| Unit name | Pastoral Theology and Practice (Trinity & Baptist College) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS11022 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Liveley |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
College code D11001
The units aims to introduce students to the biblical, historical and contemporary approaches to pastoral theology and practice, and to develop the critical ability to relate theology to practical contexts of life and pastoral ministry. It provides:
1. an introduction to biblical and historical models of relating pastoral theology to practice;
2. an overview of relevant psychological insights into human and faith development, explaining good counselling practice and professional ethics;
3. an introduction to the areas of community, family, gender, leadership, bereavement, conflict and forgiveness;
4. an understanding of how pastoral leadership in the Bible can inform Christian pastoral care in the contemporary world;
5. a framework for organising effective and sensitive programmes of pastoral care in churches.
The unit will seek to help students to learn from secular thinking, but to critically evaluate secular models and approaches from a biblical point of view with a view to developing distinctively Christian approaches that lead people towards wholeness and growth in their relationships with God and others.
On completion of the unit, the student will have:
1. an introductory knowledge of the biblical theology that provides the foundation for pastoral care and ministry;
2. a critical awareness of the contribution of the behavioural sciences to the study of pastoral theology;
3. an awareness of, and sensitivity to, the factors which affect human growth and development and their relation to maturing Christian faith.
4. begun to relate the challenge of pastoral theology and ministry to the social and cultural contexts of contemporary society.
Nine two-hour lectures and one two-hour seminar over a ten-week period
Summative assessment will comprise an essay or theological reflection of 2,000 words on a critical incident in the college, church or context community that addresses the pastoral issues raised (assessing ILOs 1-4).
Ballard, P. and Pritchard, J., Practical Theology in Action: Christian Thinking in Service of Church and Society (SPCK , 2nd 2006)
Goodliff, P., Care in a Confused Climate: Pastoral Care and Postmodern Culture (Darton, Longman and Todd, 1998)
Savage, S. and Boyd-MacMillan, E., The Human Face of the Church (Canterbury Press, 2007)
Tidball, D., Ministry by the Book: New Testament Patterns for Pastoral Leadership (IVP, 2008)
Woodward, J. and Pattison, S. The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology (Blackwell, 2000)
