Church Revitalisation and Renewal (DP3745Z)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

Content

This unit focuses on renewal and revitalisation to enable congregations to enter into the mission of God more fully in local contexts. Attention will be given to how elements in the fabric of ordinary church life such as preaching, prayer, pastoral care, worship, day-to-day operations, governance, and strategic planning and visioning can help effect this. Renewal and revitalisation, it is recognised, is located in personal as well as corporate faith and life. Examples from contemporary initiatives in Australia and beyond, as well as theological and biblical principles, will be explored to resource student engagement with real contexts, including their own.

Unit code: DP3745Z

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies

Delivery Mode: Blended

Proposing College: Uniting College for Leadership and Theology

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Learning outcomes

1.

Review resources attending to biblical, theological and contemporary priorities in renewal and revitalisation
2.

Assess the impact of personal and of corporate faith and life on initiatives for renewal and revitalisation
3.

Articulate a considered personal theology of church renewal and revitalisation
4.

Defend a proposal for an initiative in an element of church life for effecting renewal and revitalisation

Unit sequence

A unit available for undergraduate elective study

Pedagogy

UCLT uses primary and secondary sources considered through different lenses to identify and explore the challenges of the unit material for the contemporary world. Students are engaged in a range of comparative, analytical and reflective practices to identify the original meanings of the text in their contexts and to interpret them hermeneutically.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Brown, David. Reconnect Your Church: A Practical Handbook for Church Revitalisation. Grand Rapids: IVP, 2023.
  • Brown, Jeannine K, Carla M Dahl, and Wyndy Corbin Reuschling. Becoming Whole and Holy : An Integrative Conversation About Christian Formation. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2011.
  • Butler-Bass, Diana. Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith. San Francisco: Harper Oye, 2006.
  • Douglas, Sally. The Church as Salt: Becoming the Community Jesus Speaks About. Bayswater, Coventry Press, 2021.
  • Hardy, Andrew R, and Dan Yarnell. Missional Discipleship After Christendom. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2018.
  • Kreminski, Karina. Urban Spirituality: Embodying God's Mission in the Neighbourhood. Sky Forest, CA: Urban Loft Publishers, 2018.
  • Root, Andrew. The Congregation in a Secular Age : Keeping Sacred Time against the Speed of Modern Life. Ministry in a Secular Age, Volume Three. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2021.
  • -----. Churches and the Crisis of Decline : A Hopeful, Practical Ecclesiology for a Secular Age. Ministry in a Secular Age. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022.
  • Sayers, Mark. Reappearing Church : The Hope for Renewal in the Rise of Our Post-Christian Culture. Chicago: Moody, 2019.
  • Small, Russell N. Church Revitalization: A Pastoral Guide to Church Renewal. Kregel Publications: 2023.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Short Answer Responses - Responses to set readings 1200 30.0
Oral Presentation - An initiative for renewal

Propose an initiative regarding an element of church life for renewal to a named group within the congregation.

 1300 30.0
Essay - Distill theologies of renewal and revitalisation to articulate a personal position 2000 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 4 Aug, 2023

Unit record last updated: 2023-08-04 15:13:55 +1000