2016-2017 Student Catalog | Academic Programs

Program Goals & Objectives

RELIGIOUS HERITAGE: To provide students with in-depth (graduate-level) studies in the religious heritage of the Christian Church.

General Objectives

  1. Demonstrate understanding of Scripture and its contemporary application to Church and society
  2. Demonstrate appreciation for the role of Scripture in Christian ministry, as well as in personal and spiritual formation, and in living the Christian life
  3. Demonstrate ability to interpret and use Scripture appropriately and effectively in ministry
  4. Demonstrate understanding of the foundational tenets of Christian faith as set forth in the Apostolic and Nicene Creeds
  5. Demonstrate acquaintance with the broader heritage of the Christian tradition, as well as the specific character and contribution of particular Christian traditions and communities
  6. Demonstrate awareness of the theological issues and challenges that have faced the Church down through history to the present day
  7. Demonstrate ability to formulate and articulate one’s own religious beliefs, in conversation with the traditions of the historic Church as well as contemporary theologians

 

CULTURAL CONTEXT: To provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the cultural context of ministry, throughout the history of the Church as well as in the 21st century.

General Objectives

  1. Demonstrate acquaintance with the cultural realities and structures within which the Church, throughout history, has carried out its mission in the world
  2. Demonstrate awareness of the ways religious traditions both transcend and find unique expression in particular social and cultural settings
  3. Demonstrate understanding of contemporary cultural and social issues and their significance for ministry
  4. Demonstrate ability to analyze cultural contexts and to develop appropriate and effective strategies for ministry within local communities
  5. Demonstrate appreciation for the wide variety of religious traditions and for the gender, ethnic, and culture diversity present in the contemporary social context
  6. Demonstrate understanding of the global character of the Church in the 21st century and its implications for local congregations and communities

 

PERSONAL AND SPIRITUAL FORMATION: To provide opportunities that nurture students’ personal and spiritual development.

General Objectives

  1. Demonstrate growth in one’s personal relationship with God and the development of a spiritually-disciplined life
  2. Demonstrate developing sensitivity to God’s active presence in one’s own life, the lives of others, and the world
  3. Demonstrate growth in personal formation, emotional maturity, and moral integrity
  4. Demonstrate deepening acceptance and love of others, compassion, and forgiveness
  5. Demonstrate concern for and ability to relate openly to other people, especially in regard to personal and spiritual matters
  6. Demonstrate deepening confidence and courage to be a public witness for Christ and the Gospel, in both religious and secular communities, even in the face of opposition

 

MINISTERIAL AND PUBLIC LEADERSHIP: To provide experiences that help students to integrate theory with practice and to cultivate their capacity for leadership within the Church.

General Objectives

  1. Demonstrate a deepening awareness of Christian ministry as a divine vocation in Church and society, and one’s particular calling in contemporary ministry
  2. Demonstrate effective use of supervision and consultation in developing and improving ministerial skills
  3. Demonstrate ability to interrelate theological, cultural, and experiential learning, and to apply academic learning in the practice of ministry
  4. Demonstrate awareness of and commitment to the work, values, and ethics of ministry as a profession
  5. Demonstrate ability to be self-initiating and self-evaluative and to apply a positive use of one’s self (as created by God) in ministry to other persons
  6. Demonstrate ability to use computer technology as a tool for ministry in the 21st century
  7. Demonstrate capacity for leadership in both ecclesial and public contexts