Growing Faith: Forming Christians in Multiple Contexts (DA2001Z)

Content

Growing faith and faith communities is a central concern of the Church as it engages the complexity of contemporary contexts, where faith formation extends well beyond the Sunday school and the pulpit. From Godly Play with children to pastoral care in aged care settings, the educational ministry of the Church plays a vital role in nurturing faith and sustaining flourishing communities that can respond faithfully to changing circumstances.

In this unit, students engage with the principles and practices of Christian education, examining how learning, teaching, formation, and ministry intersect across the human lifespan. Particular attention is given to the relationship between Christian education, faith formation, pastoral practice, and the life of faith communities. Learning is grounded in contextual and practice-based reflection, enabling students to examine educational practices in a range of ministry settings.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

This unit requires two undergraduate foundation units in Mission and Ministry.

Pedagogy

This unit fosters a collaborative peer learning environment in which students are encouraged to engage in constructivist and experiential approaches to learning. It will facilitate the development of reflective practice to support the integration of learning.

Indicative Bibliography

• Ward, Pete. Introducing practical theology: Mission, ministry, and the life of the church. Baker Academic, 2017.
• Thompson, Judith. Theological reflection. (2nd ed.) SCM Press, 2019.
• Day, Juliette J. Reading the liturgy: an exploration of texts in Christian worship. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.

Assessment