ANT3400EN - Anthropology for Christian Witness

Course description

Building on a theological understanding of the relationship between the gospel and culture, this course investigates the ways in which cultural differences impact the missional leader, the gospel message, and the missional community from an anthropological lens. Students examine the incarnational mission, cultural assumptions, critical contextualization, and inculturation in light of anthropological theories such as diffusionism, functionalism, structuralism, cultural materialism, and symbolic anthropology.

How this course benefits students

Students learn to apply anthropological concepts to actual ministry field situations.

Why this course is important

Students learn to integrate faith with their commitment to the importance of anthropological insight to effective cross-cultural Christian witness.

Credit hours
3 hours
Subject area
Anthropology
Educational level
Bachelor
Learning type
Instructional
Prerequisites
None
Upcoming terms
Pending
* Schedule subject to change. Please contact the Registrar's office with schedule questions.

How this course relates to missional core values

Biblically based

Students learn to offer their own interpretations of biblical passages into anthropological settings by leading them to develop integrational thoughts by enriching their understanding of the passage.

Missionally driven

Designed to incorporate the anthropological perspectives into ministry for people with little (or no) former contact with the field of anthropology. Students discuss specific missiologicaI insights for cross-cultural workers.

Contextually informed

Students appreciate the clarity of the presentations, enjoy the examples and illustrations, and are challenged by the references to scripture to think for themselves with interpretive claims.

Interculturally focused

This course insights into the biases of the Western worldview and the way those biases teach those of us who are products of Western culture how to think and to act.

Practically minded

Develops anthropology for native North American Christian workers by offering an overview of the topics in anthropology together with cross-culturally relevant examples.

Experientially transformed

Students set up some ways to experience cross-cultural leadership and conduct research on how cultural differences may impact the gospel message and Christian leadership.