Content

This unit will encourage students to reflect theologically upon their practice of ministry. The actual ministry undertaken may be a student’s everyday employment, voluntary work, or a placement negotiated for the duration of the unit with an approved church or agency.
Through experiential methodology students will identify issues, explore a variety of responses, and engage in critical reflection on the theological and pastoral dimensions of case studies from the diverse ministry settings of a peer group. Key congregational and pastoral issues will be explored, e.g. leadership and character, addressing conflict, self-care, power dynamics, mentoring, vocational calling and mission.

Unit code: DP8011S

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Stirling College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Exercise intentionality in ministry through goal setting, personal supervision and peer accountability

2.

Identify core aspects of their operational theology and ministry identity through case studies and reflection

3.

Critically evaluate a range of personal and institutional issues in ministry formation and practice.

4.

Articulate a reflective pastoral response to selected case studies.

5.

Demonstrate an understanding of theological reflection as an individual and group task.

Unit sequence

The Stirling Director of Supervised Field Education must approve all enrolments into this subject.

Pedagogy

Supervised peer group reflection using case studies and verbatim reports brought by the participants and theory sessions facilitated by faculty

Indicative Bibliography

  • Kinast, R L Making faith-sense: Theological Reflection in everyday life. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1999
  • Kincaid, W B Finding Voice. How Theological Field Education Shapes Pastoral Identity. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2012
  • McAlpin, Kathleen Ministry That Transforms. A Contemplative Process of Theological Reflection. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2009.
  • Palmer, Parker J Let your life speak: Listening to the voice of Vocation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000
  • Paver, John E Theological Reflection and education for ministry: The search for integration in theology. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, 2006
  • Swetland, K L Facing messy stuff in the church: Case studies for pastors and congregations. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel, 2005

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

2000 word essay

2000 40.0
Case Study

2000 word case study

2000 30.0
Case Study

2000 word case study

2000 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 31 Dec, 2014

Unit record last updated: 2020-10-28 14:50:32 +1100