introduction

Durham University

Undergraduate

Theology and Ministry

Courses

in partnership with

Cranmer Hall

St John’s College, Durham

Lindisfarne

Regional Training Partnership

The Wesley Study Centre

St John’s College, Durham

HANDBOOK OF MODULE DESCRIPTORS

2013—2014

1

introduction

Contact Us

For more information about studying Theology and Ministry at Cranmer Hall, the Wesley Study Centre or Lindisfarne, or for an application form, please contact us:

Cranmer HallOffice Manager

Cranmer Hall

St. John’s College

Durham DH1 3RJ

0191 334 3894

Wesley Study CentreThe Administrator

Wesley Study Centre

St. John’s College

Durham DH1 3RJ

0191 334 3850

LindisfarneThe Director of Studies

Revd Dr David Bryan

Church House

St John’s Terrace

North Shields

NE29 6HS

0191 270 4150

Welcome to Theology and Ministry

about this booklet / This booklet gives you information about the undergraduate courses and modules in Theology and Ministry offered at Cranmer Hall, Lindisfarne, and the Wesley Study Centre. It should help you choose which course is right for you, and give you information to help you select the modules you will take.
our aim / The Theology and Ministry courses aim to provide an integrated vocational training for ordained and lay ministry in which theology informs ministerial practice and practice informs theology.
what you will learn / The courses in Theology and Ministry give you the opportunity to:
  • learn how to understand, interpret the Bible, and be able to integrate it with your theology and practice
  • become familiar with the shape of Christian history and doctrine, learn how to engage in theological study, and how to lead worship
  • be introduced to the riches of the Christian spiritual tradition, grow in your understanding of prayer, and learn skills required for the formation of Church life, such as preaching, teaching, and pastoral care
  • engage with the questions of Christian faith in the world: the theology of mission, and evangelism; issues raised by sociology and psychology; other world faiths; life in the inner city; discrimination and power, and the integration of ethics with biblical and theological study.

flexibility / The modular structure of the Theology and Ministry courses allows you, in consultation with staff, to select courses that fit best with your prior learning and experience, and the time you have available for study.
contents / In the following pages, you will find:
Choosing your course
Choosing your modules
Module details

2

introduction

Choosing your course

courses / There are three undergraduate courses on offer in the Theology and Ministry programme: the Certificate, the Diploma, and the BA Hons Degree. The Certificate requires one year of full-time study, the Diploma two years, and the Degree three years.
entry year / If you can show that you have already completed the equivalent of the learning in Level 1 through prior learning and experience, you may be able to enter directly into the second year of the Degree.
continuing study / It is possible to continue from the shorter courses to the longer ones. So after completing the requirements for the Certificate you can study for an additional full-time year to gain the Diploma, and after completing the Diploma you can continue studying for another year to satisfy the requirements for the Degree.
part-time study / The Certificate and the Diploma may be taken part-time; the Certificate over two or three years, and the diploma over two, three, four or six years. You can also take a course converting the Diploma to the Degree part-time, over two or three years.

1

introduction

Choosing your modules

credits / For each year of full-time study you need to take courses that will earn you 120 credits. If you are studying part-time, you must earn 40, 60, or 80 credits in each year of study, depending on the length of your course. Some modules are worth 20 credits, others are worth 10. The Dissertation in Level 3 (THMN3132) is worth 40.
levels / The modules are divided into three levels. Normally, you take Level 1 modules in your first (full-time equivalent) year of study, Level 2 modules in your second (full-time equivalent) year, and Level 3 modules in your third (full-time equivalent) year.
However, you can opt to take up to 40 credits (out of 120) from modules in the level immediately below the one you are currently in. For example, at Level 2 you could opt to take up to 40 Level 1 credits.
choosing modules / Your choice of modules will be restricted in different ways depending on whether you are an independent student or a student training for ministry. Students for authorised church ministry must normally take modules related to each of three key learning outcomes each year (see table below), but this is not a programme requirement and so does not affect independent students. Additional denominational requirements may apply to students in training for authorized church ministry.

