DESCRIPTION: This course is aimed at all those who are interested in learning
from the experience of Anglicans in the fields of worship, pastoral ministry,
theology, mission and spirituality. It is open to Anglicans and non-Anglicans
alike. In an increasingly globalized Christianity, the worldwide Anglican
Communion offers examples of theological and cultural engagement which connect
with contemporary faith and life across denominations and cultures.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: The purpose of this course is to enable students to make
ministerial, experiential and theological connections with their own life of
faith and service to God. By the end of the course, students will have (a)
experienced and reflected on Anglican styles of worship, especially the use of
liturgy, as a prism through which to view their own experience of worship;
(b) engaged with Anglican theology and method as a tool for ministry; (c)
gained a brief overview of Anglican history with special reference to the
Episcopal Church in the USA; (d) studied selected Anglican spiritual writers
through the ages with a view to drawing out themes relevant to contemporary
Christian spiritual life; (e) reflected upon the relevance, theology, and
practice of Anglican pastoral ministry and mission; (f) engaged with the
challenges facing contemporary global Christianity using the example of the
Anglican Communion as a learning paradigm.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: As a worldwide Church that is both catholic and
reformed, Anglicanism offers unique perspectives on contemporary issues of
faith, life and ministry. This course aims at enabling participants to draw
upon these perspectives in order to develop their own experience as reflective
practitioners in ministry, irrespective of denomination.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet daily for four hours for two weeks. Learning
methods will include lecture, discussion groups, team presentations to class,
experience of liturgical worship, pastoral case studies, video (where
appropriate) and analysis of selected Anglican texts. There will be
considerable emphasis on experiential and reflective learning alongside
traditional academic approaches.
REQUIRED READING: