Church History Christian Religious Education
Education Ethics
Evangelism and Mission Ministry
New Testament and Greek Old Testament and Hebrew
Pastoral Care Preaching and Worship
Research and Design Colloquium Spiritual Formation
Theology and Philosophy
Departments are linked to headings.
CHURCH HISTORY
CHH 621 - 3 hours: Church History I
An introduction to the main contours of the history of the Christian church from its inception to the Reformation. This life-story includes themes of institutional, theological, intellectual and spiritual development. By entering into this story students will gain knowledge of the basic development of the church and the skills and tools needed in order to apply that knowledge to present circumstances in both personal and public arenas.
CHH 622 - 3 hours: Church History II
An introduction to the main contours of the history of the Christian church from the Reformation to the present. This life-story includes themes of institutional, theological, intellectual and spiritual development. By entering into this story students will gain knowledge of the basic development of the church and the skills and tools to apply that knowledge to present circumstances in both personal and public arenas.
CHH 623 - 2 hours: Baptist Heritage
This course is a study of Baptist origins, development, principles, leaders, and current trends with emphasis on Baptists in the United States. The seventh of the ten founding principles for the McAfee School of Theology begins: "The School should hold steadfastly to the high and defining traditions of Baptists." In light of Jesse Mercer's warning that ministers cannot teach what they have not learned, this course will better equip students to embody the present and create a future for an endangered living tradition.
CHH 800 Special Topics – 1 to 3 hours
CHH 822 – 3 hours: Classics of Christian Devotion*
*Prerequisites: CHH 621 & 622
This course introduces students to selected Christian devotional classics through the disciplines of history, spirituality and personal reflection.
Email a Church History Faculty Member
Back to Top
CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
CRE 682 - 3 hours: Faith Development*
*Prerequisite: SPF 702
This course introduces the issues of how faith is nurtured in individuals and communities, and how the church can fulfill its mission of faith education. Students will study a range of developmental processes in children, adolescents, and adults, and how learning occurs through the life-stages of individuals, families, and communities. Practical issues of how Christian education can be structured and developed in the local church will also be addressed.
CRE 683 - 3 hours: Leadership and Church Systems
This course is an introductory study of administration and leadership in congregations and other organizational contexts. Students will learn a systems-approach to organizations and groups, and how to function, facilitate, and lead effectively. Issues of ongoing management, planning, finances, staff relations, group process, and church policy will also be discussed.
CRE 684 - 3 hours: Church Administration
This course is an introductory study of administration in the congregational context. Issues of ongoing management, long-range planning, goal-setting, finances, budget-planning, committee structures and church polity will be discussed.
CRE 685 - 3 hours: Ministry with Children*
*Prerequisite: CRE 682 or concurrently enrolled in CRE 682
This course will take the theories of faith development and apply them to practical ministries for children in the church. Students will learn how to plan and implement educational programs, worship services, mission projects and fellowship opportunities that will enhance the spiritual learning and growth of children.
CRE 686 - 3 hours: Ministry with Youth*
*Prerequisite: CRE 682 or concurrently enrolled in CRE 682
This course will take the theories of faith development and apply them to practical ministries for youth in the church. Students will learn how to plan and implement educational programs, worship services, mission projects and fellowship opportunities that will enhance the spiritual learning and growth of youth.
CRE 687 - 3 hours: Ministry with Adults*
*Prerequisite: CRE 682 or concurrently enrolled in CRE 682
This course will take the theories of faith development and apply them to practical ministries for adults in the church. Students will learn how to plan and implement educational programs, worship services, mission projects and fellowship opportunities that will enhance the spiritual learning and growth of adults.
CRE 800 Special Topics – 1 to 3 hours
CRE 882 – 3 hours: Theological Approaches to Christian Education
This course will attempt to integrate and probe the conversation between the disciplines of education and theology about the processes by which Christian faith is embodied, communicated, and re-formed within the church and culture. It will address, from the perspective of Christian education, some of the crucial theological issues central to the educational task.
CRE 883 – 3 hours: Church Pedagogy and Curriculum Development
This course will introduce students to the notion that sound teaching methodology and challenging content are both integral to the mission and ministry of Christian Education in the local church. Therefore, students will practice and evaluate various models of teaching and they will learn the basics of good curriculum development by producing a curriculum piece for publication by Smyth & Helwys Publishers.
Email a Christian Religious Education Faculty Member
Back to Top
EDUCATION
EDUC 611 – 3 hours: Child Development
This course will look at the ways in which children grow and mature cognitively, socially, physically, and emotionally from birth to age twelve. Various developmental stage theorists, such as Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson, will be examined. This course will be taken in the Tift College of Education.
EDUC 612 – 3 hours: Adolescent Development
Also taken in the Tift College of Education, this course will look at the ways in which teenagers grow and mature cognitively, socially, physically, and emotionally from birth to age twenty-one. Various developmental stage theorists, such as Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson, will be examined.
Email an Education Faculty Member
Back to Top
ETHICS
ETH 641 - 3 hours: Christian Ethics
This course will study the sources and nature of Christian ethics with a view to understanding the meaning of Christian responsibility in contemporary society, the minister’s place in developing and applying this meaning, and the church’s role as bearer of justice and peace in today’s world.
ETH 800 Special Topics - 1 to 3 hours
Email an Ethics Faculty Member
Back to Top
EVANGELISM AND MISSION
EVM 661 - 3 hours: Evangelism and Mission I
Taught in two sections, this course gives the student an introduction to mission and evangelism in the life of the church. Biblical theology, history, and practical theology will help to focus the discussion. Students will be exposed to research in sociology and contextualization issues that relate to mission and evangelism. Special attention will be given to practical application and to creative approaches to mission and evangelism that will effectively penetrate the multi-cultural context.
EVM 662 - 3 hours: Evangelism and Mission II*
*Prerequisite: EVM 661
Continuation and completion of EVM 661 above.
EVM 800 Special Topics - 1 to 3 hours
EVM 801 - 3 hours: Understanding Urban Mission
An overview of the mission of God in the world within the urban context with attention given to readings in urban mission and ministry, introduction of global urban mission organizations, and practical attention to strategies for holistic mission in the Atlanta urban core.
EVM 861 - 3 hours: Postmodernity: Its Impact on Mission and Evangelism
A critical study of the impact that postmodernity is having upon churches and denominations. The course will investigate the paradigm shifts in mission that have occurred as the church has moved through eras into the postmodern. Special attention will be placed upon creative approaches to a postmodern mission and evangelism agenda for the 21st century.
EVM 862 - 3 hours: Personal Evangelism
An investigation into the need for and practical approaches to a life of personal witness. Special attention will be placed upon theology, history, and integrity in approaches. The role of discipleship will be explored as a major component. The class will focus upon personal accountability and seek to help the student develop a lifestyle in keeping with personality issues and kingdom issues.
EVM 863 - 3 hours: The Mission of the Church in the World
A study of Christian mission as it proceeds from the local church into the world. Theology, history, missiological perspectives, and new approaches to mission by the local church will be explored. Students will be exposed to world religions and ecumenical concerns within the context of missiology.
EVM 864 - 3 hours: Dynamics of Effective Church Growth
A study of church growth as defined by the New Testament and focused toward the postmodern world. Issues related to demographic research, movement of people groups, cultural realities, language, methodology, and secularism will be explored to equip the student to lead a church to grow. A practical research project in which each student will participate will be the centerpiece of the course.
EVM 865 - 3 hours: History of Evangelism
This course is a survey of significant periods in the history of evangelistic movements. Evangelism prior to Pietism, pioneers of pietistic evangelism, evangelistic movements of the eighteenth century, evangelism in the age of mission, the Second Great Awakening, and evangelism since World War I. The course will close with an examination of evangelism unique to the Southern Baptist Convention.
EVM 866 - 3 hours: Mission Immersion Experience (Subtitled)*
*Prerequisites: EVM 661-Evangelism and Mission I and EVM 662-Evangelism and Mission II
The mission immersion experience gives students the opportunity to participate in mission opportunities outside their own culture. The focus of the experience will be on ministry and mission in the 2/3rds world or at home. Students will experience different cultures, world views, and lifestyles and hopefully gain further appreciation for world mission opportunities, which can be incorporated into their call to ministry.
