Text-Based Case Study

For Field Education

I. BACKGROUND: Provide enough information to set the event in context with a brief description of setting, persons, or related events. Is there any prior history that would serve as context? (e.g. previous interactions, decision, etc. that are pertinent)

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT: Describe what happened and what you did. Report the event in as much detail as possible. You may describe the event in narrative form, verbatim, or a combination of the two. Try not to evaluate or interpret the event at this point, but focus on describing what happened.

III. ANALYSIS: As if you are turning light through a prism, consider the event from the following points of view, so that you might add to your consideration of “what is going on here?”

A. Psychological Concerns

Some ways to get at this might be:

· Reflect on your own feelings and emotions that were present during the event

· Give attention to interpersonal dynamics that took place between people

· Share your “hunches” about psychological dynamics present in the situation

B. Sociological Concerns

Some ways to get at this might be:

· Consider any social forces that might be operative in this situation, e.g. racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, etc.

· Reflect on ways in which power, authority, institutional politics impacted this event

· Think about ways in which this event allowed you to think critically about your own culture, and perhaps to consider your own social location from a different vantage point.

C. Personal Concerns

Some ways to get at this might be:

· Give some attention to what this situation stirred up in you personally (feelings, memories, etc.)

· Reflect on any “aha moments” you had (any new learnings, insights, awarenesses)

· Recall ways in which this situation challenged your “comfort zone” and why.

D. Pastoral of Professional Concerns

Some ways to get at this might be:

· Think about how you would describe your role in this situation, (i.e. prophet, pastor, counselor, comforter, social critic, etc.)

· Consider ways in which this situation raises vocational or identity questions for you

· Articulate questions or dilemmas regarding pastoral practice that might be sparked by this situation

IV. TEXT-BASED THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION

A. Choose a text that you have read in one of your other courses at Divinity

School. This may be from any course, but it should be a text that is

formative or compelling for you.

B. Put this text in conversation with the event you have described in this case.

Some ways to get this may be:

· Does the author present an understanding of a theological or practical issue that might help you understand your event in a new way?

· Translate the “thought” or “theology” of the text into implications for “practice” in the particularity of your event.

· Might you offer a critique of the author in light of your lived experience of this case? i.e. what is the author missing?

C. Articulate your own theological perspective on the issues considered in

Section B. Some ways to get at this might be:

· Articulate ways in which a conviction or belief of yours has been re-enforced, challenged, stretched or nuanced as a result of this event and reflection on the event

· How would you distinguish you own theological commitments from those of the author?

· Take a close look at your “action” or “practice” in this event and try to discern what theological commitments it reveals

V. ASSESSMENT OF YOUR PASTORAL PRACTICE: Briefly indicate the ways in which you thought you were effective or ineffective in this situation.

VI. FUTURE ACTION: In what ways might this reflection inform future actions in this situation, or in similar situations you might encounter?