Theological Education for Leadership (TEL) - Courses
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TEL Courses & Seminars
The TEL program includes courses and seminars in a variety of lengths and formats. All courses are open to any learner, and are available entirely online. They may be taken individually, or as part of a certificate. Because courses are not taught at graduate-level intensity, TEL courses do not count toward graduate-level academic credit (see CTEL below for exception).
Courses
Text and Culture: A Survey of the Old Testament
with Dr. Steed Davidson
May 28 - June 4, 2013
Course Description
This course examines the Old Testament in the context of the ancient near east as a product of its time. Attention will be paid to the historical, social and cultural forces that shaped the texts and the ways Jews and Christians have read these texts. Coming to an appreciation of the content of selected books and their relevance for contemporary culture will also be a focus of this course.
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar; Tuesday, May 28, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
Closing live seminar; Tuesday, June 4, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Steed V. Davidson is associate professor of Old Testament at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. His research interests center on Israelite prophetic literature and postcolonial studies. His book Empire and Exile offers a postcolonial treatment of the book of Jeremiah. As well as contributing to other publications on the issue of postcolonial readings, he teaches contextual readings of the Bible. In his classes he pays critical attention to reader and text as they interact in varying contexts as a means of developing competencies in reading from multiple contexts. Dr. Davidson received his PhD from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York.
That They May All Be One: UCC History
June 17-24, 2013
with Rev. Carol Barriger
Course Description
This is the fourth course in the new TEL Series in UCC Polity and Ministry. These classes are particularly designed for lay leaders in the UCC, people in churches considering joining the UCC, and persons seeking Licensure or Commissioning within the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ. However, any and all persons interested in learning more about the UCC are welcome to participate.
Schedule
Opening live seminar; Monday, June 17, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
Closing live seminar; Monday, June 24, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.This is a course.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Reverend Barriger is a graduate of Pacific School of Religion and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, with an M.Div. and an M.A. in Biblical Studies. She has served 3 parish ministries and as a chaplain at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's Hospitals. She has written, consulted and preached throughout the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ, and served as Associate Conference Minister for 6 years. She is currently on the adjunct faculty at PSR teaching United Church of Christ Ethos, Polity, and Ministry, and in the Theological Education for Leadership program.
Text and Culture II: A Survey of the New Testament
with Dr. Tat-siong Benny Liew
June 25 - July 2, 2013
Course Description
This course intends to explore the literature and background (thus “text and culture”) of the early Christ-following movement. Our study will basically progress in two steps: first, an overview of the socio-cultural and religious contexts out of which Christianity developed; second, a selective survey of New Testament books (mainly Paul and Mark, and to a lesser degree, the other canonical Gospels) to emphasize the theological diversity within the canon of Scriptures. We will also give special attention to the contextual and ideological nature of textual interpretation.
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar; Tuesday, June 25, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
Closing live seminar; Tuesday, July 2, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Tat-siong Benny Liew is Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean and Professor of New Testament at Pacific School of Religion. Dr. Liew is most interested and invested in transdisciplinary study of the New Testament. Alongside New Testament studies, his scholarly interests include literary theory, postcolonial studies, gender/sexuality studies, and ethnic studies (particularly Asian American history and literature). Dr. Liew is the author of What Is Asian American Biblical Hermeneutics? Reading the New Testament (2008), and Politics of Parousia: Reading Mark Inter(con)textually (1999). He also edited Reading Ideologies: Essays on the Bible and Interpretation In Honor of Mary Ann Tolbert (2011), Postcolonial Interventions: Essays in Honor of R. S. Sugirtharajah (2009), They Were All Together in One Place? Toward Minority Biblical Criticism with Randall Bailey and Fernando Segovia (2009), and the last issue of the journal, Semeia, with Gale Yee on "The Bible in Asian America" (2002). Dr. Liew also serves on several international editorial boards, and is currently the book review editor of the journal, Biblical Interpretation.