EVM COL - 3 hours: Colloquium: The City and The Church
A reading and discussion colloquium examining issues related to urban ministry with attention to the processes of urbanization, the impact of global urbanization on the church and strategies for congregational effectiveness in the urban context with focus on metropolitan Atlanta.
Email an Evangelism and Mission Faculty Member
Back to Top
MINISTRY
MIN 800 - 1 to 3 hours: Special Topics
•Change and Conflict in the Church - An examination of the nature and dynamics of change and conflict in churches and religious institutions. The course studies the leadership role of the minister in effecting change and understanding conflict with focus on the skills needed to serve as a change agent.
•Civil Rights Among Southern Baptists, 1956-1996 - From 1956 to 1995, Southern Baptists made great strides in racial acceptance and inclusiveness. This came at great sacrifices from clergy, laity, college and seminary professors and denominational servants. Using personal interviews, already collected media resources, and other library materials, students in this course will discover the events and persons who helped shape this metamorphosis. A biblical foundation will undergird the study. The data will be interpreted, compiled and prepared for book publication. Students will work individually and collectively on manuscripts for which they will be cited and credited.
•African American Religions - This course is intended to familiarize the student with the religious expressions of African Americans, past and present. Special attention will be given to the histories and practices of religious expressions of African Americans and the synthesis in the varieties of religious expressions, enabling the student to apply these learnings to ministry opportunities.
MIN 801 - 3 hours: Change and Conflict in the Church
This course will be an examination of the nature and dynamics of change and conflict in churches and religious institutions. The course studies the leadership role of the minister in effecting change and understanding conflict with focus on the skills needed to serve as a change agent.
MIN 802 - 3 hours: Congregational Song
This course is a study of congregational music used in worship, including hymns, choruses, and scripture songs. The course includes the study of the historical development of hymns, analysis of the literary, scriptural and theological content of congregational songs, inclusion of world music (Iona, Taize and the music of the Americas), worship leadership, and congregational song resources.
MIN 851 - 2 hours: Campus Ministry
This course is a study of both campus ministry on the campus (Baptist Student Union) and the church’s ministry to students. It will cover the historical development, philosophies, objectives, issues concerning the college age student, and trends in campus ministry.
MIN 852 - 3 hours: Ministers, the Church, and Managing Money
This course is a study of money management and budgeting for the minister’s personal life and in the local church.
MIN 853 - 3 hours: Women: Believing, Worshiping, and Ministering
This course will focus on women in the church and how a feminine perspective shapes and influences theology, worship, and ministerial roles. Special attention will be given to issues that affect women ministers both spiritually and vocationally.
MIN 901 - 3 hours: Mentoring I: The Local Church Setting*
*Prerequisite: Spiritual Formation 701
Mentoring I, supervised ministry in a local church setting, is the first of two semesters of required mentored ministry. It is usually offered only in the fall semester. Mentoring will include the supervision of a Field Mentor coupled with a peer reflection group on campus. At least one of the required mentoring placements must take place in a setting other than a student’s current and ongoing ministry situation. A student may not take two semesters of mentoring requirements in the same setting without prior permission of the Director of Ministry Experience.
MIN 902 - 3 hours: Mentoring II*
*Prerequisite: MIN 901
Mentoring II is the second of two required courses in mentored ministry. The student in consultation with the director of Ministry Experience may choose a setting other than a local church setting. Such settings for supervision include student ministries, prison ministries, children’s home ministries, kindergartens, hospitals, Clinical Pastoral Education, and others. This course is usually offered only in the spring semester. At least one of the required mentoring placements must take place in a setting other than a student’s current and ongoing ministry situation. A student may not take two semesters of mentoring requirements in the same setting without prior permission of the professor of ministry experience.
MIN 903 - 3 hours: Capstone
The Capstone course is required for graduation and must be taken in a student’s last year. The objective of the course is to help students to integrate the various facets of the Master of Divinity curriculum in preparation for graduation and entry into a full-time ministry position. To that end it involves students in critical reflection on issues in ministry from biblical, historical, theological, and pastoral perspectives.
