ECO Intensive

Monday-Friday; August 10-14 and August 17-21, 2020
Time: 9:00am-11:00am Pacific Standard Time- Synchronous online. Plus 2 hours of asynchronous online discussion and exercises a day.

Educating to “Create Just and Sustainable Communities that Counter Oppressions” (“ECO”) is a core goal of Starr King’s M.Div. and M.A.S.C. degree programs. In this required two week core intensive, M.Div. and M.A.S.C. students work together to form a framework for counter-oppressive spiritual leadership. We will ask: how can spirituality, ministry, and religious activism respond to the multiple and intersecting realities of injustice, suffering, and oppression in our lives and our world? What models of justice and sustainable community invite our commitment? Drawing on Unitarian Universalist and multi-religious sources, we will explore how, in the midst of a world marked by tragedy, sorrow and injustice, there remain abiding resources of beauty and grace that nourish resistance, offer healing and call us to accountability and community building.

All readings assigned are to be completed before the course begins. Please note, the readings for this course are extensive, and involve both the required texts as well as readings available online in the student platform. Please start the readings early.

In addition, one prerequisite writing assignment is due August 3rd on Moodle.

This intensive course will utilize Moodle as a means to access resources, post assignments, as well as share materials and resources. This hybrid course will include 2 hours on Zoom a day, plus approximately 2 hours of asynchronous online discussion and exercises a day. Meeting time will be 9-11am Pacific Standard Time Monday through Friday August 10-14 and 17-21. Students will have the opportunity to lead a five minute opening or closing ritual during the synchronous time together. Signups for leading a ritual will be available through the course Moodle site.

The August 2020 ECO Core Intensive will have a special focus on economic and racial justice, addressed intersectionally.

Relates to Thresholds #2,5,7 and 8 and MFC Competency #4. Please take within your first year.