There are many and varied expressions of Church in Ireland today. This module will re-examine the biblical images and metaphors for Church and then think about the essential functions of the Church which are being expressed in different forms around us. The module discusses the context of Irish culture and history and challenges those operating in leadership to evaluate whether or not the forms being used are both biblical and culturally engaging and relevant.    
 

This module is taught by Jonathan Reid.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level.

This course seeks to cultivate in students a vision for God’s divine purpose and activity as revealed in the text of the Old Testament. An appreciation for the big picture that moves through the Old and New Testaments will be built through identifying and studying the major theological themes and demonstrating how they develop through the canon.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

The Bible is a vital part of Christian life and experience. It is crucial that people who engage with the Bible are able to handle it appropriately in our contemporary context. This module will enable you to reflect on and develop further the attitudes, knowledge and skills you need to handle the Bible responsibly, whether for your own reading or to help others engage with its message. The main focus of the module will be working with selected Bible texts. This will give us plenty of opportunities to ask, explore and reflect on the questions that the Bible raises for us. This is an exciting module that will transform how you think about, engage with and experience the Bible.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level.

This module aims to equip students with the tools and skills to interpret and apply New Testament epistles. The tutor will teach and demonstrate exegetical skills while also acting as a facilitator, enabling students to practice and develop their own skills. The course will benefit students by providing a more informed understanding of selected New Testament writings while practically enhancing their exegetical ability. Skills learnt in the module will be transferable to other Bible books.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level.

This course seeks to cultivate in students a vision for God’s divine purpose and activity within Old Testament history. An appreciation for the big picture that moves through the Old and New Testaments will be built through identifying and studying the major theological themes and demonstrating how they develop through the canon.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

 You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level.

This course introduces you to a selection of significant contemporary theologies influencing the church today. Some will be quite radical and challenging. We will use a four C's approach: Context (background, origins), Content (beliefs, teaching), Critique (biblical and theological assessment) and Consequences (implications today). Examples of the sorts of topics covered include gender, sex & marriage; Roman Catholic theology after Vatican II, Christianity and other religions, Feminist theology, Queer theology, Liberation theology, evangelical theology, hell and universalism.

The aim is that you will end the course with a working familiarity with some important modern-day theological thinkers, ideas and issues. But more than this, that you will be encouraged to think through these issues for yourself and others.

This module is taught by Patrick Mitchel. 

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

The Bible is a vital part of Christian life and experience. It is crucial that people who engage with the Bible, either just for themselves or to relate its message to others, are able to handle it appropriately in our contemporary twenty-first-century context. This module will enable you to develop the attitudes, knowledge and skills to handle the Bible responsibly so that what you read and pass on to others is what the Bible is actually saying. The main focus of the module will be working with selected Bible texts. This will give us plenty of opportunities to ask and reflect on the questions that the Bible raises for us. This is an exciting module that will transform how you think about, engage with and experience the Bible.

Permalink

]]>Developing Biblical InterpretationDanielle FrancisquiniTue, 27 Jun 2023 13:01:26 +0000/shortcourses/christian-mission-in-contemporary-ireland-g8n5d5d07458e5190800001a80c34:5f3e63f167316b77e4b59aa3:649adcdbede821248a01f9ef

Delivery: on-site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

The joy of teaching God’s word is something that every believer can experience. Whether this involves sharing with one person or preaching from a pulpit, this course can inspire and enlighten you to be more relaxed and fruitful in this endeavour. The course will highlight how we can present the glorious message of Christ from the New Testament. It will discuss how we can convey messages through different presentation styles or approaches. It will work through many practical examples of developing messages from the different types of New Testament books; The Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Letters, and the Book of Revelation. The interactive course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, reading, and peer-to-peer learning through student collaboration.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

This course studies the Biblical basis and practice of Christian mission. We’ll ask and begin to answer questions like: “What is the Missio Dei (the Mission of God), and how has that mission been understood and pursued in Ireland?â€�  We'll aim to understand some implications of the biblical call to mission in the context of an increasingly secularised, multi-faith, and pluralist Irish culture. Using case studies from within the Irish context, we'll discuss how to balance the exclusive truth claims of Christianity with constructive engagement with those who hold other beliefs and world views.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

It is impossible for any of us to escape leadership. Some of us are already leading and some of us will become leaders: none of us can escape the results of others' leadership. It soon becomes clear that the health of any institution - including church communities - will depend to a significant degree on the nature and quality of its leadership. This module will allow students to reflect on leadership in its various forms. You will be able to engage a range of biblical and theological resources and explore the interface between these and broader leadership concepts as they are expressed in a range of settings. You will have the opportunity to reflect on your own leadership contexts and on your own skills and abilities. The module will include guided reading, classroom teaching and discussion, and the opportunity to hear from experienced leadership practitioners.

Delivery: on site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

In this module we are going to be looking at the stories, messages, dreams and values that surround us every day. We’ll be thinking about things like love and desire and how both God and our consumer culture are continually after our hearts. We are going to be thinking critically and theologically about the spirituality of contemporary Western culture and work at discerning how we can (and help others to) live counter-cultural lives as followers of Jesus who live to a different story and a different kingdom.