The Great Story of Your Faith:
Defining Moments in Christian History
with Dr. Jim Lawrence
August 6 - 13, 2013
Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
By focusing on fateful events that decisively shaped Christianity the immense landscape of Christian history can be brought into view. Using a lens of progressive Christianity, we will engage four such defining moments in the two thousand years of the world’s largest faith tradition: the first-century expulsion from synagogues that launched organized Christianity; the fourth-century Council of Nicaea that inaugurated Christianity as a world empire religion; the sixteenth-century Protestant breakaway that created entrepreneurial religion; and the 1974 Lausanne Conference that still seeks global evangelization.
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar; Tuesday, August 6, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT
Closing live seminar; Tuesday, August 13, 5:30 - 8:30pm PDT.
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Rev. Dr. James F. Lawrence is Dean of the Swedenborgian House of Studies and
Assistant Professor of Spirituality and Historical Studies at Pacific School of Religion. During 17 years in parish ministry in rural, suburban and urban settings, Dr. Lawrence helped three congregations re-energize, and he continues to have a special interest in the renewal of traditional ministries. In addition to Swedenborgian Studies, he teaches in the field of spirituality and has special interest in the varieties of Protestant religious experience, the radical margins of Protestant history, the dialogue between science and religion, and biblical spirituality. He has contributed as publisher, editor and author to more than 30 works. He describes his philosophy of teaching in this way:
“I help students understand and develop the resources for an engaged spirituality in the practice of ministry. Both vertical and horizontal extensions are required for spiritual leadership in tomorrow’s world, and these can be developed by engaging the stories of transformative faith: the communities that shape it, the theologies that nourish it, the practices that sustain it, and the moral life that embodies it.”
Telling Our Stories:
An Introduction to Christian Education
with Dr. Michael Sepidoza Campos
September 5 - 12, 2013
Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
This course invites learners to survey main themes of Christian teaching, religious education and curriculum practices as they relate to ministry. Specific attention will be given to the different versions and processes of religious education and theoretical explorations on shifting roles between student-teacher. Care will be given to discerning approaches to religious education, particularly the emergence of social biography, conscientization and liberative/transformative reflection Christian education.
Schedule
This is a seminar.
Cost
$30 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $50 general public.
About the Instructor
Michael Sepidoza Campos has taught Introduction to Christian Education through CMS (and now TEL) since 2009. His research interests include Filipino-American diaspora, postcolonial theory, queer theory and critical pedagogy. Michael's work in Catholic education both constitutes his ministerial context as well as provides the theoretical space at which he investigates the intersection of pedagogy, theology, ethnicity and gender. He has taught at high schools in Boston, Guam, Honolulu and San Francisco; he also served as adjunct faculty at both PSR and the University of San Francisco.
Theological Thinking: God-Talk for Community Building
with the Rev. Dr. Jay E. Johnson
September 24 - October 1, 2013
Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
Theology invites us deeper into an adventure with God and with each other. Theology also provides tools for that adventure as we explore the mystery of our own lives in relationship to the God who creates, redeems, and sustains us. In this course, we’ll consider the many forms of theological language – expressed with songs, poetry, prayer, arguments, laughter, tears, sermons, laments, intimate conversations, and so much more. We’ll also consider how such “God-talk” can help us build communities of faith, hope, and love in the world. We’ll do this through interactive exercises with Scripture, multi-media “lectures” on Christian traditions, engagements with various art forms, and shared investigations of the many questions each of us has about who God is and who we are in relationship with God.
Schedule
This is a course.
This course will feature live, Adobe Connect opening and closing seminars.
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Jay Emerson Johnson, a theologian and Episcopal priest, is a member of the core doctoral faculty of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and teaches courses at Pacific School of Religion and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, both member schools of the GTU. He is senior Director, Academic Research & Resources at PSR's Center for Gay and Lesbian Studies in Religion and Ministry CLGS).
Since 2006 Dr. Johnson has been a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Theology and Sexuality. He has also served as a parish priest in the Episcopal Dioceses of Chicago and California and is currently a clergy associate at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Berkeley. Jay's first book, Dancing with God: Anglican Christianity and the Practice of Hope, was published in 2005.
