FALL 2021 at CBU

ANT 430 – Culture and Personality examines the assumptions and theories of Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology (including Theology) as these disciplines address the concept of the individual personality and the socio-cultural context of development and behavior. What is inherent to our biology and what is learned? Are experiences uniquely individual, shared by social groups, or both? What is the relationship between the identity of self and those aspects of our identity that we share with others?

BEH 333 – World View and Epistemology provides an overview of the dynamics of world views and how we receive and use them in interpreting experience. We also consider the dominant historical world views of Western Culture from pre-modern, modern and post-modern times. This includes how we gain knowledge and the nature of material, cognitive-behavioral and spiritual reality and how we verify these very different kinds of knowing. Finally we look at models that attempt the unification of different kinds of knowledge through models of knowledge integration.

CBS 303 – Marriage and Family in the Christian Community addresses the impact of American culture change on religious marriage by examining the history of marriage and family in Western culture and its development in Jewish and Christian communities. This course argues for a clear distinction between religious marriage, home and parenting in contrast to the contemporary idea of marriage, household and parenting as expressed in the culture and too often in the church.

CBS 403 – Congregation and Community considers the function of the congregation as a relational community of faith developing from and paralleling the synagogue. It considers the functions of Worship, Discipleship, Communal Fellowship and Relational Reconciliation and contrasts that with the business and program model often found in the non-liturgical traditions. Congregational planting, development and growth will also be included.

CBS 535 – Marriage and Family Ministry surveys the various approaches that religious communities take in marital preparation and ceremony. It also includes techniques for marital counseling for clergy and counseling ministers in the local congregation. This course includes an understanding of the home as the primary place for spiritual development and formation and how congregations can assist in that process. This course is part of the Master of Arts in Counseling Ministry program at CBU.