Summer 2015/Pasadena

LD515

Yamaguchi and Murphy

LD515: PRESBYTERIAN POLITY, HISTORY, AND LEADERSHIP (4 Units: 160 hour). Steve Yamaguchi and Christopher Murphy.

DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to assist in preparing students for pastoral leadership within the Presbyterian Church USA context. This course will help equip students to pass the Presbyterian Polity ordination exam, educate them on Presbyterian History, and train them in pastoral leadership for Presbyterian churches.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will (1) demonstrate the ability to use the Book of Order to determine proper ways to govern the church using Presbyterian Polity; (2) will be prepared to pass the Presbyterian Polity ordination exam of the Presbyterian Church (USA); shall (3) have an understanding of the significant events in Presbyterian history; and (4) shall demonstrate an ability to reflect spiritually and theologically about pastoral leadership.

COURSE FORMAT: This class will meet over two weeks for four-hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion.

REQUIRED READING: 1,009 pages of required reading

Cormode, Scott. Making Spiritual Sense Wipf and Stock edition, 2013. ISBN: 978-1620328019, Pub. Price $18.00 [139 pp. assigned].

Gray, Joan S., and Joyce C. Tucker. Presbyterian Polity for Church Officers. 4th ed. Geneva Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0664503154, Pub. Price $20.00 [177 pp. assigned].

Longfield, Bradley. Presbyterian and American Culture: A History. Westminster John Knox Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0664231569, Pub. Price $30.00 [86 pp. assigned].

Peterson, Eugene. The Contemplative Pastor. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993. ISBN: 978-0802801142, Pub. Price $13.50 [171 pp. assigned].

The Book of Order, 2013-2015. The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Part II. The Office of the General Assembly. Item number: 534771, Pub. Price $10.00 [217 pp. assigned].

Assorted Articles on Leadership [102 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. 907 pages of required reading in books and 102 pages of reading in articles [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-4] [60 hours].

  2. Daily Journal entries (250 words each) reflecting on Eugene Peterson’s The Contemplative Pastor. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4] (5%) [10 hours]

  3. One team presentation designed to apply the Constitution to congregational and relevant church settings. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1 & 3] (15%) [10 hours].

  4. Exam on Presbyterian Polity taken at the end of the first week. [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 2] (30%) [15 hours].

  5. History Paper (1,250 words) on the significant events of Presbyterian history in the 18th, 19th, or 20th century to present. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #3] (20%) [10 hours].

  6. Leadership Paper (2,500 words) demonstrating the ability to think reflectively on pastoral leadership. [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 4] (30%) [15 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None. Auditors will be required to complete all assignments.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets LDR requirement for the 120 MDiv Program.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.