Courses during the 2021-40 term

Spiritual Practice (DM---742-, 2021-40)

Focuses on the varieties of Christian spiritual practice, experience with that practice, and the process of Christian formation.Direction Module Three: Spiritual Direction, Therapy, and Pastoral Counseling

Strategies for Social Change (DM---723-, 2021-40)

This summative course gives students tools and ways of thinking and being to be pastor-organizers, administrative organizers; that is to think like an organizer while also doing classical pastoral and administrative ministries.

Church and Community (DM---720-, 2021-40)

This course is designed to help students understand and develop their own theological positions about the mission of the local congregation in its neighborhood and community settings and about how this mission can be made effective for the work of justice. It seeks to explore motivations, provide resources, and demonstrate methods for such a mission. We will use Biblical/theological sources, social theory, and other resources for developing and evaluating effective ministries for the work of justice. (e.g., parity, equity, figuring out what belongs to whom and giving it back).

UM Studies: 20th Century to Present (DENOM604-, 2021-40)

Developments within United Methodism, as related to the ecumenical movement, world mission, personal evangelism, and social justice. Evolution of polity, theology, and denominational structure.

Research Methods in PastoralCounseling (PCC--660-X, 2021-40)

The course is designed to help students understand basic research concepts, to learn how to interpret research articles in peer reviewed journals and how to design research questions and methodology within a counseling setting.This is a required licensure course in the state of Illinois. All MA-PCC clinical track masters students are required to take this course.

Focused Study: (CE---661-, 2021-40)

Organized around participation in conference (for example, Christian Educators Fellowship) including pre-reading, workshops, directed final project. Topics vary according to conference.

Summer 2021 Graduate Intensive

Children’s Defense Fund’s Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary and CDF’s Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry

Course Description and Core Components:

This course offers an immersion experience for students who wish to engage and cultivate necessary prophetic voices with communities on the margins - communities contending against systemic injustices that directly impact children and youth. Biblical and theological assumptions justifying institutional complicity with oppressive systems will be challenged. Theological education in collaboration with public theology and contextual practice allow for direct engagement in communal struggles for social justice. This course will include contextual learning to facilitate collective organizing of churches and communities for justice-making.