Modules arranged by principal learning outcomes

Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3
Knowledge & Understanding / Introduction to Old & New Testaments
Introduction to Christian Tradition
New Testament Greek
Biblical Hebrew
Introduction to Church History
Methodism
Introduction to Studying Theology
Introduction to the Interpretation of Biblical Texts / OT Texts
NT Texts
Liturgies of Initiation and Eucharist
Themes in Church History
Ethics
Systematics
Methodism
Anglicanism
God and Philosophy
Christianity & Other Faiths
Themes in Christian Doctrine / The Bible in Christian Ministry
Systematics Texts
History & Philosophy of Science
Jewish Christian Relations
Church & Ministry in Ecumenical Setting
Selected Questions in Ethics
Anglicanism
Christianity & Other Faiths
Imagining Jesus
Spiritual & Ministerial Formation / Formational Theology 1: Ordained Ministry Today
Christian Spirituality
Sexuality, Gender and Christian Ministry
Christian Worship
Reader Ministry Today
Ministry in Secular Employment
Diaconal Studies / Formational Theology 2: Christian Leadership
Reader Ministry / Contemporary Issues in Methodist Ecclesiology & Practice
Church and Ministry in Ecumenical Setting
Ministerial Skills / Practical Theology 1
Mission
Preaching 1
Preaching and Presentation
Initial Supervised Pastoral Placement
Mission Studies Block
Theology and Pastoral Care
Introduction to Leading Worship and Preaching / Practical Theology 2
Preaching2
Preaching and Apologetics
Supervised Pastoral Placement
Christian Education
Death & Dying
Mission Studies Block
Mission
Pastoral Experience & Reflection
Reflection on Ministerial Practice / Issues in Pastoral Ministry
Practical Theology 3
Supervised Pastoral Placement
Preaching in Pastoral Context
Individual study modules / Literature Review / Special Study / Dissertation
Short Dissertation

1

Module details

about the module details / A detailed description of each module is given below. The title of the module is followed by the Level of the module and the number of credits that it carries. The aim is a general statement of what the module will achieve, the Learning Outcomes list more specific goals, and the content provides an overview of the module syllabus. The indicative bibliography is a brief selection of representative books used in the course.
Please note that we reserve the right not to offer undergraduate modules if there are fewer than 10 students enrolled in them.

Module index

LEVEL 1 CODEPAGE

Introduction to the Old and New TestamentsTHMN10117

Introduction to the Christian TraditionTHMN10218

Diaconal StudiesTHMN10379

MissionTHMN106110

Sexuality, Gender and Christian MinistryTHMN108111

Practical TheologyTHMN109112

Christian WorshipTHMN110713

New Testament GreekTHMN111714

Biblical HebrewTHMN112715

Christian SpiritualityTHMN113716

Formational Theology: Ordained Ministry TodayTHMN114718

Initial Supervised Pastoral PlacementTHMN115719

Preaching & PresentationTHMN116720

MethodismTHMN117721

Literature ReviewTHMN118722

Reader Ministry TodayTHMN119723

Ministry in Secular EmploymentTHMN120724

Mission Studies BlockTHMN121725

Introduction to Church HistoryTHMN122726

Theology & Pastoral CareTHMN123727

Preaching Placement and PortfolioTHMN126128

Christian Perspectives on Contemporary IssuesTHMN127730

Introduction to Leading Worship and PreachingTHMN128732

Living FaithTHMN130734

Introduction to Studying TheologyTHMN132736

Introduction to the Interpretation of Biblical TextsTHMN133737

Preaching Level 1: An Introduction to PreachingTHMN134139

in theContemporary World

LEVEL 2CODEPAGE

Old Testament Texts: Prophets, Psalms and WisdomTHMN201141

New Testament Texts: Johannine and Pauline LiteratureTHMN202142

Systematic TheologyTHMN203143

Death & DyingTHMN204145

Practical TheologyTHMN205746

MissionTHMN206147

Themes in Church HistoryTHMN207748

Liturgies of Initiation & EucharistTHMN208749

Formational Theology: Leadership & MinistryTHMN209750

Christian EducationTHMN210751

SupervisedPastoral PlacementTHMN211752

Mission Studies Block THMN212753

God and PhilosophyTHMN213754

Special StudyTHMN215755

MethodismTHMN216756

Christian EthicsTHMN217757

AnglicanismTHMN218758

Preaching & ApologeticsTHMN219759

Christianity & Other FaithsTHMN220760

Reader MinistryTHMN221761

Pastoral Experience & ReflectionTHMN222762

Pastoral Experience & Reflection (same module repeated)THMN223762

Themes in Christian DoctrineTHMN225763

Pioneer Ministry and Fresh ExpressionsTHMN229164

Reflection on Ministerial PracticeTHMN233766

Preaching Level 2: Developing a Preaching MinistryTHMN234168

in theContemporary World

LEVEL 3CODEPAGE

The Bible in Christian MinistryTHMN301170

Church and Ministry in an Ecumenical SettingTHMN302172

Issues in Pastoral MinistryTHMN303773

Selected Questions in EthicsTHMN304774

AnglicanismTHMN306775

History and Philosophy of ScienceTHMN307776

Contemporary Issues in Methodist Ecclesiology & PracticeTHMN310177

Practical TheologyTHMN311778

Historical and Contemporary Systematics TextsTHMN312179

DissertationTHMN313281

Short DissertationTHMN314182

Jewish Christian RelationsTHMN315783

Christianity and Other FaithsTHMN316784

Supervised Pastoral PlacementTHMN317785

Preaching in Pastoral ContextTHMN318786

Imagining JesusTHMN319787

Conflict Transformation in the ChurchTHMN320789

This symbol, where present in module Bibliographies, indicates the book(s) which tutors suggest would be suitable for purchase by students.