His current research and writing interests involve the intersections of critical social theory and Christian traditions. Jay is a popular retreat leader and facilitator of adult education programs, both in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the country. Jay also maintains a blogging site: Peculiar Faith.
That They May All Be One: UCC Polity
with Rev. Carol Barriger
October 2013
Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
This is the first course in the new TEL Series in UCC Polity and Ministry. These classes are particularly designed for lay leaders in the UCC, people in churches considering joining the UCC, and persons seeking Licensure or Commissioning within the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ. However, any and all persons interested in learning more about the UCC are welcome to participate.
Schedule
This is a course.
This course will feature live, Adobe Connect opening and closing seminars.
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Reverend Barriger is a graduate of Pacific School of Religion and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, with an M.Div. and an M.A. in Biblical Studies. She has served 3 parish ministries and as a chaplain at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's Hospitals. She has written, consulted and preached throughout the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ, and served as Associate Conference Minister for 6 years. She is currently on the adjunct faculty at PSR teaching United Church of Christ Ethos, Polity, and Ministry, and in the Theological Education for Leadership program.
Let the Whole Church Say "Amen!": An Introduction to Christian Worship
with Dr. Marcia McFee
October 2013
This course has a class enrollment limit of 30 students. Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
This course on worship draws on the idea that liturgy literally means, "the work of the people." We will explore the theology, theory and practice of worship as a communal act that forms and shapes people to "go and do likewise" in the world. Various elements of worship, and styles of worship, will be addressed. Course participants will be among the first to access an innovative online worship planning tool which is being launched in September. Preview the Worship Design Studio here (www.worshipdesignstudio.com
Schedule
This is a course.
This course will feature live, Adobe Connect opening and closing seminars.
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Marcia McFee, Ph.D. is an author, worship designer and leader, professor, preacher and artist. Marcia’s passion for helping the church to worship God fully is especially directed toward the education of local congregations. She travels extensively in order to teach regional workshops as well as holding workshops in her home town of Lake Tahoe two time a year. Dr. McFee received a Master's of Theological Studies degree at Saint Paul School of Theology with a concentration in Preaching and Worship and she earned a Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies at the Graduate Theological Union with an allied field of Ethics. She has been a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty at eleven seminaries. Marcia educates and inspires worship teams all year long online at www.worshipdesignstudio.com which will be a feature in this course.
Biblical Interpretation: An Ancient Text for Today's World
with Katy E. Valentine
November 2013
Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
This course will introduce learners to the basic tools and strategies for interpreting the Bible. The Bible is a huge book—or rather collection of books—that shapes our religious communities, our political landscapes, as well as our personal lives; therefore, learning strategies for interpretation is important. The course the will build on what you already know concerning the Bible and give you constructive tools and strategies for expanding your understanding of the Bible. In our time together we will focus specifically on historical interpretation (who wrote it, when, where and why) and literary and metaphorical interpretation (what is this story about? what are its features?). We will also take into consideration our own social locations to see how our own lives, and those of our communities, become part of our interpretations. By the end of the course, you will have a toolbox for doing Biblical exegesis, which will lead you to your own interpretation of Scripture.
Schedule
This is a course.
This course will feature live, Adobe Connect opening and closing seminars.
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Katy E. Valentine is a PhD Candidate at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. She has lectured at St. Mary's College of California (Moraga, CA) and at the Pacific School of Religion (Berkeley, CA) and is a frequent guest teacher at local churches. Katy is a passionate teacher of Biblical Studies who engages students in the relevance and importance of the Bible in our culture today.
Katy's work embodies the following:
“I am a teacher in every sense of the word. Committed to my undergraduate students, I design courses to help the Bible come alive in its ancient context and also become relevant to our modern society. In the seminary context, I work closely with graduate students so that they become informed theological leaders. With other adult learners, I partner with individuals and groups so that they become passionate about the relevance of the Bible to their communities.”
I'm Gonna Preach: Finding Voice in Church and World
with Dr. Mary Donovan Turner
December 2013
Registration will open closer to the start date of the course.
