Content

This unit introduces students to the theological and practical dimensions of forming Christian communities shaped by the Gospel. Students will explore how worship, sacraments, pastoral care, and shared narratives contribute to communal identity and mission. Emphasis will be placed on developing reflective practices that integrate experience with theological understanding, providing a foundation for further study in mission and ministry.

Unit code: DA1001Z

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1

Unit discipline: Mission and Ministry

Proposing College: St Francis College

Show when this unit is running

Learning outcomes

1.

Describe the theological foundations of forming Christian communities.

2.

Identify the role of worship, sacraments, and shared narratives in shaping communal life.

3.

Apply reflective practices to explore the relationship between experience and theology.

Pedagogy

Synchronous and asynchronous lectures and text-based tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

WCC, Faith and Order Paper No. 181, The Nature and Purpose of the Church. World Council of Churches: Geneva, 1989.

Osmer, Richard R. Practical Theology: An Introduction. Eerdmans, 2008.

Ward, Pete. Introducing Practical Theology: Mission, Ministry, and the Life of the Church. Baker Academic, 2017.

Thompson, Judith et al. SCM Studyguide: Theological Reflection. (2nd ed.) SCM Press, 2019.

Green, Laurie. Let’s Do Theology: Resources for Contextual Theology. Bloomsbury, 2012.

Doehring, Carrie. The Practice of Pastoral Care: A Postmodern Approach. Presbyterian Publishing Corp, 2014.

Day, Juliette J. Reading the Liturgy: An Exploration of Texts in Christian Worship. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.

Thompson, Steve. The Visual Preacher: Proclaiming an Embodied Word. 1517 Media, 2022.

Chapman, Mark. D., Sathianathan Clarke, Martyn Percy. The Oxford Handbook of Anglican Studies. Oxford University Press, 2015.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Oral Presentation 1000 25.0
Portfolio

Theological Reflections

1500 35.0
Essay 1500 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 27 Oct, 2025

Unit record last updated: 2025-10-27 10:03:27 +1100