Elective offered week 1, May 13-16, 2008
DM-950, "Spiritual Friendship, Discernment and Reconciliation: Ecumenism Today" taught by Rev. John W. Crossin, OSFS, Executive Director of the Washington Theological Consortium
This course will explore the spirituality of the ecumenical movement. It will give particular attention to the role of the Holy Spirit, Discernment, Reconciliation, Prayer, Spiritual Friendship, the Virtues and Love for the Poor.
DM-951, "Wholly Woman, Holy Women: Completing the Body of Christ" taught by Dr. Tracy Radosevic, Adjunct Faculty Member and internationally known storyteller, educator, and retreat facilitator.
Women make up the majority of most congregations and yet in many churches, even mainline Protestant ones, there is still an underlying belief that they are second-class citizens. It may not be blatant but everything from males tending to chair the more administrative/financial positions to God being referred to only in masculine terms contributes to the ongoing practices the Church as enacted since the androcentric interpretation of Eve's story was first told. By delving deeply into her story, as well as other biblical women's, (through faithful internalization of the text, background study of historical contexts, and making personal connections with the narratives) we'll bring their stories off the printed page and see if their embodied tellings challenge the doctrinal status quo and open us up to a changed understanding of God, spirituality, and religion, one that includes a more holistic and healthy reality for the body of Christ in our world today and for the future.
Elective offered week 2, May 19-23, 2008
DM-952, "Hope for Small Churches" taught by Dr. Lew Parks, Associate Professor of Theology, Ministry and Congregational Development and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
This course will equip the pastoral leaders of "small churches" (less than 100 in worship) to carry back hope to their congregations. It will offer several angles of vision for approaching the small church and display a repertoire of tools for the transformation of small churches.
This course is guided by the following ten assumptions: (1) God must love small churches too! (2) A small church is not necessarily a failed larger church. (3) The large church is not necessarily the future of Christianity. (4) A more theological view of the small church (ecclesiology) really helps! (5) Small churches should be treated as churches and not just pieces of churches. (6) Small churches should act like churches and not just pieces of churches. (7) Small churches are not exempt from the call to excellence. (8) Small churches suffer from loss of memory but there is help. Small churches suffer from a failure of imagination but there is help. (10) Small churches can attain healthy equilibrium.
Core Classes for current D.Min. Tracks:
Week 1: May 13-16, 2008 (NOTE: Tuesday through Friday)
DM-S911, Life Together: Spirituality for Transforming Community D Track: "Life in Community: Theological Reflection and Experiential Models" taught by Dr. Michael S. Koppel, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Congregational Care
Together we will investigate theological literature and participate in experiential encounter in the greater Washington, DC area. The course builds on a praxis model that integrates active and reflective dimensions of learning. Through critical engagement in class and with other religious leaders, we will focus on ritual, spiritual, and care practices that sustain and invigorate living faith communities.
DM-E211, Missional Evangelism Track: "Missional Evangelism" taught by Dr. Scott T. Kisker, James Cecil Logan Associate Professor of Evangelism and Wesley Studies
Evangelism understood as the church's participation in the activity of the word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit to renew and transform individuals and communities.
DM-W121, Wesley and the Poor Track: "Hearing the Voice of the Poor in the Bible" taught by Dr. Sharon H. Ringe, Professor of New Testament
A study of Biblical narratives in which the cries of the poor always reach God's ear but only sometimes move God's people to action.
DM-L631, Church Leadership Excellence C Track, open only to students in this track, "Cultural Dynamics of Leadership" taught by Dr. George Thompson, Associate Professor of Church Administration at The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia
Reading the corporate culture of the congregation, building social capital, introducing change, and surviving conflict.
DM-H141, Faith and the Health of Communities Track, "Project Seminar" taught by Dr. Lewis A. Parks, Associate Professor of Theology, Ministry and Congregational Development and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
Naming and planning a DMin project, options in the end product of the project, elements of a project proposal, and the disciplines for writing the project paper.
DM-P251, Preaching for the 21st Century Track, "Preaching and Multi-Media" taught by Dr. Susan K. Hedahl, Professor of Homiletics, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg
Participants will explore the historical, theological, aesthetic, and practical elements of multi-media preaching.
Week 2: May 19-23, 2008
DM-S921, Life Together: Spirituality for Transforming Community D Track, "Howard Thurman" taught by Dr. Beverly Mitchell, Professor of Historical Theology
A study of the life and vision of Howard Thurman.