Course Description
The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) records words of the prophets who spoke challenging and hopeful words to the people of Israel and Judah. In the New Testament Jesus teaches in the synagogues and preaches to the masses who gathered around him. Early church leaders like Peter and Paul proclaim the good news to the crowds. And, as the early church developed, teaching and preaching the word became an important and formative part of Christian worship.
In our differing traditions and denominations preaching has developed in sometimes unique and interesting ways. What is a sermon in your tradition? Are sermons based on scripture – why or why not? What do you hope for when you listen to a sermon? What is a good process for sermon writing? What forms do sermons come in and why does it matter? What does your tradition think about prophetic preaching that engages community, social and political concerns?
Together we will explore these historical and contemporary issues related to proclamation in worship.
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar; Tuesday, December 4th, 5:30 - 7:30 pm PST
Closing live seminar; Tuesday, December 11th, 5:30 - 7:30 pm PST
The interim section of the course is self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Dr. Mary Donovan Turner is the PSR Carl Patton Professor of Preaching and Dean of the Disciples Seminary Foundation (Berkeley Campus). Dr. Turner is a highly regarded preacher in churches nationwide. As an ordained minister, she served congregations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) before beginning her full-time teaching career. Her educational background in Old Testament and homiletics enables her to research and teach methodologies whereby the lives of the preacher and the community come into a responsible en-counter with the biblical text.
She notes, “I have three major areas of interest that intersect in my teaching, research, and service. The first is preaching. The second, Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. The third, women’s studies/voices. A look at my most recent publications and course offerings demonstrates how these three take precedence in my research and writing and how in an almost seemingly endless number of ways are put in conversation with each other.”
In addition to publishing numerous articles, she is the author of Old Testament Words: Reflections for Preaching (2003) and The Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible: Prophets I, vol. 6 (1996). With Mary Lin Hudson, she is co-author of Saved from Silence: Finding Women’s Voice in Preaching (1999).
That They May All Be OneUCC Identity Series:
An Ethos of Extravagant Welcome
with Rev. Roland Stringfellow
January, 2014
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
This is the second course in the new TEL Series in UCC Polity and Ministry. These classes are particularly designed for lay leaders in the UCC, people in churches considering joining the UCC, and persons seeking Licensure or Commissioning within the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ. However, any and all persons interested in learning more about the UCC are welcome to participate.
Schedule
This is a course.
This course will feature live, Adobe Connect opening and closing seminars.
The interim section of the course will be self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Rev. Roland Stringfellow earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a Master of Science degree in Counseling from Indiana University. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in Ministry from GraceTheological Seminary and in 1990 became a licensed minister in the Baptist Church. In 2005, Roland was ordained with the Metropolitan Community Church and in 2006 he earned his Master of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion with a certificate in Religion and Sexuality. In 2011, Roland became licensed with the United Church of Christ and The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, a predominately African-American coalition of congregations with an outreach to LGBT individuals. He has worked as a pastor in Indiana and California. In addition to all his work within church contexts, Roland also worked in the field of education in a variety of capacities – teacher, guidance counselor, college advisor, and vice-principal.
Wells of Living Water:
Spiritual Practices for the Journey of Life
with the Rev. Dr. Christy Newton
February, 2014
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
All around us, there are messages of scarcity that claim there is simply not enough. Not enough time, energy, or money. Not enough creativity, intelligence, beauty, hope, wonder… Not enough to share. These messages deplete our spirits on multiple levels and leave many of us as faith leaders trying to quench our spiritual thirsts with the dust of dry wells. This course will introduce a selection of spiritual practices capable of replenishing dry wells and quenching the deep spiritual thirsts of individuals and communities of faith. Students will engage in experiential spiritual practices and critical reflection on those practices. Together we will explore why certain spiritual practices resonate with us and how these spiritual practices might be incorporated into the life of a community of faith.
