Pastoral Theology

Syllabus 411.41

Randall Holm Ph.D   Fall 2005
Email: Randall.Holm@prov.ca       

I. Course Description: 411.41

An introductory course to pastoral ministry in which theology is integrated with the practice of pastoral care in the operation of a church.  3 credits

II. Course Objectives

By the end of the course students will:

1. identify the several ways race and gender impact pastoral ministry,
2. be to negotiate between disparate conservative and liberal ideologies within a given church;
3. be able to recount the history of clericalism within Canada.
4. discover the prophetic role Scripture serves within the pastorate;
5. be better equipped to know what is expected of pastors in terms of spirituality responsibility and personal evaluation;
6. be better prepared to pastorally care for people;
7. be able to identify several models of pastoral leadership and authority.

III. Course Texts

Willimon, William. Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry. Nashville: Abingdon, 2002.

Yaconelli: Mike. Stories of Emergence: Moving from Absolute to Authentic. Grand Rapids: Zondevan, 2003.

In addition students are required to choose one of the following texts listed below. Students are limited to one student per book. (In addition to ordering the books below through the college bookstore, students can click on the image and be linked with the appropriate page on Amazon.ca. All prices are listed in Canadian dollars.)

Bondi, Roberta. Memories of God, Abingdon Press, 1995. $17.49.

Buechner, Frederick. A Memoir of the Lost and Found. Harper Collins, 2000. $15.96.

Goldingay, John. Walk On: Life, Loss, Trust and other Realities. Baker Academic, 2002. $17.49

James, Nancy. Standing in the Whirlwind: The Riveting Story of a Priest and the Congregations that Tormented Her. Pilgrim Press. $20.16.

Lischer, Richard. Open Secrets: A Memoir of faith and Discovering.

Wogaman, J. Philip. An Unexpected Journey: Reflections on Pastoral Ministry. Jn Knox Press, 2004. $17.23.

Yancey, Philip. Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped my Faith Survive the Church, Waterbrook Press, 2003. $15.96IV.

IV. Course Outline

Sept 9th	Introduction	Introduction
14	History of Clericalism
16	The Call (ch 1)
21	Transcending Clericalism
23	Calling in an Emerging Church
28	Trinitarian Model for Ministry
30	Ministry as Christocentric
)ct 5th	Ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit	Philosophy of Ministry
7	Minsitry nurtured through Scripture
12	A Question of Relevance
14	Writing a Philosophy of Ministry
19	The Pastor as Priest (ch 3)
21	The Priest as Pastor (ch 4)
26	The Pastor as Interpreter (ch 5)
28	The Pastor as Preacher (ch 6)
Nov 2nd	The Pastor as Counselor (ch 7)	The Art of Pastoring
4	The Pastor as Teacher (ch 8)
9	The Pastor as Evangelist (ch 9)
16	The Pastor as Prophet (ch 10)
18	The Pastor as Leader/Character (ch 11)
23	The Pastor as Parent/Spouse
25	Birth/Baptism/Confirmation	Pastoring Stages of Life
30	Marriage
Dec 2nd	Death
7	Liturgical Calendar
9	Final Exam

V. Course Requirements

A. Attendance

Students are required to attend all classes. Any student missing a total of three weeks of classes will be assigned an “F” grade.

B.  Book  Report  (Grade: 15%)

From the list of additional texts listed above, in 5 pages each student will both summarize the key points learned by the author and highlight no less than 5 salient insights into church ministry that standout as they consider future ministry. This latter insight will be shared with the rest of the class at a designated time chosen by the professor. No more than one student per book.

Due: October 7^th

C. Participation (Grade: 10%)

Based on the text book Stories of Emergence up to 20 minutes each Wednesday will be given to a student led class discussion on each of the chapters. The chapters will be assigned to the students.

Due: As selected by the professor.

D. Philosophy of Ministry (Grade: 10%)

In one page, students will prepare and write their own philosophy of ministry. While we will begin this assignment on October 19th, it will be submitted on the last day of class.

Due: December 7th

E. Position Paper: 25%

Students will write a position paper in 3000 words either on one of the following topics: ordination, eucharist, water baptism, priesthood of all believers, or church governance. Students should take into consideration, the history, theology and development of each topic.
The paper will be written in either MLA or Turabian or APA format.

Due: Nov. 4th

F. Practical Workshop 20%

Students will write a service for either a Baby Dedication or an Infant Baptism. Students will include a theological reflection on their work in 1,500 – 2,000 words.

Due: Dec. 2nd

G. Final Exam. 20%

VI. Bibliography

Anderson, Ray. The Shape of Practical Theology: Empowering Ministry with Theological Praxis. Downers Grove: IVP, 2001.

Brueggemann, Walter. The Prophetic Imagination. Fortress, 1978.

Chatham, James O. Is It I, Lord?: Discerning God’s Call to be a Pastor. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.

Clapp, Rodney. A Peculiar People: The Church in a Post-Christian Society. IVP, 1996.

Fowler, James. faith Development and Pastoral Care. Fortress. 1987.

Hauerwas, Stanley, and William Willimon. Reseident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony. Abingdon, 1989.

_________. Where Residents Aliens Live: Exercises for Christian Practice. Abingdon, 1996.

McLaren, Brian. The Church on the Other Side: Doing Ministry in a Postmodern Matrix. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.

Oden, Thomas. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. HarperSanFrancisco, 1983.

Peterson, David. Engaging with God. A Biblical Theology of Worship. IVP. 2002.

Peterson, Eugene. Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, 2000.

Willimon, William. Worship as Pastoral Care. Abingdon, 1979.

VII. Academic Integrity

Students are expected to demonstrate academic integrity in all its various forms, and will be held accountable for doing so by the policy on Academic Conduct in the Student Handbook. One particularly problematic breach of academic integrity is plagiarism, which is stealing from the ideas and writings of another person and passing them off as one’s own. For an elaboration of the nature, types, and prevention of plagiarism, see the Providence College document entitled “Academic Dishonesty: The Problem of Plagiarism in Academic Writing,”

VIII. Grading

For a listing of individual students grades see http://www.classbuilder.com/Providence

Excellent A+ 4.0 91-100 Marginal D+ 1.0 57-59

A 85-90 D 53-56

A- 80-84 D- 50-52

Very Good B+ 3.5 77-79 Failure F 0.0 <50

Good B 3.0 73-76

B- 70-72

Satisfactory C+ 2.5 67-69

Adequate C 2.0 63-66

C- 60-62

IX. Late Assignment

For late written papers of not less than one week, students will be deducted 10% on the grade for that paper. For papers more than one week late, students will receive a zero grade for that assignment. Should students wish an exemption from the above stated penalty because of exceptional circumstances, students may make their request to the professor using this linked form. It is at the discretion of the professor to accept or reject the request.

For group or individual class presentations there are no exceptions and failure to present on the scheduled day of the class will result in a zero grade for that assignment.