MIN 904 - 3 hours: Ministry Internship I
Min 904 is reserved for students taking a full-time internship or residency, such as campus ministry or Clinical Pastoral Education. Enrollment must be made and the approval of the professor of ministry experience must be secured prior to the semester in which the internship/residency is to begin. This is an elective course and must be taken in the fall semester.
MIN 905 - 3 hours: Ministry Internship II
Min 905 is the second semester of a student's full-time internship or residency, such as campus ministry or Clinical Pastoral Education. Enrollment must be made and the approval of the professor of ministry experience must be secured prior to the semester in which the internship/residency is to begin. This is an elective course and must be taken in the spring semester.
Email a Ministry Faculty Member
Back to Top
NEW TESTAMENT AND GREEK
NTG 611 - 3 hours: Jesus and the Gospels
This course seeks to enable students to become more informed readers and more skilled interpreters of the Gospels. It engages historical questions about Jesus and the writing of the Gospels, it introduces various methods of interpretation, and it probes the meaning of Gospel texts for contemporary believers.
NTG 612 - 3 hours: Paul and the Early Church
This course examines the origins of the church through the study of the New Testament from Acts through Revelation. It provides an overview of the earliest period of the church’s development, the themes and content of major books of the New Testament, with the intent of assisting students to become skilled and perceptive interpreters of the history, literature, and theology of the early church.
NTG 613 - 3 hours: Greek Exegesis I
This course provides students with an introduction to New Testament Greek. Basic grammar and very frequent words are covered with the intentional goal of attaining a beginning competency not only in translation, but also exegesis of New Testament texts.
NTG 800 – 1 to 3 hours Special Topics
NTG 803 - 3 hours: Greek Exegesis II (Subtitled)*
*Prerequisite: NTG 613 - Greek Exegesis I
This course, a continuation of NTG 613, will complete the introductory grammar and stress not only translational skills, but also Greek exegesis of particular texts, including hermeneutical exploration and contemporary application. This course may be repeated for credit if the selected texts are different as indicated in the subtitle.
NTG 811 - 3 hours: The Gospel of John
The objective of this course is to lead students into a life-long love affair with the Gospel of John. This Gospel is at once the simplest and the most profound of the Gospels, and it has had a formative impact on our understanding of Jesus and on the church’s Christology. This course leads the student into an intense reading of the Gospel in conversation with some of John’s leading interpreters.
NTG 812 - 3 hours: The Passion and Resurrection Narratives*
*Prerequisite: NTG 611 - Jesus and the Gospels
This course will offer a comparative study of the texts of the four Gospels as they present the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Exegesis will give special attention to each Gospel’s rhetorical method and theological themes. Engagement with this material will include some examination of how the crucifixion and resurrection are presented in preaching, hymnody, and art.
NTG 813 - 3 hours: The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark has been at the center of modern scholarship on Jesus and the study of the synoptic Gospels. This course examines the composition of Mark, its leading themes, and its theological distinctives. It also acquaints the student with Markan scholarship, and the power of the gospel story in worship and preaching.
NTG 814 - 3 hours: Jesus in Contemporary Research*
*Prerequisite: NTG 611 - Jesus and the Gospels
Taught as a seminar, this course surveys the history of scholarship on Jesus from David Friedrich Strauss to the present, with particular emphasis on the methodology, resulting portraits, and theological significance of the work of the leading contributors to contemporary studies of the historical Jesus.
NTG 818 - 3 hours: Interpretation of the Parables of Jesus
This course is a critical analysis of the body of the parabolic literature in the synoptics, interacting with the most recent scholarship, including the Jesus Seminar. Using a triangular model, attention will be given to the historical, theological and literary dimensions, with particular emphasis upon the latter. The primary focus will fall upon the text as performative act in the ministry of Jesus, but with eventual interest in the practical hermeneutical implications for the life of the church and the world.
Email a New Testament and Greek Faculty Member
Back to Top
OLD TESTAMENT AND HEBREW
OTH 603 - 3 hours: Hebrew Exegesis I
This course introduces the study of biblical Hebrew for the purposes of exegesis. Students will learn basic phonology, morphology, syntax and grammar and will concentrate on building and using tools in the study of biblical Hebrew. Students will also be briefly introduced to a variety of exegetical methods.