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar; Tuesday, February 5, 6:00 - 8:00pm PST
Closing live seminar; Tuesday, February 12, 6:00 - 8:00pm PST
The interim section of the course is self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Christy Newton is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who has served local Disciples and United Church of Christ congregations in Arkansas and California and worked in campus ministry/church relations at Chapman University in Orange, California. An alumna of Texas Christian University (B.A.),Nanzan University (Nagoya, Japan), Monash University (Melbourne, Australia—M.A. Art History/Film), and Pacific School of Religion (M.Div.), Christy also received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in May 2011. Her soon-to-be-published dissertation, entitled Saving at Wal-Mart: Theology and Relationships in Consumer Culture, reflects her sincere passion for connecting the world of ideas with the everyday lives that people lead. Currently, Christy serves as the Interim Senior Minister at Northbrae Community Church in Berkeley, California, and teaches courses for San Francisco Theological Seminary and Lexington Theological Seminary, as well as Pacific School of Religion.
Called to Lead: The Care and Administration of Church
with the Rev. Barbara Essex
February, 2014
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
Every religious community or church requires management and administration. Management that is deeply rooted in the church's vision of ministry and the church's understanding of its own calling, moves beyond paper and numbers becomes a ministry itself. This course is designed to help participants discern their own community's vision and how it directs and impacts the various acts of administration, including finances, personnel, planning, volunteer management and leadership. Sensitivity to culture and context are critical as pastors and leaders create a theological and spiritual basis for the work of church management.
Schedule
This is a seminar.
Tuesday, February 19, 5:30 - 8:30pm PST
Cost
$30 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $60 general public.
About the Instructor
The Rev. Barbara J. Essex is best-selling author of such works as: Krazy Kinfolk: Exploring Dysfunctional Families in the Bible; Bad Girls of the Bible: Exploring Biblical Women of Questionable Virtue; and Women in the Bible: Insights Bible Study for Growing Faith. She has served as Minister for Higher and Theological Education at the United Church of Christ, and for ten years as the Minister and Director of Pastoral Services at Pacific School of Religion. Essex also was professor of philosophy and religion at Contra Costa Community College in San Pablo, CA and has served as adjunct faculty for the Hartford Seminary’s Women Leadership Institute in Connecticut since the late 1990s.
Her other professional work includes serving as Program Director and Co-Convener for the National Religious Leadership Program, co-sponsored by Pacific School of Religion and Hartford Seminary. She has provided consultant assistance in the areas of leadership, education, spirituality, and program development and evaluation for individuals, diverse congregations, denominational agencies, seminaries and other institutions across the nation. Rev. Essex was also the 2013 Earl Lectures' Conference Preacher.
For the Bible Tells Me So? An Intro to Christian Ethics
with Rev. Carol Manahan
March, 2014
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
Early in our lives we begin to discern right from wrong, fair from unfair. As we grow up, we discover the complexity and ambiguity that accompany our lives in the church and the world. When we can no longer find simple answers, we turn to ethical reflection, the spiritual practice of bringing life and faith together for making difficult choices.
“For the Bible Tells Me So?: an Introduction to Christian Ethics” will introduce learners to the tool and methods for choosing action in unfamiliar or controversial situations. Drawing on the Bible, Christian tradition, experience, and reason, we bring our own lives into the ongoing conversation about how to live as Christians in our families, churches, and communities. This course will allow students to explore methods of ethical reasoning which can help us act compassionately, wisely, and faithfully.
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar: Tuesday, March 5th, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
Closing live seminar: Tuesday, March 12th, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
The interim section of the course is self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Carol Manahan, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, received a B.A. in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic, an M.A. in Art from San Francisco State University, and an M.Div from Pacific School of Religion. An interdisciplinary scholar in green studies who draws on the fields of environmental and agricultural ethics, religious studies, art, and geography, Carol teaches environmental ethics and natural history at California College of the Arts in Oakland And San Francisco.
She completed her PhD in Interdisiplinary Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in 2006, where she brought teogether environmental ethics, biblical studies, and ecology. Her dissertation on the ethics of genetic engineering in agriculture considered the scientific, economic, political and ethical concerns raise by the introduction of genetically modified corn.
