Course List

Must have completed all other coursework before registering for this course.

You may register for the Capstone the month AFTER your proposal has been approved by your adviser.

This course must be completed before taking any other courses.  There is no charge for this course. 

5/6-6/29 This course helps students build the capacity to reframe ministerial and larger contexts in light of theological and biblical traditions. Students will come to understand the way in which our own theological understandings are situated within wider cultural contexts. They will practice interpreting their surrounding culture through biblical and theological lenses. Finally, they will explore ways that theological and biblical interpretation can serve as practices that shape ministerial contexts.

5/20-6/1 The culture around us is changing bringing new opportunities for us to teach faith. The church must find ways to be the church in these changing times. In this course we will examine three cultural shifts: digital age, the rise of the SBNR/Nones, and religious pluralism. We will conclude by reconsidering faith formation in light of these cultural shifts. Prerequisite: None Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Narola McFayden

5/6-5/18 This course is designed to introduce students to skills for effective pastoral care giving. Students will learn the art of pastoral listening through instruction, practice and feedback, thus helping to improve interpersonal self-awareness. This course introduces the topics of pastoral assessment/diagnosis and intervention, with specific attention to learning when and how to refer a person to additional sources of care. Prerequisite: LC 520 Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Richard Coble

5/6-6/1 This course is an overview of the history and polity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from its beginnings on the American frontier to the present day. Prerequisite: None Credit: 1.0 Instructor: Prof. Bruce Breeding

You must have completed all work in the IB and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Blodgett to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

5/6-6/1 At times of death, dying and bereavement, human limitations are attested. Pastoral care givers have a powerful opportunity to minister to persons and communities in such times. By exploring death and dying process students will have an opportunity to bring such reality closer to themselves. By looking into grief theories, students will develop pastoral care giving skills to utilize in such times. Such exploration will be brought to the context of church ministry especially to the context of funeral to conclude this course. Prerequisite: LC 520 Credit: 1.0 Instructor: Dr. Peter Capretto

 Please contact the registrar notify her of which areas you are matching up.

This course must be completed before taking any other courses.  There is no charge for this course. 

5/6-6/1 This course is a narrative exegetical approach to the pentateuchal books of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) for the Christian faith. The primary point of the course is not for the professor to expound an interpretation or interpretations of these books of the Torah, but for you to learn and practice critical exegetical skills for understanding and elucidating narrative texts within these books of Torah for your own edification and the edification of congregants. You will engage and practice exegetical skills, including those related to narrative criticism, source criticism, and form criticism that will aid you in drawing out meaning (exegeting) narratives in the pentateuchal books of the Torah Prerequisite: IS 520 Credit: 1.0 Instructor: Dr. Zipporah Glass

5/6-6/1 This course aims to assist students in improving their capacity to do three things: research the existing conversation on a topic of interest, to read that conversation analytically, and to write their own views clearly and cogently. These are critical skills for success in seminary. They are also critical skills for ministry in the church during and after seminary. Today many students who are preparing for ministry are coming back to school after an absence from formal academic work and academic writing. Many students come from careers where expectations about writing are different than for graduate work and ministry. The Three R’s course is designed to assist you in becoming better readers, writers, and researchers in those contexts. Prerequisite: *Required within the First 8 Hours* Credit: 1.0

5/6-6/1 In this course we will be considering traditional and contemporary understandings of the nature and work of God. We will look at ideas about creation and providence, God’s dual nature as both immanent and transcendent, theodicy and the nature of God as Trinity. Prerequisite: IF 550 Credit: 1.0 Instructor: Dr. Emily Askew

5/6-6/1

5/6-5/18 Theology is essential for effective preaching. This is the case because the heart of every sermon is and should be a claim about the nature of God. This theological claim has implications for how we live in community, with ourselves, our congregations, society and Earth itself. In this course, students will learn how to identify theological claims in a sermon and make theological claims from a biblical text that can be used for the purposes of proclamation. Prerequisite: IF 550 and LW 550 Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Emily Askew & Dr. Leah Schade

6/14-6/17 Must have successfully completed one competency exercise and at least 60% of IP 500 level work.