1

level 1 modules

Level 1 Modules

THMN1011Introduction to the Old & New Testaments

Running in 2013-14 at Lindisfarne and St John’s.
Level / 1
Credits / 20
Aims / To enable students to read, understand, enjoy and communicate the Old and New Testaments by studying key texts.
To explore the place and use of the Old and New Testaments in the mission and ministry of the church today.
Learning Outcomes / By the end of the course the student will be able to:
• Give an account of different interpretive approaches to the Old & New Testaments
• Give an indication of how Israel understood her scriptures, especially Genesis-Deuteronomy
• Compare and evaluate historical-critical, literary and theological approaches to the Pentateuch and the history books
• Situate major elements of Genesis-2 Kings in their historical and literary contexts
• Demonstrate the value of different interpretive approaches for the study of the Synoptic Gospels and the life and mission of Jesus
• Integrate critical scholarship with spiritual, pastoral and homiletical concerns
Content / Different interpretive approaches to the Old Testament
Introduction to the Pentateuch
Focus on Genesis
Exodus and the David-story: study of selected texts
The historical Jesus debate
Historical-critical methods in New Testament study
Contemporary approaches to New Testament interpretation
Special reference to Mark's Gospel and its theological themes
Indicative bibliography / Old Testament:
Barton, J., & J. Bowden, The Original Story: God, Israel and the World (London: DLT, 2004).
Birch, B., W. Brueggemann, T.E. Fretheim & D.L. Petersen, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 2nd ed., 2005).
Brueggemann, W., An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003).
Kaminsky J.S. and J.N. Lohr, The Torah (Oxford: Oneworld, 2011).
Moberly, R.W.L., The Old Testament of the Old Testament (OBT, Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992).
Satterthwaite, P., & G. McConville, Exploring the Old Testament Vol 2 - The Histories (London: SPCK, 2007).
New Testament:
Boxall, Ian, New Testament Interpretation (Norwich: SCM Press, 2007).
-----, The Books of the New Testament (Norwich: SCM Press, 2007).
Powell, Mark Allan, The Jesus Debate: Modern Historians Investigate the Life of Christ (Oxford: Lion, 1998).
Throckmorton, B.S., Gospel Parallels: A Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995, NRSV)
Wright, N.T., The New Testament and the People of God (London: SPCK, 1992).
-----, Jesus and the Victory of God (London: SPCK, 1996).
Plus commentaries and studies on set texts as recommended in class.
Teaching methods / Lectures & Seminars, 28 hours contact time.
Formative assessment / 1500 word essay
Summative assessment / 2500 word essay on Old Testament (50%)
2500 word essay on New Testament (50%)

THMN1021Introduction to the Christian Tradition

Running in 2013-14 at St John’s.
Level / 1
Credits / 20
Aims / To enable students to understand and appreciate the historical processes and contexts (social, political, economic, cultural and intellectual) by which and in which the Christian Church grew and developed.
To enable students to understand the development of Christian doctrine in relation to these processes and contexts.
Learning Outcomes / By the end of the module student will be able to demonstrate:
• an awareness of the chief movements, personalities and events which have shaped the history of the Church
• an awareness of key themes in Christian theology and the influence of social and historical context in their development
• an awareness of the use and possible abuse of evidence in developing a historical understanding
• an understanding of sources, method and language in the articulation of theological understanding
• an appreciation of the significance of the historical reality of the Church for theological reflection and current action
• an increased understanding of their own tradition and those of other Christians
Content / The history of the Church from the Apostolic Age including:
• introduction to historiography and theological reflection on church history
• the growth of the early Church in the context of Judaism, Classical Culture and the Roman Empire
• an introduction to the development of doctrine and the formation of the Creeds
• the growth of monasticism
• spirituality and theology of the Medieval Church
• European Reformations, Protestant and Catholic
• the development of the Modern World and its impact on the Church and its theology
• ecclesial and theological responses to modernity
Indicative bibliography / Anderson, W. & R. Diessen, A Journey through Christian Theology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press 2000).
Comby, J., How to read Church History(vol 11985)
Comby, J. and D. MacCulloch,How to Read Church History (vol 2 1989).
Grass T., Modern Church History (2008).
Hamilton B., Religion in the Medieval West, 2nd.ed. (2003).
Lloyd M., Café Theology (2005).
McGrath A., Reformation Thought: an Introduction, 4th ed. (2012).
McIntosh, Mark A., Divine Teaching (Oxford: Blackwell, 2008).
Migliore, D. L., Faith Seeking Understanding (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1991).
Ramsey B., Beginning to Read the Fathers (1993)
Teaching methods / Lectures & Seminars, 28 hours contact time
Formative assessment / 1500 word essay
Summative assessment / 2 x 2000 word essays