Rev. Manahan also served for five years as associate conference minister for the Northern California Nevada Conference of the UCC, and she continues to consult with congregations on transition issues and to lead workshops and retreats.
Remembering Bayard Rustin:
Justice, Ethics & Community
with Dr. Terrance Wiley
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bayard Rustin, sometimes designated as “Brother Outsider” was the principal architect of the March. This seminar will engage participants in reflection and discussion of the justice ethic and commitment that inspired Rustin’s life and work as an activist – even in the face of community resistance to his identity as an openly gay man.
Schedule
This is a seminar.
Monday, March 18, 6:00 - 8:00pm PST
Cost
$20 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $35 general public.
About the Instructor
Dr. Wiley is PSR’s Visiting Professor of Ethics, Law and Peace Studies. He teaches courses at the intersection of religious ethics, theology, political philosophy, and African American Studies, with an emphasis on nonviolent social movement theory and praxis.
Dr. Wiley is currently working on a manuscript, "Angelic Troublemakers: Religion and Anarchism in Henry David Thoreau, Dorothy Day, and Bayard Rustin", which explores the theological anthropologies, ethics, political philosophies, and social theories of three exemplary American religious radicals.
Dr. Wiley holds a BA from Sourthern Methodist University, a JD from Georgetown University Law Center, and an MA and PhD from Princeton University.He says of his work: “In the end, my research and teaching are about love. By this I mean that I endeavor to passionately, conscientiously engage important concepts, figures, movements, and questions with the hope that my and others’ capacity to love the right things, for the right reasons, and in the right way will be enhanced. I don’t expect to master this lesson, whether as a student or teacher. Yet, the quest for perfection does keep me on high."
That They May All Be One: UCC Theology
with Dr. Christina Hutchins
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
This is the third course in the new TEL Series in UCC Polity and Ministry. These classes are particularly designed for persons seeking Commissioning, Licensure, Dual Standing or Privilege of Call within the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ. However, any and all persons interested in learning more about the UCC are welcome to participate.
Schedule
This is a course.
The interim section of the course is self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Dr. Hutchins teaches process theology/philosophy and courses on poetry and theological imagination. She worked as a biochemist before attending Harvard, where she twice won the Billings Preaching Prize. Ordained in the United Church of Christ, she ministered to a northern California congregation, and her interdisciplinary dissertation drew on Alfred North Whitehead and Judith Butler to read the agency and value of events through the radiance of time. Scholarly essays on the intersections of poetry, process, and queer theory appear in volumes by Ashgate, SUNY, and Columbia UP, and her poetry books are The Stranger Dissolves (2011), Radiantly We Inhabit the Air (Becker Chapbook Prize, 2010), and Collecting Light (1999), She has won The Missouri Review Editors’ Prize, The National Poetry Review’s Finch Prize, two Barbara Deming Awards, and the James Phelan Poetry Prize, and her poems appear in periodicals such as The New Republic, Antioch Review, Salmagundi, Denver Quarterly, Prairie Schooner, and Women’s Review of Books. She also works for the Disciples Seminary Foundation in Berkeley and serves as the first Poet Laureate of Albany, CA.
Still Waters and Streams:
An Introduction to Pastoral Care
with the Rev. Dr. Horace Griffin
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
This course is a brief introduction to pastoral care. Students will be introduced to the history of pastoral care and the Church’s tradition regarding the “cure of the soul.” Drawing from readings, class lectures and a case study, students will develop skills for pastoral conversations and spiritual care. This course will provide a special focus on assisting others in crises, such as illness, troubled relationships, loss, death and dying. Students will understand and observe pastoral care as a spiritual undertaking involving lay members as well as clergy within a faith community. Pastoral care will be explored in the context of theological issues such as theodicy (problem of evil in a "good" world), God as a benevolent being and sin.
Schedule
This is a course.
The interim section of the course is self-paced.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Horace L. Griffin is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia in 1983; the Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Boston University School of Theology, Boston, Massachusetts in 1988; and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Religion and Personality from Vanderbilt University Graduate Department of Religion, Nashville, Tennessee in 1995.