6/14-6/17

This course will teach the techniques of historical-critical exegesis. We will look at the methods that help readers of the Bible come to understand what the text meant in its original setting. It also explores the way that these results can be appropriated for the church today so that the Bible can help lead the churches beliefs and practices. Prerequisite: 3 Hours of Required IS Credits Credit: 2.0 (Offered During On-Campus Intensives) Instructor: Dr. Jerry Sumney

 

Exegesis paper for IS560 will be due July 9. Draft of sermon for LW554 will be due by July 15. Sermons must be preached and recorded in the student’s congregation on EITHER July 21 OR July 28.

6/18-6/20 Must have successfully completed one competency exercise and at least 60% of IF 500 level work.

6/21-6/23 This course in theological ethics will focus moral frameworks as tools for making moral judgments. The course will begin by focusing on the role of scripture, tradition, reason and experience in ethical decision making and will then move to an exploration of different frameworks and sources such as Natural Law, Virtue ethics, Narrative ethics, Responsibility/American Empirical Theology and ethics, and feminist and liberationist approaches. This course in theological ethics will focus on biomedical ethics (sometimes called bioethics). Students will be introduced to methods within bioethics as tools for making moral judgments. The course will begin by focusing on a description of bioethics and then turn to a case study that focus on 1) access to healthcare and 2) life at its beginnings.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

6/21-6/23 IF 556 – Who Do You Say That I Am: Christology This course combines two separate but closely related theological doctrines: the study of Christ (his two natures, his works, his death, his place in the Trinity) with a study of salvation, how Christ’s death brings atonement, who is saved and the nature of heaven and hell. IF 558 – God Save Us: Soteriology The doctrine of Soteriology (salvation) integrally depends on the doctrines of Christology, Creation, Theological Anthropology, Theology, Eschatology and Ecclesiology in order to have any meaning all. If you think about it, figuring out what it means to be saved means we have to ask these questions: “From what must we be saved?” By what mechanisms does salvation occur?” and “To what will we be saved?” The theological shortcut for these questions looks like this, “From what/through which/To what?” It is this formula that will guide our time together, as we work together on one of the most difficult questions professional theologians, and lay theologians alike wrestle with which is: “What happened on the cross?” Prerequisite: IF 550 + two additional IF credits ( Instructor: Dr. Emily Askew

You must have completed all work in the IF and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

6/18-6/20

IP 550 – Early and Medieval Western Church This course is a general overview of the history of Christianity from third century, C.E. to the Protestant Reformation. This course includes a required assignment in your current congregation to lead/teach a lesson/discussion on a particular element/event of/in church history. This can take place in Sunday School, a small group setting, or before the whole congregation (not appropriate for Sunday morning worship). You should begin to make arrangements for this as soon as you have registered for the course. If you are unable to schedule this assignment in your congregation, you must ask the instructor before the course begins for an alternate assignment to satisfy the course requirement. IP 551 – From Reform to Individualistic Freedom This course is a general overview of the history of Christianity from the end of the Protestant Reformation to the early twentieth century. This course includes a required assignment in your current congregation to lead/teach a lesson/discussion on a particular element/event of/in church history. This can take place in Sunday School, a small group setting, or before the whole congregation (not appropriate for Sunday morning worship). You should begin to make arrangements for this as soon as you have registered for the course. If you are unable to schedule this assignment in your congregation, you must ask the instructor before the course begins for an alternate assignment to satisfy the course requirement.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