OTH 604 - 3 hours: Old Testament I*
*Prerequisite: OTH 603 - Hebrew Exegesis I
This course introduces the study of the Old Testament and gives students tools for continuing study of this portion of the scriptures. Special attention will be given to the Old Testament’s backgrounds in history, canonical formation, language and translation, literary form and reading, history of interpretation, and use in the Christian church.
OTH 605 - 3 hours: Old Testament II*
*Prerequisite: OTH 603 and OTH 604
This course continues and completes Introduction to the Old Testament OTH 604.
OTH 800 – 1 to 3 hours Special Topics
OTH 803 - 3 hours: Teaching from the Wisdom Literature*
*Prerequisite: OTH 603
Roland Murphy writes that wisdom literature is "exciting" because it deals directly with life. This course will explore the phenomenon of "wisdom" in the ancient Near East and in the Hebrew Bible, examine the Books of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, The Wisdom of Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon, and discuss how the "wisdom" of the Hebrew Bible can be appropriated into the everyday life of Christians.
OTH 804 - 3 hours: Using the Psalms in Pastoral Care*
*Prerequisite: OTH 603
The Psalter is the most well-known and widely-used portion of the Old Testament in the Christian church. The psalmists sing hymns of praise to God, cry out against God, cry out to God for help and deliverance, invoke the wrath of God upon their enemies, and celebrate the sovereignty of God over all creation. Using a variety of methods, this course will explore the ways ministers can use the riches of the Psalter in their daily care of people.
OTH 806 – 3 hours: Hebrew Exegesis II*
*Prerequisite: OTH 603
This course is a continuation of Hebrew Exegesis I. Students will complete their study of basic biblical Hebrew grammar and begin reading selected texts in Hebrew. Attention will be given to the Hebrew form of the texts and to particular issues that present themselves in the process of reading. Students will complete a major exegetical project incorporating their learning of exegetical method with their newly acquired translation skills.
OTH 808 - 3 hours: Social Justice in the Old Testament*
*Prerequisite: OTH 603
Students in this course will investigate issues of social justice, focusing on the problem of wealth and poverty in different portions of the Hebrew canon (including legal material, narratives, prophets, and wisdom). The goal of the course is to provide resources for developing a biblical perspective on social ethics. The course will include analyses of historical and societal norms in ancient Israel and Judah as well as finding points of comparison and contrast to contemporary social and economic structures. Particular attention will also be paid to the use of the biblical material in current rhetoric concerning social justice and the distribution of wealth.
Email an Old Testament and Hebrew Faculty Member
Back to Top
PASTORAL CARE
PAC 671 - 3 hours: Pastoral Care*
*Prerequisite: SPF 702 or concurrently enrolled in SPF 702
This course will integrate theology and pastoral care in both personal and congregational dimensions of the minister's life in order to improve both theory and practice for ministry effectiveness in the community of faith and the world. The student's compassion and service will be nurtured and focused by dialogue with the findings of psychology of religion and the disciplines of spiritual development.
PAC 800 - 1-3 hours: Special Topics
•Addiction and Grace* (3 hours) - *Prerequisite: PAC 671. This course will enable students to understand the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and theological aspects of the processes of addiction and recovery. Both substance and process addictions will be addressed. Learners will explore in depth their own experiences with addiction and grace. Students will develop and practice skills to minister effectively with addicted persons.
•Dreams as a Resource for Pastoral Care* (3 hours) - *Prerequisite: PAC 671. This course will enable students to understand and make use of dreams as a resource for pastoral care. Students will learn and integrate psychological, Biblical, theological and spiritual perspectives on interpreting dreams. Learners will explore in depth their own experiences with dreams. Students will develop and practice skills to use dreams effectively in their work of ministry.
•Psychology of Religious Experience* (3 hours) - *Prerequisite: PAC 671. This course enables students to understand religious experience from a variety of psychological perspectives and to explore in depth their own religious experiences. Learners will also develop skills to interpret and facilitate religious experiences in their ministries.
