Ministry in Contemporary Context (DP3111Y)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

Content

This unit will invite students to a consideration of issues and concerns in the theology and practice of ministry in contemporary Christian pastoral contexts. It will address the origins of Christian ministry in the Scriptures and the historical developments that have formed and informed the contemporary practice and theology of mission and ministry in both Catholic and ecumenical contexts. Ministry shapes the church but the church shapes ministry so we will examine the role that ecclesiology plays in the theology and practice of ministry. Lay and ordained ministry will be examined in the context of pastoral leadership and the necessity for a ministerial spirituality to sustain and develop the future shape of ecclesial ministry.

Unit code: DP3111Y

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies

Delivery Mode: Blended

Proposing College: Yarra Theological Union

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse the development of Christian ministry over the centuries
2.

Critically reflect on the different roles of lay and ordained ministry

3.

Analyse relevant issues in contemporary pastoral leadership
4.

Articulate a spirituality that will sustain those in ministry
.

Unit sequence

1x DP unit

Pedagogy

Synchronous and asynchronous lectures and tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bartlett, David. Ministry in the New Testament. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.
  • Bernier, Paul. Ministry in the Church: a Historical and Pastoral Approach. Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 1992.
  • Catholics for Renewal. Getting back on Mission: Reforming our Church Together. Mulgrave: Garratt Publishing, 2019.
  • Gaillardetz, Richard R. Ecclesiology for a Global Church: a People Called and Sent. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2008.
  • Gula, Richard. Just Ministry: Professional Ethics for Pastoral Ministers. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2010.
  • Martin, James. Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion and Sensitivity. Revised and Expanded Version. New York: HarperCollins Publisher, 2018.
  • O’Meara, Thomas. Theology of Ministry. Revised Edition. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1999.
  • Osborne, Kenan B. Ministry: Lay Ministry in the Roman Catholic Church: Its History and Theology. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2003.
  • Power, David Noel. Mission, Ministry, Order: Reading the Tradition in the Present Context. New York: Continuum, 2008.
  • Sofield, Loughlan, and Carroll Juliano. Principled Ministry: A Guidebook for Catholic Church Leaders. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2011.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Portfolio 4500 100.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 25 Jun, 2026

Unit record last updated: 2026-06-25 11:24:48 +1000