E-Tutorials
Education
- Leadership in Religious Education
- Models of Religious Education
- Steps of Faith - A Bible Curriculum for Faith Development
- The Trinity: Education in Catholic Doctrine
Leadership in Religious Education
Faculty: C. Anthony Hunt, Ph.D., E. Franklin Frazier Professor of African American Studies (Profile)
Description: Leadership is a critical component in various religious education settings. This e-tutorial explores issues related to leadership in religious education for both clergy and laity. By focusing on the historical and contemporary implications and applications of leadership, particularly as it relates to religious education settings, participants will gain an appreciation of leadership dynamics within the context of particular leadership styles, methods, and organizational structures/systems incumbent in 21st century churches, schools and other religious settings. A focus will be placed on identifying best practices, and developing comprehensive theoretical and practical frameworks for providing leadership that fosters vitality, effectiveness and growth in religious education settings.
Required reading:
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Nouwen, Henri J. M. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company. 1993.
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Weems, Lovett, H., Jr. Church Leadership: Vision, Culture, Team, and Integrity (revised edition). Nashville: Abingdon, 2010.
Faculty: Mary Kendall Hope, Ph.D., Professor of Mediation Studies (Profile)
Description: This course defines models of contemporary religious education theory and practice for the evangelical professionals. A comparison with past practices and theories of religious education is distinguished and discussed to determine how to define the best practices for education in the twenty-first century.
An outline of effective historical theories and practices is built upon to determine how professional religious educators can better provide education to students of theology with emphasis on designing better contemporary programs. Retention of existing teaching strategies is focused on while integrating more innovative methods. Writing and implementing the best models for religious education is the objective of the tutorial. The course culminates in the creation of several model templates for religious education in churches, colleges & schools.
Required reading:
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Models of Religious Education: Theory & Practice in Historical and Contemporary Perspective By Harold W. Burgess 2001, Evangel Publishing House
Steps of Faith - A Bible Curriculum for Faith Development
Faculty: Timothy Allen, Ph.D. (Profile)
Description: This Etutorial proposes a faith growth model based on the educational theory of James Fowler’s Stages of Faith combined with various Bible passages. The premise is that we can build a “primer” of faith for those who seek to increase their Bible knowledge and their spiritual growth. Put together in the right sequence, Bible passages can be used as stepping stones for spiritual faith development.
Required reading:
- James Fowler, Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning (HarperCollins: 1981)
- Various Selections from the Bible
The Trinity: Education in Catholic Doctrine
Faculty: RP Jorge R. Colón, C.Ss.R., S.T.D., Ph.D., Professor of Religious Studies (Profile)
Description: To guide the student through the Catholic doctrine on the Trinity, especially as it should be presented in religious education courses. The course examines the contents of Catholic doctrine on the mystery of the Triune God from an educational perspective, to serve as a model for catechists, teachers, preachers and adult education courses.
Required reading:
- Gilles, Emery. The Trinity. An Introduction to Catholic Doctrine on the Triune God. Translated by Matthew Levering. The Catholic University of America Press, 2001. Undergraduate Level: The student reads the assigned textual materials and e-mails a 500-word response to GTF for each of six sessions.
Graduate Level:
The Graduate Level requires work with two textbooks. Apart from the basic textbook, the student chooses a second textbook from the complementary reading list that appears below. The listing offers Catholic, Evangelical, Presbyterian, and interreligious perspectives.
- Another Catholic Perspective: Emery, Gilles. The Trinitarian Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. Translated by Francesca Aran Murphy N.Y., Oxford University Press, 2010.
- From an Evangelical Perspective: Fairbairn, Donald. Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to Theology with the Help of the Church Fathers Inter Varsity Press, 2009
- From a Presbyterian Perspective: Letham, Robert. The Holy Trinity in Scripture, History, Theology and Worship Philipsburg, N.J., P & R Publishing Company, 2004
- Catholic, Ecumenical and Interreligous Perspective: Phan, Peter C., ed. The Cambridge Companion to The Trinity N.Y., The Cambridge University Press, 2011.