PAC 801 - 3 hours: Emotional Competence in Ministry*
*Prerequisite: PAC 671
This course introduces students to the literature and practices of emotional intelligence as a resource for pastoral ministry. Students will assess this material from pastoral theological perspectives. Students will also integrate these resources into their practice of ministry. Students will develop a beginning level of competence in the core areas of emotional intelligence: emotional self-awareness, management of one’s own emotions, awareness of the emotions of others, and appropriate responses to other people’s emotions. Students will explore the use of these skills in pastoral ministry.
PAC 802 - 3 hours: Pastoral Care and Counseling with Families*
*Prerequisite: PAC 671
This course addresses pastoral care and counseling with families. Students will be introduced to theories of family systems and their applications to pastoral care and counseling. Students will also be introduced to research about relationships, marriage, divorce, and child–rearing that informs pastoral care and counseling with families. Students will explore the effects of their own family experiences upon their pastoral relationships with families. Students will also develop an awareness of the emotional processes of families and how to use this awareness to enhance their pastoral care and counseling with families.
PAC 803 - 3 hours: Pastoral Care and Counseling with Groups and Congregations*
*Prerequisite: PAC 671
This course addresses pastoral care and counseling with groups and congregations. Students will be introduced to theories of group process and their applications to pastoral care and counseling with groups and congregations. Students will also be introduced to pastoral theological applications of systems theory to congregational and group care. In addition, learners will explore how their own experiences with groups and congregations affect their ministries in these settings. Students will develop an awareness of emotional processes in groups and congregations and how to respond effectively to them in pastoral care and counseling with groups and congregations.
PAC 804 - 3 hours: Professional Development in Pastoral Care and Counseling*
*Prerequisite: PAC 671
This course will address the student’s professional development in the field of pastoral care and counseling. Students will gain knowledge of and appreciation for the processes of certification, licensing, continuing education, and ongoing pastoral theological reflection and integration. Students will also learn about a variety of pastoral care and counseling ministries. Students will explore which ministries are best suited to their gifts, interests and callings. Students will reflect carefully upon their own sense of vocation in pastoral care and counseling.
PAC 805 - 3 hours: The Theory and Practice of Pastoral Counseling*
*Prerequisite: PAC 671
This course will introduce students to the ministry of pastoral counseling. It will explore pastoral counseling from a perspective that integrates theory and practice. Psychological and theological approaches to pastoral counseling will be introduced and integrated. In addition, the life and work of the pastoral counselor will be addressed. Students will gain knowledge of and appreciation for pastoral counseling.
PAC 806 - 3 hours: Pastoral Theological Integration in Pastoral Care and Counseling*
*Prerequisite: PAC 671
This course will introduce students to the process of pastoral theological integration in the practice of pastoral care and counseling. Students will begin to develop an integrated understanding of human beings. Students will explore the following pastoral theological questions: 1) “How do people change?” 2) “How do people grow?” 3) “How do people heal?” and 4)”How do pastoral counselors facilitate these processes?” In this course, students will gain knowledge of and appreciation for pastoral theological integration in pastoral care and counseling.
PAC 872 - 3 hours: C.P.E. Unit I Elective
This course gives three hours elective credit for students accepted into and completing satisfactorily an off-campus basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (C.P.E.) (ACPE accredited). C.P.E. is done under the direction of a certified C.P.E. supervisor in a hospital, church, or other institution who aids the student in developing skills in pastoral care, interpersonal relating, and theological reflection. Students may take a unit of C.P.E. in the spring semester as placement for MIN 902.
PAC 873 - 3 hours: C.P.E. Unit II Elective
This course gives three hours elective credit for students accepted into and completing satisfactorily an off-campus basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (C.P.E.) (ACPE accredited). C.P.E. is done under the direction of a certified C.P.E. supervisor in a hospital, church, or other institution who aids the student in developing skills in pastoral care, interpersonal relating, and theological reflection.