DM-E212, Missional Evangelism Track: "Historical Models of Missional Evangelism" taught by Dr. Douglas M. Strong, Dean of the School of Theology of Seattle Pacific University
A survey of past expressions of evangelism, the good, the bad, and the dreadful, to accrue wisdom for contemporary efforts in evangelism that are sound theologically and effective in practice
DM-W122, Wesley and the Poor Track: "Pastoral Theology and Economic Justice" taught by Dr. Mary Clark Moschella, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Congregational Care
Appreciating the weight of economic inequities and the blindness of privilege, providing care and counseling that empowers rather than pacifies, and receiving the witness to faith from the poor.
DM-L632, Church Leadership Excellence C Track, open only to students in this track "The Art of Leadership Improvisation" taught by Dr. Michael S. Koppel, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Congregational Care and Rev. Gina Campbell
This course develops pastoral theological reflection on vitality in pastoral leadership. We will examine theological, psychological, and ministerial literature and engage in practical methods of creativity and play for improvisational leadership. Given burn-up rates for clergy and rapidly changing congregational terrain, we will evaluate theoretical as well as practical tools for practice of care-filled and faithful leadership.
DM-S831, Spirituality and Story E Track, "Life Story and Spiritual Practice" taught by Rev. Marjorie Thompson, Presbyterian minister and Director of Pathways in Congregational Spirituality, Upper Room Ministries.
Exploration of the interface between life story and spiritual disciplines; how they shape one another. Includes an overview of the basic disciplines of the Christian life.
DM-H142 Syllabus, Faith and the Health of Communities Track, "Religion as an Asset for Health" taught by Dr. James Cochrane, Professor in the Department of Religious Studies/Research Institute on Christianity in South Africa at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and Dr. Gary Gunderson, Senior Vice President of Health and Welfare Ministries for Methodist Healthcare
There is an urgent need for a systematic account of the interface between religion and public health, one that is able to offer useful categories for understanding their practical implication in each other. We know this because of several years of work on the interface between religion and public health in several contexts of both the South and the North, and because a global discourse is underway among public health agencies about the role and place of religion and religious entities in dealing with major health challenges as public health systems strain to cope.
We know that there is a fundamental lack of current literature in the field, and as far as we can ascertain, no book that deals with religion and public health at all. The approach we will follow in this intensive series of seminars works by bringing into relationship with each other the notions "religion" and "health" in the context of our research and practice in Africa and the USA.
Innovative concepts, as outlined in the seminar schedule below, are aimed at introducing participating students to four things simultaneously:
- Contradict the weak views of the significance of religion that are commonplace in the reigning biomedical and clinical paradigm
- Promote a more adequate understanding among religious leaders of public health as a field of practice inherently congruent with their basic responsibilities for well-being.
- Show that health acts as a powerful lens on society and development with which to imagine ministries and vocations
- Challenge Christian pastors, church leaders and congregations to understand their role in public health
Our focus is religion in public health - health at communal, social or population scale - rather than religion and individual health, about which there is a significant amount of writing. The view we offer on religion and public health is based on many years of experience and practice in the field, both at the Interfaith Health Program in Atlanta, USA (began by Gunderson through the Carter Center, subsequently relocated in the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University), in the African Religious Health Assets Programme we jointly launched in 2002 (a multi-institutional programme whose hub is at the University of Cape Town under Cochrane's direction), and in the Lebonheur Methodist Healthcare system, Memphis, USA (where Gunderson is now Senior Vice-President).
The Intensive thus builds upon knowledge and experience gained in our participation with a larger group of colleagues, which has gained considerable public recognition from, inter alia, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Global Health Forum, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the German Institute for Medical Mission, the Vesper Society and the Oslo Center.
DM-P252, Preaching for the 21st Century Track, "Leading through Preaching" taught by Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Church Leadership and Director of the G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Effective pastoral leaders view their preaching as critical to their leadership and carefully use it as a primary means of moving forward the People of God.
Week 1 for Campus Ministry Track: June 16-20, 2008
DM-C322, Campus Ministry C Track, "Worship and the Arts" taught by Dr. Laurence Hull Stookey, Hugh Latimer Elderdice Professor of Preaching and Worship, Emeritus, and Dr. Eileen Guenther, Lecturer in Church Music
Adapting the best of traditional, contemporary, and blended worship to the campus chapel.
Week 2 for Campus Ministry Track: June 23-27, 2008
DM-C331, Campus Ministry C Track, "The Life and Vision of Howard Thurman" taught by Dr. Beverly Mitchell, Professor of Historical Theology
A study of the life and vision of Howard Thurman, giving special attention to his years as the Dean of Rankin Chapel at Howard University.