6/14-6/17 Governance and Management (LM 561), along with Stewardship (LM 560) and Conflict (LM 562), forms the trio of required courses for the Leading the Church into Mission curriculum. Taken together, these courses help prepare you to provide management and leadership for congregations, especially congregations confronting change. Most U.S. congregations today are going through some kind of significant change. These courses build upon Pastoral Leadership Concepts (LM 520) which introduced basic concepts of leading a congregation through adaptive change. In LM 561, we begin by reviewing the differences between technical and adaptive change and the differences between management and leadership. Then we study some of the most effective ways that clergy and lay leaders can organize themselves to move the mission and life of their congregation into the future. In particular, we study congregational governance structure. We assess our own congregational maps in order to learn the best way to equip a congregation for a future wherein most members are engaged in doing ministry (direct hands-on work) and a smaller set are engaged in governance (the policy work of committees and boards). We study the role of boards and what makes for good governance and good board members. Then we turn our attention to the role of volunteer teams and study the best ways to recruit, manage, and equip those who carry out the ministries of congregations. In LM 562, we learn how to lead a congregation through the conflicts that are generated when congregations confront change. By studying the relationships among conflict, loss, and grief, we learn how leaders can identify the sources of tension, develop habits and strategies for working with people caught in conflict, and use the past to shape and reshape the congregation’s future. We learn that conflicts are not all the same, and that there are different styles for managing different conflicts. Finally, we reflect on conflict theologically and liturgically.

 Please contact the registrar notify her of which areas you are matching up.

This course must be completed before taking any other courses.  There is no charge for this course. 

6/3-6/15 This course will cover Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings which tell the story of Israel’s Life in the Land. Traditionally viewed as Historical Books (Christianity) or Former Prophets (Judaism) these books are often understood collectively as The Deuteronomistic History by biblical scholars. The extended narrative depicts a flawed “Golden Age” during which a landless people gains control of a vast territory with the help of God. The story peaks when David and Solomon unite God’s people to control the entire “Promised Land.” At the center of the land is the Temple. By the end of the story, the people are once again landless, exiled to the land of their captors, and the Temple has been destroyed. The narrative is filled with well-known characters: Joshua and Deborah, Samson and Delilah, Saul and David, Bathsheba and Solomon, Elijah and Elisha, Ahab and Jezebel. Students will learn the importance of these narratives, both as a narrative framework for understanding the Hebrew Bible, and as foundational stories for the New Testament. Prerequisite: IS 520 Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. John Hull

6/18-6/20

This course will introduce students to the basic forms and functions of preaching, with the goal of moving from biblical exegesis to theological public proclamation. Students will build a “homiletical toolbox” for preaching that will include the use imagery, metaphors, and creativity in crafting sermons. We will also attend to the performance of preaching, including the use of one’s body, presence, and voice in order to deliver effective, engaging, and inspiring sermons. NOTE: This course includes a required assignment to preach in your ministry site which is to be recorded and submitted following the on-campus intensives. You should begin to make arrangements for this as soon as you have registered for the course. This course will consist of several pre-class assignments and 3 full days of in-person instruction. Prerequisites: LW 550, IF 552, IS 560 Credit: 2.0 (Offered during On-Campus Intensives) Instructor: Dr. Leah Schade

 

Exegesis paper for IS560 will be due July 9. Draft of sermon for LW554 will be due by July 15. Sermons must be preached and recorded in the student’s congregation on EITHER July 21 OR July 28.

6/3-6/15 The theme that unites this course is that different people experience, understand, and live their faith in different ways. We begin by reflecting on the nature of faith in the scripture. Then we look at faith development theories of James Fowler and John Westerhoff, which help us understand developmentally how people may experience faith at different times in their lives. We then look at some best practices in faith formation to see what we might learn about growing in faith. Prerequisite: None Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Narola McFayden

