The course introduces central topics related to church development and church life. The treatment of ecclesiology will first and foremost aim at bringing the doctrine of the church into practical use, especially focusing on church development. The pastoral theology introduces central topics related to different ministries in the church, focusing on the pastor (the pastor compared to other ministries, the question of ordination, the relationship to other church staff etc.). Topics like calling, spiritual empowerment, personal devotional life will also be treated. The treatment of liturgics gives a basic introduction to the liturgical year, worship order and the development of contemporary worship. The aim is to help the students to develop creativity and ability to evaluate the form and function of different Christian rituals in the different church contexts. The course has a Lutheran starting point and an interdenominational approach.
Teaching amounts to 20 hours of classroom instruction and is mainly given through lectures treating different ecclesiological and pastoral issues. In addition, there will be a course day about observational practice and how to do a small-scale empirical research project. Furthermore, the students are going to do observation and interviews in a church setting. Details and guidelines are specified in the document “Guidelines for observation and interviews in BMM2001”. It is presupposed that the student attends a church regularly while taking this course.
Knowledge
The students have:
- knowledge of ecclesiological models for discussing topics like the identity and mission of the church
- knowledge of central elements of a pastoral identity and what characterizes leadership in the church, including conflict management and leading volunteers
- knowledge of key elements of the worship service like its background and structure, the liturgical year, hymnology and song and music in the worship service
- knowledge of key features of contemporary worship
Skills
The students can:
- apply the acquired knowledge to discuss issues related to the church’s identity and mission.
- discuss issues related to church leadership, conflict management and leading volunteers.
- make reasoned choices about goals, contents and strategies for church leadership.
To be eligible for final assessment you must:
- Attend a minimum of 70 % of the lectures (cf. chap. 5.5)
* Students who don’t complete the attendance requirement, must retake the course the next time it is offered.
* See the document “Attendance Regulations for Fjellhaug International University College” for more details.
The final assessment of this course portfolio assessment. To submit the portfolio, the following course requirements must be completed.
Course Requirements:
- Attend the course about observational practice and empirical research.
- Choose two churches and attend minimum 10 services in these churches during the semester.
Deadlines for submission are given at the start of the semester.
Final Assessment:
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Comment |
| Portfolio | Pass/Fail | A paper on a given topic in relation to the attended services (1000 words), and a paper on a given topic based on interview(s) with a priest/pastor (2000 words). |
Final assessment is based on the portfolio. The course will be graded Pass or Fail.
If you fail to pass, you may submit a revised version of the portfolio in the period for new and postponed exams.
Some readings are available digitally on the school’s learning management system (LMS) and are marked with *.
Dulles, Avary Cardinal (2002): Models of the Church. New York: Doubleday, p. 1-94; 152-217.
Gangel, Kenneth O. (2002): Communication and Conflict Management in Churches and Christian Organizations. Eugene Oregon, Wipf and Stock Publishers, p. 129-288.
Michel, Ann A. (2017): Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers. Nashville, Abington Press, p. 1-83.
Senn, Frank C. (2012): Introduction to Christian Liturgy. Minneapolis, Fortress Press, p. 3-41; 97-155.
Pritchard, John (2007): The Life and Work of a Priest. London: SPCK, p. 1-160.
Ruth, Lester & Swee Hong Lim (2017): Lovin’ on Jesus: A Concise History of Contemporary Worship. Abingdon Press, p. 1-87; 121-145.
