As a ministry leader serving in a world struggling under the weight of the global COVID-19 pandemic, you've been creatively adapting to a host of challenges and opportunities.
Calvin Seminary, in collaboration with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, is pleased to offer a series of short term online courses that are designed to support your ministry leadership amidst the ongoing pandemic. These online mini-courses are centered around key ministry challenges you face today.
With a commitment of four hours per week for just three weeks, each class is designed to fit alongside the many time demands and commitments that you already have. Though some courses may include optional live discussion online, you won't be required to be present for a session during a specific time. You can choose to audit the course or enroll for credit.
Fall 2020 Course Options
Session 1: October 5-23
The Darkness Has Not Overcome It: Preaching Advent's Light in a COVID World
Advent and Christmas are all about light coming into a hurting world. In 2020 that light needs to shine at the end of a very dark year. Join Rev. Scott Hoezee, Director of Calvin Seminary's Center for Excellence in Preaching, to explore how we might conclude this difficult calendar year and begin a new church year. We'll focus on how to proclaim the good news of the incarnation while taking full account of the dim and even dark realities that have surrounded us. In this course, we will explore the possibilities.
INSTRUCTED BY:
Scott Hoezee, Director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching
Learning from Worshiping Communities Worldwide
What a gift it is to be a part of the global, multicultural, multi-ethnic body of Christ! Learning together across cultures and geographic contexts can be an indispensable source of wisdom, encouragement and mutual support as we face the challenges of responding to the global pandemic.
This course is designed to help us realize this potential, turning our credal statements about the unity and catholicity of the church into practices of mutual learning and encouragement. In the process, each of us--students, faculty, and global conversation partners--can become more self-aware about our own cultural formation and ministry contexts.
In this course, we will engage communities in at least three continents through recorded and live on-line interviews and worship services, working together to develop skills and sensibilities for engaging in cross-cultural learning in just and healthy ways.
INSTRUCTED BY:
Maria Cornou, Associate Director & Program Manager for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
John D. Witvliet, Professor of Worship
Faithful Anti-Racism in a Time of Pandemic
In this course, you'll gain practical knowledge about racism and xenophobia in America today and critically discern its impact on COVID-19.
You'll explore the ways that theology and politics work to support or dismantle current racial disparities. You'll develop faithful anti-racist responses to our present moment and recognize patterns of racist practices, structures and ideologies.
INSTRUCTED BY:
Christina Edmondson
Session 2: November 2-20
Embodied Discipleship in a World That Has Gone Virtual
As Christians and congregations are both racing to find new rhythms of life and worship during this pandemic, essential aspects of discipleship and corporate worship are surfacing. At the congregational level, church leaders are working hard to find ways of serving their communities amidst an enormous and unexpected decentralization and digitization of church gatherings. At the same time Christians are being pulled to live more locally (with the restrictions placed on geographic movement) even as they are pulled to be increasingly digitally plugged in (work, social interactions, etc.).
In this course, learners engage with foundational theological ideas about the human person and their engagement in society and will also be exposed to transformative learning exercises that foster faithful, creative, and sustainable Christian practices during this pandemic.
INSTRUCTED BY:
Aaron Einfeld, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management
Cory Willson, Jake & Betsy Tuls Associate Professor of Missiology & Missional Ministry
Faithful Anti-Racism in a Time of Pandemic
In this course, you'll gain practical knowledge about racism and xenophobia in America today and critically discern its impact on COVID-19.
You'll explore the ways that theology and politics work to support or dismantle current racial disparities. You'll develop faithful anti-racist responses to our present moment and recognize patterns of racist practices, structures and ideologies.
INSTRUCTED BY:
Christina Edmondson
Praying the Psalms in Ministry
The DNA of Christian prayer is beautifully displayed in the 150 Psalms of the Hebrew scriptures. In times of anxiety and disruption, the Psalms are a profound source of strength, insight, and encouragement. When we pray them intentionally, we also nourish our memories, so that the Psalms are a ready-made soundtrack for the living of our lives at work, home, school, and play--as well as at worship.
In this course, students will join faculty as apprentices of the Psalms, learning from ancient and modern approaches to praying the Psalms, from musical and artistic settings of the Psalms from all over the world, and from mentors in ministry who model how to put these Psalms in motion even in the most challenging ministry contexts.
INSTRUCTED BY:
John D. Witvliet, Professor of Worship
QUESTIONS? Contact admissions@calvinseminary.edu.