This unit examines shifting and emerging perspectives on the church, comparing them with traditional formulations and narratives. It invites us to recognise how shifting religious allegiances in Australia and around the world have changed the nature of the church. Amid observed change, it asks how we might explore calls for unity and ensure the church remains visible and relevant. We will explore the ways these questions have been asked in different times and places since the time of the apostles. Ultimately, we will consider how the church continues to be a faithful witness to Jesus Christ in our time and place.
Unit code: CT8500P
Unit status: Approved (New unit)
Points: 24.0
Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational
Unit discipline: Systematic Theology
Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Determine shifting conceptions of the church over time and across cultures |
| 2. | Evaluate reasons for schism and proposals for unity |
| 3. | Examine contemporary discussions of ministry and mission |
| 4. | Synthesise issues arising from global shifts in Christianity within local Australian contexts |
Seminar, lecture, class discussion
Bediako, Kwame. Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of a Non-Western Religion. Orbis Books, 1995.
Bender, Kimlyn J., and D. Stephen Long, eds. T&T Clark Handbook of Ecclesiology. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020.
Bradbury, John. Perpetually Reforming: A Theology of Church Reform and Renewal. Bloomsbury, 2013.
Doyle, Dennis, Pascal D. Bazzell, and Timothy J. Furry, eds. Ecclesiology and Exclusion: Boundaries of Being and Belonging in Postmodern Times. Orbis Books, 2012.
Houlden, Lesslie. The Public Face of the Gospel: New Testament Ideas of the Church. SCM 1997.
Kim, Sebastian, and Kirsteen Kim. Christianity as a World Religion: An Introduction. Bloomsbury Academic, 2025.
Sanneh, Lamin O. Translating the Message: The Missionary Impact on Culture. Orbis Books, 2009.
van der Borght, E., van Keulen, D., and Brinkman, M. E., eds. Faith and Ethnicity: Volume 2. Zoetermeer, 2002
Watson, Natalie. Introducing Feminist Ecclesiology. Wipf and Stock, 1996.
Zurlo, Gina A. Women in World Christianity: Building and Sustaining a Global Movement. John Wiley & Sons, 2023.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster - Annotated timeline | 1500 | 25.0 | |
| Short Answer Responses - Demographic analysis | 1500 | 25.0 | |
| Case Study - Contextual case study with presentation | Contextual case study written and presented verbally |
3000 | 50.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 15 Aug, 2025
Unit record last updated: 2025-08-15 16:37:46 +1000