban pastor in Seattle and the Philippines. Dr. Culumber has been a member of the Philsopy/Religion Department at GC since 2000.

COR 101.13 Back to the Future: The Olympics as a Window to Tomorrow

Since the modern Olympics began in 1896, the games have showcased all that is good and bad in our world. In 1924, Olympic officials introduced the motto, ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ (Swifter, Higher, Stronger), and, since then, the Games have featured spectacular athletic performances – surpassing the expected limits of men and women. Unfortunately, the Olympics have also reflected the struggles of humanity with politics, faith, racism, sexism, terrorism, and performance enhancing drugs – often bringing these issues to our attention for the first time. The Beijing Olympics carries on this struggle of bringing people together and revealing our future so interlinked with nations and cultures we hardly know.

Students will study the results of the summer and winter games, from the 1920 Antwerp Games to this year’s Beijing Games – athletically, politically and socially. They will evaluate how sport provides a vibrant stage for protest and dispelling ignorant stereotypes that too often separate us. We will then take these analyses and apply them to ourselves – analyzing how social, economic, physiological and psychological forces impact our lives and how we, using all of the gifts given to us by Christ, can change the world.

The Instructor:
Dave Holden, Dean of the School of Professional Studies and Associate Vice President for Strategic Innovation, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California in 1983 in business administration. He was a reserve offensive tackle for the Trojan football team from 1980 to 1984. In his senior year, USC won the Pacific-10 conference and defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 1985 Rose Bowl. Dave earned the David L. Marks Scholar-Athlete award and received the John Wayne Graduate Scholarship awarded by the Trojan Football Alumni Club. After playing, he remained at USC, serving as a Graduate Assistant Coach from 1985-86. He earned his Master’s degree in Physical Education from USC in 1988 and completed his Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University in 2005.

In addition to his role as Dean and Associate Vice President, Dave serves as Liaison to the Higher Learning Commission, the organization that accredits Greenville College. He also is Faculty Athletic Representative, assisting the Panther Athletic Department in complying with NCAA regulations. For fun, he coaches his two daughters in cross country, track and his son in flag football. He also is an assistant coach for the East St. Louis Railers Track Club, helping shot put, discus and javelin throwers.

COR 101.14 Learning to Listen for God

This course begins with the assumption that God calls us to a life of listening and of telling stories—a supposition that will be explored through a critical examination of the genre known as “spiritual autobiography.” Students will read, write, and discuss the theme of the “journey” from a Christian perspective. As a result, they will come to understand something of the narrative process as a channel for discovering both who and whose they are, as they acquire skills in learning to listen more carefully to their own, as well as other’s lives. A variety of contemporary voices will be read as a class (including selections by Frederick Buechner, Richard Rodriguez, Kathleen Norris, Anne Lamott, Lauren Winner and Randall Balmer), and analyzed using the lenses of history, literature, and theology, with the particular goal of situating each writer in his/her religious, geographical, and cultural context.

The Instructor:
Brian T. Hartley, Head of the Department of Philosophy and Religion and Dean of the Chapel, holds a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Saint Louis University, with previous graduate work at both Princeton and Oklahoma State University. An alumnus of Greenville, he was the recipient of the Princeton preaching fellowship in London, England, as well as pastor of churches in Toronto, Canada, and Stillwater, Oklahoma. He is the recipient of several awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a published author in the history of Christian Worship, and served most recently as Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute for Ecumenical Research at St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN. Other passions for Professor Hartley include playing the drums, baking bread, performing Shakespeare, and collecting prayer books.

COR 101.15 Jesus of the Media

How does a 21st Century culture relate to the Christ of the New Testament? This course will open a dialogue in cultural relevancy, media culture, and spiritual responsibility using texts such as Marshall McLuhan’s “Media and Culture”and H. Richard Niebuhr’s “Christ and Culture”, and several films depicting and interpreting spirituality, Christianity, and Christ.

The Instructor:
Jacob Amundson is a new addition the Greenville College Art Department. An alum of ’01, Jacob went on to receive a Master’s degree in Alternative Media from Webster University and is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree at Azusa Pacific with an emphasis in Emerging Media. Jake teaches a variety of courses in Art and Digital Media including: Graphic Design, Digital Photography, Digital Video, Digital Imaging, Painting, Film Studies, and Advanced Studio. He lives in St. Louis with his wife Lisa and daughter Charlotte.

COR 101H.01 Sharing Your Popcorn with Jesus: Faith and Film in Dialogue

How might a thoughtful Christian engage the powerful images, stories, and values of popular movies? Christians often have a strangely schizophrenic relationship with the larger culture: we seem to oscillate between the extremes of either thoughtlessly embracing our popular culture or energetically waging holy wars and building holy walls to protect ourselves from these "secular" influences. Using books such as Robert K. Johnston's Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue (2007) and Roy M. Anker's Catching Light: Looking for God in the Movies (2005) as starting points, this course will explore ways that Christians can dialogue with popular film. The course will ask you to think deeply theologically and will demand that you learn new ways to critically interpret film. As part of your course "reading" you will need to view one film a week outside of class during our Monday evening film “lab”—don't sign up for the course if you can't sign-up for the Monday night lab as well.

The Instructor:
S. Bradley Shaw, Associate Professor of English, graduated from GC in 1983 with majors in English and Religion. He returned as a professor in 1991 after completing a Ph.D. in American Literature at the University of Illinois. He has earned research fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Pew Charitable Trust. In 1997-1998 and again in 2004-2005, Shaw served as the Fulbright Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of Bergen in Norway. He sometimes daydreams about returning to Europe in order to bike across the continent and field-test the ice cream and chocolate in each country.

COR 101T.01: Movies, Movies, and Me: Where Do I "Fit" in Today's World?
(For ALL Transfer Students with 60 Hours or Less of College Credits)

Have you ever wondered why you are infatuated with the movie Atonement, but your best friend cannot see enough of Horton Hears a Who!? Are you an only child, or the baby of your family? Are you an INFP, or an ESTJ? Do you utilize your spiritual gifts? Do you NEED to feel affection, inclusion, and control in a relationship? Well, we will discover the answers to those questions by examining personality theory through movies, communication patterns, research, writing, and more in this TRANSFER COR 101 course. Together we will discover your Gallup strengths, examine your birth order, explore your Myers-Briggs personality type, and uncover your spiritual gifts. We will study popular (national and international) movies as you make connections to your personality traits. Finally, we will study communication habits, and gender differences. The results: encouragement to adapt to Greenville College while you transform your life to fit into this 21st century world.

The Instructor:
"The Queen Has Spoken," one of Mary Engelbreit’s infamous phrases, comically describes Professor Veronica Ross, Communication Department Chair, and Director of Management and Business for WGRN, the College radio station. As per the StrengthsFinder results, she falls into the themes of Learner, Input, Connectedness, Arranger, and Relator. These themes hold true for her as teaching is her passion, so she shares her Communication knowledge with traditional students, all the while learning as much as she connects to others. Professor Ross also demonstrates leadership/arranger skills by serving as Advisor for Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Honors Society. Shopping with her 12-year-old granddaughter, Alexa; playing games with her nine-year-old grandson, Andrew; and “snugging” her five-year-old grandson, Aiden, allows her to "Bloom Where She’s Planted." Join her to explore self, culture, and media in the world around us.

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Greenville College is a four-year, Christian college providing a quality liberal arts education for over 1200 traditional, adult-degree-completion and graduate students.
Founded in 1892, Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, about 45 miles from St. Louis on I-70, and is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church.