Email a Pastoral Care Faculty Member
Back to Top
PREACHING AND WORSHIP
PRC 651 - 3 hours: Preaching
This course introduces the principles and disciplines of effective preaching. It offers the tools for the fresh, ongoing interpretation of scripture into the lives of listeners. Students will study cultural and congregational factors in the preaching event, methods for interpreting texts, the process of sermon development, and the practical issues of oral communication.
PRC 652 - 3 hours: Worship*
*Prerequisite: CHH 621
This course will introduce students to the history, theology and practice of Christian worship. Explorations will be made of the varieties of worship in Israel, in the early church, in the church throughout history, in historic Baptist traditions, and in various modern cultural contexts. Students will learn to think theologically about the character, the content, and the movement of worship in their own context, and will learn practical skills for worship leadership.
PRC 800 Special Topics* - 1 to 3 hours
*Prerequisite: PRC 651
•Preaching the Life of Jesus - This course focuses on the life of Jesus as depicted in the four canonical Gospels. Attention is given to both the person and the actions of Jesus, and the challenges putting into sermonic form a faithful witness to the wonder and the mystery of the event of Incarnation.
•Preaching as Pastoral Care - This course explores how the pulpit can become an effective instrument of pastoral care. The major challenges of the human saga are identified and suggestions made as to how sermons can provide both information and inspiration for creative handling of these situations.
•The Art of Series Preaching - This course explores the value of grouping sermons into specific series. It will illustrate the practice by a focus on the Ten Commandments and the twelve disciples of Jesus.
PRC 851 - 3 hours: The Practice of Preaching*
*Prerequisite: PRC 651 - Preaching
Designed for all students whose vocation will include preaching, this course will expand the student’s comprehension of the preaching task, and will give particular focus to the development and application of homiletical skills. The course includes a strong component of guided classroom preaching, discussion, and response.
PRC 852 - 3 hours: Preaching from Narrative Texts*
*Prerequisite: PRC 651 - Preaching
This course examines the theology, the principles, and the methods for preaching from the stories of scripture. All kinds of biblical narrative will be considered, with attention to the various methods employed by biblical storytellers. Some classical models of narrative interpretation (e.g., rabbinic and African-American) will also be considered, as students cultivate their own practice of narrative preaching.
PRC 853 - 3 hours: Preaching from Poetic Texts*
*Prerequisite: PRC 651 - Preaching
This course will explore what it means to preach from the many biblical texts whose form is beyond the ordinary language of prose: the Psalms, prophetic oracles, wisdom poetry, New Testament hymns, songs, visions and other poetic discourses. By studying how these texts are crafted, and by considering some preachers who have preached them well, students will cultivate more faithful ways of preaching their meaning and their "music."
PRC 854 - 3 hours: Prophetic Preaching*
*Prerequisite: PRC 651 - Preaching
This course explores how preaching may function prophetically to address the Word of God to contemporary social structures and systems. Students will explore the concerns and methods of the biblical prophets and examine the work of various preachers who have made a prophetic impact. Principles will be established for how such preaching may be faithfully and effectively done in the larger context of pastoral ministry.
PRC 855 - 3 hours: Worship Old and New
This course examines the interplay between tradition and innovation available to worshiping congregations in our time. Students will explore ancient liturgical practices that are now being revitalized and will consider new dimensions in the church’s worship, including the use of the arts, new hymnody, and more inclusion of the congregation in planning and practice of worship.
Email a Preaching Faculty Member
Email a Worship Faculty Member
Back to Top
RESEARCH AND DESIGN COLLOQUIUM
THE 901- 3 hours: Research and Design Colloquium
This course is a requirement for all Academic Research Concentration students. The course will introduce students to the task of identifying an original research problem, establishing a research methodology, setting limits to one’s research and building a bibliography. The course seeks to work with the student in conjunction with his or her academic supervisor in order to present a completed Thesis prospectus by the conclusion of the term.
Back to Top
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
SPF 701 - 2 hours: Spiritual Formation for Ministry I
SPF 701 is the first of two required courses in Spiritual Formation. It emphasizes learning to ask the right questions in order to integrate personal, academic, and professional foundations around a center of spiritual maturity. Discussion of these issues will be pursued in a context of personal spiritual disciplines and community-building small groups.