Delivery: on-site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence you can study at Diploma level. 

Our primary purpose together is to know Jesus better and worship him more deeply. To do this, we will examine biblical and historical material relating to the person of Christ. Our main focus will be to explore in some depth relevant biblical texts. One aim is for us to be able to put together a united ‘big picture’ of Jesus in the New Testament through appreciating the many diverse portraits contained in the NT. We will engage with diverse theological perspectives throughout the course, both ancient and modern. Since just ‘knowing’ what the bible teaches is not enough, throughout this course, we will build bridges to our lives outside ÐÓ°ÉPro as we think through how what we are studying impacts our lives and service within the church. This is the emphasis of the New Testament, and so it will be ours as well.

The Story of the Irish Church

Delivery: on-site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence that you can study at the Diploma level. 

Throughout Irish history, there have been key developments that have helped shape the Irish church. The story of the Irish church module will facilitate the student to identify and reflect on key developments that occurred in Ireland between the 4th century and the 20th century and consider their implications for contemporary church life and Christian practice. 

Delivery: on-site or on Zoom

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

You may be asked to provide evidence that you can study at the Diploma level. 

When people think of "ethics", they often think about debates about ethical issues and making decisions in hard cases. However, before we get to the debates and the "hard cases", we need to reflect on how we and others think and make decisions in the first place. This module is designed to enable you to explore and develop your own ethical thinking and commitments by reflecting critically on the ways you and others think, decide and act.

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with the assessment)

As those who care for young people we want them to have faith in Jesus. We know that faith comes by hearing the word of Christ but how do we engage young people with the Bible in a way that draws them in a builds them up? In the youth ministry module we look at the purpose, principles and priorities of youth ministry so that we focus our efforts on what's most important rather than wasting time on other things. We explore how youth ministry fits in with the ministry of the whole church, partnering with parents and the local church in their role of caring for young people.
The youth ministry module will challenge, stretch and enhance your understanding of youth ministry, equipping you to truly minister to young people and, with God’s help, develop lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.    

• develop a framework for Christian youth ministry;

• explore Christian youth ministry programme design;

• examine good practices for working with youth under 18;

• explore youth ministry within the wider faith community;

• explore selected issues of contemporary youth culture;

• develop virtue in students in regard to youth ministry;

• reflect on attitudes to Christian youth ministry. 

This module is taught by Jonathan Shaw

Delivery: on-site or on ZOOM

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

This module is designed to introduce you to the literature of the Old Testament, the history and culture of Israel, methodologies in Old Testament study, and a survey of God’s redemptive programme from Creation to the New Covenant.

Delivery: on-site or on ZOOM

Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro Foundation Award: 2 (when done with assessment)

This course is an introductory survey of the life and teaching of Jesus in his earthly ministry as recorded for us in the four Gospels. Given the central place of Jesus for all Christian thought and praxis, this course is designed to help you develop your understanding of the sources, content, and context of Jesus’ life and teaching.

Delivery: on SITE or on ZOOM

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

Everyone who reads the Bible interprets it, whether they realise it or not. It is important to ask if that interpretation leads to responsible outcomes. This module will reflect on the process of Bible interpretation and will examine ways to approach the various types of literature in the Bible. Whatever your experience of using the tools of interpretation, this module will enhance your skills of reading, interpreting and applying the Bible.

Delivery: on SITE or on ZOOM

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with assessment)

Communication is a key part of our Christian faith and practice, and this course is ideal for anyone who wants to grow and develop their communication skills. The course is designed to be practical and provides opportunities for students to plan, prepare and deliver talks in a safe environment. We consider how the Bible and theological concepts can be communicated effectively in the context of contemporary life and ministry. We learn the principles of communication and study a variety of Godly speakers, especially noting how Jesus communicated with His followers. Whether preaching in church, speaking at a youth club or sharing some spiritual insights in a small group, the course will help you meet the challenges of communicating spiritual truths in an effective manner.

With assessment. Credits for ÐÓ°ÉPro FA: 2 (when done with the assessment)

The Christian church has had a somewhat chequered history. In order to understand many of the present trends in church, it is important to learn from the past. One way to do this is to read church history with a theological lens. This will enable students who wish to develop and enhance their ministry practice to locate current issues and developments in contemporary church life and practice within a much larger framework of the unfolding story of the church. Theologically, this story of the church can be engaged as the continuing unfolding of the purposes of God. This module will address aspects of the history of the church in this way.

This module aims to:

• consider some of the main developments in the story of the church;

• enable students to engage with aspects of story of the church theologically;

• introduce students to some of the main characters of story of the church;

• capture the imagination of students;

• demonstrate the relevance of good historical study;

• enable students to reflect on their own perspectives on the story of the church;

• consider how the story of the church can be communicated to the contemporary church;

• develop a humility in students about their life and ministry in the light the story of the church.