Mobile Ed: MI255 Peace in the City: Alexis de Tocqueville and the Church in America (6 hour course)

by Jim Belcher; Logos Mobile Education

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2019

Overview

In Peace in the City: Alexis de Tocqueville and the Church in America (MI255) Dr. Jim Belcher—drawing from Jeremiah 29:7—explores how the church in America can live out the mission to “seek the welfare of the city” in which it lives. He looks at important questions like: What does it mean to be missional? How do we engage the world? and How do we get involved in our local communities? To answer these, Dr. Belcher looks at the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, specifically his Democracy in America. Using de Tocqueville’s analysis, the course provides insight on American culture and shows how the church can speak into that culture effectively.

Course Outline

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Why Study Alexis De Toqueville?

• The Challenge to Engage the World: Loss of Truth and Morality
• The Challenge to Engage the World: A Vision for Engagement and Faithful Presence
• What Is Democracy in America?
• Modern Use of Democracy in America
• My Personal Experience with De Toqueville
• Relevance for Pastors and Church Planters

Unit 2: Alexis De Toqueville and Democracy in America

• Background, Reasons for Writing, and Travels
• Writing the Masterpiece

Unit 3: The Uniqueness of America: Exegeting the American Culture

• First Impressions
• Explanations for American Exceptionalism: Geography?
• Explanations for American Exceptionalism: Laws and Mores?
• Equality
• Freedom
• The Genius of the American Constitution
• Sovereignty of the People (Rule of Many)
• Danger Sign Up Ahead

Unit 4: Major Threats to the Survival of Democracy

• Individualism: Unencumbered Self
• Individualism: When Tragedy Hits
• Individualism: Individualism and Community
• Dangers of Wealth: Equal Opportunity for Wealth
• Dangers of Wealth: Feverish Pace (Part 1)
• Dangers of Wealth: Feverish Pace (Part 2)
• Dangers of Wealth: Melancholy and Discontent (Part 1)
• Dangers of Wealth: Melancholy and Discontent (Part 2)
• Dangers of Wealth: Lots of Ambition, but Little Great Ambition (Part 1)
• Dangers of Wealth: Lots of Ambition, but Little Great Ambition (Part 2)
• Dangers of Wealth: Political Obligations as Distraction
• Dangers of Wealth: Political Obligations as Distraction
• Dangers of Wealth: Results of Individualism and Wealth
• The Lonely Self: Now Attached and Dependent
• The Lonely Self: Individualism Pulled in Wrong Directions
• The Lonely Self: Tyranny of the Majority
• The Lonely Self: Tyranny of the Majority
• Administrative Centralization: Loss of Freedom and a New Kind of Oppression
• Administrative Centralization: Federal Government as Despot and the Loss of Civil Society
• Administrative Centralization: Summary
• Ordered Liberty

Unit 5: The Solution: Ordered Liberty

• Local Government: Local Liberties
• Local Government: Democracy Trickles Up
• Local Government: Frequent Elections
• Local Government: The Power of Local Government
• Local Government: Reenergized Local Government
• The Role of Pastors and the Church: Reenergizing Local Government
• Independent Judiciary
• Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press
• Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press: America and the Freedom of Speech
• The Role of Pastors and the Church: Freedom of Speech and Press
• Religion and Liberty
• Associations
• Associations as a Protection against Tyranny
• The Role of the Pastor and the Church: Associations
• Habits of the Heart: Restoring Mores
• Habits of the Heart: How Mores Are Cultivated
• The Role of the Pastor and the Church: Habits of the Heart:
• Marriage and Families: Marriage and Democracy
• Marriage and Families: Family and Democracy
• The Role of the Pastor and the Church: Marriage and Families

Conclusion

• Summary of Ordered Liberty
• Takeaways for Pastors

Product Details

• Title: MI255 Peace in the City: Alexis de Tocqueville and the Church in America
• Instructor: Jim Belcher
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Publication Date: 2018
• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources
• Courses: 1
• Video Hours: 6

Resources Included

Hide owned resources

Value if sold separately

Expand all|Collapse all|Partially included

Value if sold separately

Total value if sold separately:

About the Instructor

Dr. Jim Belcher (PhD, Georgetown; MA, Fuller) is president of Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California and former associate professor of practical theology at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His first book was the widely acclaimed and award-winning Deep Church: A Third Way beyond Emerging and Traditional (InterVarsity Press, 2009).

Dr. Belcher is the former founding and lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California, where he served from 2000–2010, and led a period of steady growth. He was the cofounder of the Restoring Community Conference: Integrating Social Interaction, Sacred Space and Beauty in the 21st Century, a conference for city officials, planners, builders, and architects.