During the semester, you must attend/observe one service of Christian worship and present your observations in a five- to seven-page paper. (If you regularly attend a Christian service of worship, you should visit a church of a different denomination.) A list of churches of various denominations will be posted on line once the semester gets underway. You are welcome to visit a church outside the list as long as you check in with me first.
There are three components to the assignment.
Once you have decided what Church you will visit, you are expected to do a minimal amount of basic research on the historical background of the denomination, the worship style, its institutional organization and its place in the American religious scene. You may also want to do some research into the specific Church community you plan to visit, especially if it is of historic interest. Before your visit you should also read the relevant chapter in How to Be a Perfect Stranger, on reserve in the theology library. This two-volume book provides you with guidelines for behavior in a number of specific traditions and also has suggestions for introductory reading. In addition, many Christian denominations (and many individual churches) have web pages with helpful information. This preparation is important as it will help make your visit more comfortable and will enable you to get more out of the experience.
Your finished paper should include a brief (one and a half to two pages) introduction to the tradition. Keep in mind that you must cite in a footnote or endnote all sources which you quote or paraphrase, as well as works to which you refer or from which you have culled information. Take notes carefully so that you don't have to go back to relocate your sources. Please follow Humanities format as described in Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers or The Chicago Manual of Style. If you refer to class notes, cite them as "class lecture" or "class discussion" with the appropriate date. There are proper ways of citing electronic source material; you should use the Chicago Style guidelines available here.
Attend the worship service of your choice, making sure to arrive on time and staying through until the end. Since taking notes in church would hardly be appropriate, you may want to focus your attention ahead of time by looking out for some of the following. These questions are merely meant to help you frame your observations-- you should not limit your observations to these areas nor should you expect to comment on each of these things in your paper.
•What is the setting like? What type and size of building, what kind of seating plan, decoration, placement of important objects, symbols, and furnishings that may be used in worship (or the absence of ritual objects etc.)?
•What type of service did you attend--regular Sunday worship, holiday, weekday, wedding, baptism, etc.?
•Was there a musical component? What type, amount, and style of music? Was it performed or created by the congregation?
•What kind of clothing was worn? Did participants in the service wear special clothing or vestments?
•Who participated and how? What degree of lay (congregational) involvement in the service? Ages and number of people attending? Who led the service? Did you notice distinctions of gender, race, or age in worship leadership? How formal or informal was the service? (Note that dress is not always a reliable measure of the formality or informality of the service. Was it primarily scripted or spontaneous?)
•What was the style of prayer or preaching? Was the sermon written and read? prepared but not written? spontaneous?
•How much time was spent in various activities--song, spoken prayer, scripture reading, preaching, sacraments, etc.?
•How welcoming was the congregation?
•How did the service compare with other services or ceremonies, Christian or non-Christian, that you have attended?
After your visit, write a reflection paper, including a brief section with background information as discussed above. Reflect on the events and surroundings, showing how these converge to express beliefs or emphases particular to that congregation or its denomination. Class readings and lectures on liturgy (Christian space, Christian time) should help you to interpret what you see. Attach a church bulletin, program, or newsletter. Be sure to include the following information in your paper: the name of the church, the date and time of the service, and the name and title of the worship leader. First person narrative is perfectly acceptable for this paper and even recommended.
Comparative papers, based on two observations, are also welcome.
Your paper should be between five and seven pages, double-spaced with the usual margins (1" at top and bottom, 1.25" left and right.) Please remember to include page numbers. You must cite in a footnote or endnote all sources which you quote or paraphrase, as well as works to which you refer or from which you have culled information. See section 1 above on citation of sources. If you need some guidance or help with writing, you should consider making use of BU's Educational Resource Center. Information on setting up an appointment is available here.
Papers are due in class Monday, April 10. Please do not come to class late--allow yourself plenty of time to print out your paper in advance. Extensions will be granted only in cases of extreme necessity, and all requests for extensions must be made by 3:00 PM Friday, April 7 at the latest. Papers that are late without an approved extension will lose one full letter grade for each day they are late. The same rule applies to any new due date given by extension. My office hours are Wednesday 1:30-3:00 and by appointment. Please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or e-mail: 358-0186 or dklepper@bu.edu