Course Catalogue 2025-2026

This course provides an in-depth exploration of two central Christian doctrines - the Trinity and the person of Christ - as well as reflection on the role of Holy Scripture and the nature of theology. This is the first part of a two-part sequence in basic Christian doctrine.

Exploring key issues and themes in Christian theology, this course examines the saving work of God in the world. Attention will be given to differing approaches to the traditional topics in theology, including salvation, the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, and Christian hope. With attention to various perspectives and approaches to these issues, class sessions illustrate how different decisions about the nature of theology have a wide range of implications for how one conceives of Christian belief and practice.

Exploring key issues and themes in Christian theology, this course examines the saving work of God in the world. Attention will be given to differing approaches to the traditional topics in theology, including salvation, the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, and Christian hope. With attention to various perspectives and approaches to these issues, class sessions illustrate how different decisions about the nature of theology have a wide range of implications for how one conceives of Christian belief and practice.

This pass/fail first-term required course presents an overview of living the Christian faith in community, with an emphasis on spiritual formation for leadership. It places this overview within the context of the church's visible witness and an understanding of its mission as participation in Christ's mission. It hopes to help students think through the intersection of contemporary motions of spirituality and piety and the Christian life lived in the community of the church, with its disciplines and practice. It also hopes to begin to prepare students for continued growth and formation in Christ, through the gifts the church offers, as they begin to be trained and formed as Christian leaders.

This course surveys the Jewish liturgical calendar and Jewish life cycle as well as fundamental rituals such as kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) with the purpose of creating a foundation of comprehension of the meaning, purpose and beauty of Jewish spiritual life in the context of providing spiritual care. It is important that students understand the theoretical issues upon which practices and rituals are based and that students appreciate the contexts, texts, and axioms behind the rituals for comprehensiveness. Topics include the holy day cycle, the life cycle, the dietary laws, and ritual garments with an eye on how to bring its lessons to the spiritual care setting.

This course is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for biblical preaching by exploring the implications of preaching a text and preaching the gospel. Preaching the gospel is considered from historical, biblical, theological, pastoral and creative perspectives with a view to producing sermons that engage the world and offer hope. A four-step methodology is taught that can be adapted to various sermon forms.

This course lays the foundation for exploration of selected areas of the Jewish past that will aid students in acquiring Jewish historical literacy. Studying Jewish history as an academic discipline is not the overriding goal of this course. Rather, it is to explore Jewish memory as a sacred concept that is rooted in Torah, liturgy, calendar, peoplehood, thought and ritual. The purpose is to strengthen the students’ relationship with Jewish memory and open new ways to understand Jewish personal and collective identity as it developed over the centuries. We will then apply this understanding of Jewish memory in providing spiritual care.

This course will explore various theories of human development, stages of human growth, and lifespan spiritual journey in correlation to human growth, and will discuss implications for Christian Ministry. We will reflect on our own growth and journey along with theories of human growth and spiritual journey.

Reformed Christians believe that the Bible belongs to the community of faith and is interpreted by the community through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The community requires training and education if it is to take ownership of the word and apply the word to lived experience. This course considers the role of the Teaching Elder (Minister) in a congregation; explores how individuals are equipped to engage with God’s word through the lifespan; and explores best practices and resources for teaching Bible and theology in the church. Paying attention to the post-Christendom context, in which knowledge of Christian scriptures and traditions is no longer assumed, this course equips leaders to foster faith formation in intergenerational, diverse contexts.

Children are whole beings – physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual – and God desires for them to flourish in every way. This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of and framework for holistic ministry with children. Students will explore the biblical foundations of ministry to, for and with children as well as effective strategies for their protection, nurture, evangelism and discipleship in the context of their family, church and community. These learning experiences will guide students in developing a personal philosophy of holistic ministry to children and families.

Children are whole beings – physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual – and God desires for them to flourish in every way. This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of and framework for holistic ministry with children. Students will explore the biblical foundations of ministry to, for and with children as well as effective strategies for their protection, nurture, evangelism and discipleship in the context of their family, church and community. These learning experiences will guide students in developing a personal philosophy of holistic ministry to children and families.

This course is Part One of a two-part introductory survey. It aims to acquaint students with issues that scholars have found significant in New Testament interpretation, including textual criticism and the world of the New Testament, with special focus on the canonical Gospels - the most well-known stories of Jesus. It also aims to help students understand the relevance of this kind of study for their ministry.