As a pastoral theologian, Griffin teaches courses in pastoral care, counseling, leadership and gender and sexuality. His scholarship uses narrative pastoral care and contemporary theological discourse to explore issues of race, gender and sexuality. An ordained Episcopal priest and author of Their Own Receive Them Not: African American Lesbians and Gays in Black Churches (2006 Lambda Literary award winner), Griffin is involved in progressive Christian conversations on race and homosexuality currently taking place in the Church and society. In addition to this work, he is writing his second book, Dishonor, which explores the abusive power of Jim Jones and the race dynamics in the Peoples Temple and Jonestown.
For Strangely Warmed Hearts: UMC History and Polity
with Dr. Karen Oliveto
May, 2014 (exact dates TBD)
Registration will open closer to the date of the class
Course Description
This online course will explore the heritage and current structure of The United Methodist Church. Students will explore the forces that shaped the denomination and significant historical figures who promoted “personal piety and social holiness." The course will utilize The Book of Discipline as well as case studies to understand constitutional issues, the local church, ministry, superintending, and connectionalism.
At the conclusion of the course, the student will:
- Be knowledgeable of the organization and structure of The United Methodist Church
- Be able to articulate a critical understanding of the historical forces that shaped The United Methodist Church
- Have a working knowledge of the current Book of Discipline and church governance
- Be able to articulate the role and commitments of ordained and lay leadership with The UMC
Schedule
This is a course.
Opening live seminar: Tuesday, May 7th, 5:30 - 8:00 pm PDT
Closing live seminar: Tuesday, May 14th, 5:30 - 8:00 pm PDT
The interim section of the course is self-paced on Moodle.
Cost
$120 CTEL certificate students and PSR students / $200 general public.
About the Instructor
Originally from Long Island, NY, Karen Oliveto has been a campus and parish minister in rural and urban settings in New York and California. She arrived in San Francisco in 1989, first as campus minister at San Francisco State University, and then, in 1992, as the pastor and leader of Bethany United Methodist Church in Noe Valley. While there, she expanded the congregation, and was instrumental in the effort to open the doors of the United Methodist Church to all persons, including gays and lesbians and their families. Oliveto holds a Ph.D. in Religion and Society from Drew University, and recently served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Pacific School of Religion where she continues as adjunct professor of United Methodist Studies.
Rev. Oliveto is a member of the National Board of Directors for the Reconciling Ministries Network, a grassroots organization of congregations and communities committed to the full inclusion of glbt persons in the life and ministries of The United Methodist Church and has served as chair of the board. Karen is the co-author of Talking about Homosexuality: A Congregational Resource (Pilgrim Press: 2005) and has written numerous articles, hymns and liturgies. She is an avid hiker and traveler, plays guitar and drums, and enjoys cooking for friends
Courses
Courses provide in-depth, introductory explorations of topics that comprise the core of theological understanding and ministerial competence. Each course includes twelve hours of learning over eight days, including two live online seminars surrounding a week of self-paced online learning.
For professionals seeking certification of continuing education, CEUs are available.
Courses offered annually:
- June: Old Testament Survey
- July: New Testament Survey
- August: Church History & Theology
- September: Christian Education
- September: Thinking Theologically
- October: Christian Worship
- November: Biblical Interpretation
- December: Preaching
- February: Christian Spirituality
- March: Christian Ethics
- April: Pastoral Care
- June: Old Testament Survey
- July: New Testament Survey
- August: Church History & Theology
- September: Christian Education
- September: Thinking Theologically
- October: Christian Worship
- November: Biblical Interpretation
- December: Preaching
- February: Christian Spirituality
- March: Christian Ethics
- April: Pastoral Care
Seminars
Seminars address a wide variety of topics in one- to three-hour live interactive sessions. Some seminars are offered occasionally, some annually. For professionals seeking certification of continuing education, CEUs are available.
Seminar offered annually:
- February: Theology of Church Management (3 hour seminar)
- February: Theology of Church Management (3 hour seminar)