SPF 702 - 2 hours: Spiritual Formation for Ministry II*
*Prerequisite: SPF 701 – Spiritual Formation for Ministry I
SPF 702 is the second in a sequence of two required courses in spiritual formation. This course focuses on the spiritual disciplines of the inward and outward journey with emphasis on aspects particular to Christian ministers and their role as spiritual guides. The purpose of the course is to help students develop discernment and delight in the experience of the Presence of God to the end that they form and lead communities doing and speaking the truth in love; furthering the heritage of Christian spirituality; and increasing in love, trust, and obedience to Christ.
SPF 800 Special Topics - 1 to 3 hours
Email a Spiritual Formation Faculty Member
Back to Top
THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY
THP 631 - 3 hours: Theology/Philosophy I
An introductory study which develops the foundations for a biblical and theological world view. The course surveys briefly the history of Western thought. It then focuses upon the nature, sources, and scope of systematic theology and philosophy of religion, and the foundational doctrines of revelation, God, and humanity. Consistent emphasis will be given to practical application in contemporary ministry.
THP 632 - 3 hours: Theology/Philosophy II
This course continues THP 631 with emphasis on practical issues in theology and philosophy of religion. Theological issues include the doctrines of the church, Christian life, and eschatology. Philosophy of religion issues include religious authority, epistemology, history, language, aesthetics, science, evil and suffering, and world religions. These studies will be applied throughout the semester to the practice of ministry.
THP 800 Special Topics - 1 to 3 Hours
•Theology After the Holocaust - This course is a critical consideration of the moral, religious, and theological implications of Nazi Germany's "war against the Jews," the intentional and calculated destruction of some 6 million European Jews (accompanied by the enormous suffering and losses experienced by other "undesirable" groups) which is referred to as the Shoah, or Holocaust. The course considers the psychological and social world views of those "victimized," "the executioners," and the "bystanders." Contemporary Jewish and Christian theologies are analyzed to understand the challenges of this tragic history on both religious communities.
THP 831 - 3 Hours: Christian Theology and Culture
This course examines the dynamic interaction of faith in life. It seeks to develop the student’s competence in identifying descriptions of "Culture" and Christianity which "respectfully appreciate" and "critically evaluate" the particular world view in his or her place of ministry. The students are encouraged to use Christian theology as a skill to be applied in a local community context through biblical interpretation, pastoral counseling, preaching and teaching. This survey is intended to aid the Christian leader in developing spiritually, intellectually, and practically in the various tasks of the Gospel ministry.
THP 832 - 3 Hours: Suffering and Evil*
*Prerequisite: THP 631
This course examines the philosophical and theological challenges of the problem of evil and suffering for the Judeo-Christian tradition. Various historical theological responses are evaluated such as: the free-will defense, temporal dualism, Soul-making models, protest theodicy, and evolutionary models. The student is encouraged to construct his or her own theological response.
THP 833 - 3 Hours: Atonement and Reconciliation*
*Prerequisite: THP 631
This course examines the human predicament of alienation from God, from oneself, and from others. The primary metaphors of the Christian tradition "sin and bondage of the will" are examined through a survey of biblical theology and the Western Christian tradition. The course emphasizes the need for a culturally relevant Christian understanding of atonement and reconciliation in light of the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.
THP 834 - 3 Hours: Models of God*
*Prerequisite: THP 631
Models of God are central to the identity of any culture, nation, tribe, family or self. This course asks a series of questions related to this assumption. What is the psychological and sociological basis for ours search and need for the sacred? How does the religious tradition of Israel identify its understandings of God? How is the human search for the sacred formulated in a distinctively Christian understanding of God? What are the necessary components of a Christian understanding of God? This class attempts to identify the pivotal turning points in history of the Western Christian understanding of God.
THP 835 - 3 Hours: Religious Language*
*Prerequisite: THP 631
The Religious Language course examines the nature, status, and reference of religious metaphor and language. In order to address these issues the course must briefly identify a history of semantic theory and its relationship to religious communities. The course will introduce key personalities, terminology and ways of creating composite metaphors and image schemes for use in worship, prayer and devotional settings.
Email a Theology and Philosophy Faculty Member
Back to Top
|