THMN1037 Diaconal Studies

Running in 2013-14 at St John’s.
Level / 1
Credits / 10
Aims / To explore diaconal ministry with particular reference to permanent diaconate and Methodist Diaconal ministry
Learning Outcomes / By the end of the module students will be able to:
• demonstrate a basic familiarity with understandings of diaconal ministry in the Bible, Christian history and the contemporary Church
• show an understanding of how ordained diaconal ministry relates to contemporary society in 21st Century Britain in the context of mission
• identify and evaluate current debates on the person, role and work of a deacon in Methodist Church and Church of England including the place of a religious order
• outline a vision for their own ministry within the contemporary church.
Content / History of the Diaconate: the Order in Methodist history
History of the Diaconate: other traditions and patterns
Religious Orders and the Rule of Life
Community ministry and worship
Community ministry and education; the support of the dispersed church
The Diaconate, pioneer ministry and fresh expressions
Leadership and team work in diaconal ministry
Indicative bibliography / Aitchison, Ronnie, The Ministry of a Deacon (London: Epworth, 2003).
Ballard, P. & L. Husselbee, Ministry and Community - an introduction to community development in a Christian setting (London: SPCK, 2007).
Clark, D., Breaking the Mould of Christendom (Peterborough: Epworth, 2005).
Collins, J.N., Deacons and the Church (Leominster: Gracewing,2002).
Graham, E.D., Saved to Serve. The Story of the Wesley Deaconess Order 1890-1978 (Peterborough: MPH, 2002).
Morisy, Ann, Journeying Out (London and New York: Morehouse, 2004).
What is a Deacon? Report to Methodist Conference (Methodist Conference, 2004).
Teaching methods / Lectures, seminars and tutorials, 14 hours contact time
Formative assessment / Written feedback will be given on seminar leadership and proposals.
Summative assessment / 2500 word essay

THMN1061Mission

Running in 2013-14 at St John’s and Lindisfarne.
Level / 1
Credits / 20
Aims / To build foundations for a theology of mission from the Bible, theology and church history. To develop a coherent and practical understanding of evangelism in the context of local church ministry.
Learning Outcomes / On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
• demonstrate an understanding of the Biblical, theological and historical roots of contemporary mission.
• demonstrate an understanding of a variety of approaches to evangelism.
• reflect critically on an experience of faith sharing in the context of local church mission.
• describe the benefits and challenges of collaborative ministry related to mission.
Content / 1. What is Mission?
2. Biblical models of mission
3. Learning from history
4. Contemporary issues in mission
5. Missio Dei and the Kingdom of God
6. Overview of issues and context of Evangelism in Britain today
7. The journey of faith: finding a metaphor for evangelism
8. Contact and encounter: getting going in evangelism
9. The work of the Spirit in evangelism
10. Hard questions about evangelism
11. Encouraging continuing discipleship
12. Evangelism in the life of the church
Indicative bibliography / Abraham, William, The Logic of Evangelism (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989).
Bosch, David, Transforming Mission (New York: Orbis, 1991).
Kirk, Andrew, What is Mission? (London: DLT, 1999).
Church of England Mission and Public Affairs Council,Mission-shaped Church (London: Church House Publishing, 2004).
Morisy, Ann, Beyond the Good Samaritan (London: Chapman, 2007).
Nazir-Ali, M., From Everywhere to Everywhere (London: Collins, 1990).
Spencer, Stephen, SCM Study Guide to Mission (London: SCM).
Standing, Roger, ‘As a Fire by Burning’ (London: SCM, 2013).
Teaching methods / Lecture/seminar sessions, 28 hours contact time; weekend group placement
Formative assessment / 1000 word essay
Summative assessment / 30 min. group presentation followed by 10 min. conversation, with each group member receiving same mark (25%); 3000 word essay (75%)

THMN1081Sexuality, Gender and Christian Ministry

Running in 2013-14 at St John’s.
Level / 1
Credits / 20
Aims / To explore issues of sexuality and gender and to evaluate their theological, ethical and pastoral significance for ministry
Learning Outcomes / By the end of the module students will be able to:
• make critical comment on issues of gender, the wholeness of the human
person, sexual equality and difference.
• identify and discuss questions related to marriage, celibacy, singleness,
homosexuality and intimacy.
• evaluate the theological and pastoral significance of these questions and