WITNESS AND TESTIMONY IN APPALACHIA: ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY, AND PURPLE ZONE PREACHING LW 677 A COURSE OFFERING THROUGH AMERC: APPALACHIAN MINISTRIES EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTER ABOUT AMERC: The mission of AMERC is to promote contextual, cross-cultural education for theological students, faculties, and other Christian leaders. Working primarily through an ecumenical consortium of theological schools, regional colleges or universities, oversight agencies of the church, and supporting organizations, AMERC supports experiential learning about the theological, spiritual, social, economic and environmental aspects of Appalachian culture, especially for ministry in rural and small town settings. Dates: Leaving from LTS on Friday, June 21. Returning to LTS on Monday, June 24. PREREQUISITES Students must have successfully completed Sermon Preparation (LW 554) and passed at least one competency, as well as 60% of 500-level LW work. It is recommended that students will have completed one course of Practice Preaching. If a student has not yet completed a competency, please contact the instructor to obtain permission to register for the course. COURSE DESCRIPTION PLEASE NOTE: This course requires you to preach one time in your congregation. The sermon must be preached either July 21 or 28. Appalachia is a region of the United States spanning thirteen states across the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to Mississippi. While blessed with beautiful mountains, valleys, forests, rivers, lakes, and abundant natural resources, some areas have suffered from environmental devastation, poverty, and public health issues (such as lung disease and addictions). In addition, harmful classist and cultural stereotypes, as well as tensions around race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation further complicate attitudes within and about the people of Appalachia. This course will immerse students in a four-day learning experience in the eastern Kentucky coal fields wrestling with these realities. (There will be pre-immersion preparations through readings and online content such as lectures, videos, short writing assignments, and discussion boards.) We will ask questions, engage in deep, pastoral listening to a variety of voices, and discern how we can preach the gospel in the midst of contentious community issues.

7/15-7/27

You must have completed all work in the IB and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IB and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Clayville and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IF and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Askew and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IP and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Professor Breeding and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LC areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Coble to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LF areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. McFayden to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LM areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Stackhouse to make arrangements for the exercise.

You must have completed all work in the IS and LW areas before registering for this course.

 

 

Once you have registered you should contact Dr. Sumney and Dr. Schade to make arrangements for the exercise.

 Please contact the registrar notify her of which areas you are matching up.

This course must be completed before taking any other courses.  There is no charge for this course. 

7/15-7/27

The purpose of this class is to introduce you to the basic political and religious background of the New Testament, with the goal being to prepare you to do detailed study of the texts. This course intends to introduce information about the life circumstances of the time of Jesus and the early church so that you will be able to understand these texts more clearly by setting them in their own context. This will enable you to use the New Testament in legitimate and meaningful ways in your congregations and help you hear the word of God and be given a basis for faithful living. Since the Bible is the central text of the Christian tradition, a thorough knowledge of it is essential for being a good leader. Listening for the voice of God through disciplined study and examination of the text is also an important spiritual discipline that should be an important part of your ministry. Prerequisite: IS 520 Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Jerry Sumney

7/15-7/27

Visitation is one of many activities which fall under the larger heading of pastoral care. As such, this course builds on theories and practices covered in LC 520 Pastoral Care Modalities with the intent of aiding the student in becoming a more self-aware and effective pastoral care giver. This course will not recommend any one method for visitation, but will facilitate reflection on the various advantages and disadvantages of different options for doing visits and implementing a visitation program. It will argue for and try to facilitate deep awareness of even the small decisions and moments in this incarnational ministry. The nature and work of God. We will look at ideas about creation and providence, God’s dual nature as both immanent and transcendent, theodicy and the nature of God as Trinity. This course includes a required assignment in your current congregation to conduct and reflect on a congregational visit. You should begin to make arrangements for this as soon as you have registered for the course. If you are unable to schedule this assignment in your congregation, you must ask the instructor before the course begins for an alternate assignment to satisfy the course requirement. Prerequisite: LC 520 Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Richard Coble

7/1-7/13

 

The purpose of this class is to introduce you to some of the issues that influence how we understand and use the Bible. We will explore how books became important for the faith community of the Israelites, how the Bible came together as a book, and what it means to say that the Bible is inspired. We will also explore ways to appropriate the biblical text for today so that it can be a guide for the church’s beliefs and practices. The goal of this study is to prepare you to do more detailed study of the texts and to use them in your ministry. This course intends to help you begin to understand these texts so that you may use them in legitimate and meaningful ways in your congregations and so that you and they may hear the word of God and be given a basis for faithful living Prerequisite: None Credit: 0.5 Instructor: Dr. Jerry Sumney