EDUCATIONAL MINISTRY MAJOR

Alexander Hall
(206) 281-2342
www.spu.edu/depts/sot/

FACULTY:  Miriam Ann Adeney, Kerry  Dearborn, Robert  Drovdahl, Jan  Fekkes III, Jeffrey F. Keuss, Sara Malmin Koenig, Douglas Michael Koskela, Eugene E Lemcio, John R Levison, Bo-Hyon  Lim, David Robert Nienhuis, Delia  Nuesch-Olver, Priscilla  Pope-Levison, C Edward Smyth, Frank Anthony Spina, Richard Bruce Steele, Robert Walter Wall, David E. Wilhite

The mission of the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University is to educate and prepare all our students to engage the culture as thoughtful people. We seek to foster their intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth, and help them master those critical skills and multicultural sensitivities needed to understand Christian faith and translate it into practices that change the world.

The School stands squarely in the Methodist heritage and our courses are shaped by our commitment to the method of theological inquiry delineated by John Wesley, the founder of that tradition. According to that method, there are four sources of Christian truth that believers must consult: the Bible (which is preeminent among the four), church tradition, human reason, and their own personal experience of the Risen Christ. These sources are understood to be correlative and mutually corrective, and the adventure of theological inquiry consists precisely in listening attentively to the distinct but compatible contributions of each. It is our expectation that students who practice this method will come to an informed, confident, and deeply “owned” Christian faith.

The School of Theology serves all SPU students through courses meeting University Foundations requirements. These requirements, described elsewhere in this Catalog, introduce students to the biblical heritage and to the distinctive doctrines and practices of various strands within the historic Christian tradition.

We offer two majors: educational ministry and Christian theology. These majors are described in detail below. Please note that although they share a common core of courses (a fact that facilitates double-majoring), each also includes an array of specialized courses suitable to its distinctive focus. We also offer five minors: Christian Scriptures; educational ministry; youth ministry; Christian Theology; and global and urban ministry. A minor in one of these areas will enrich the Christian perspective of a student’s chosen major and strengthen the connection between one’s faith and one’s life in the workplace, home, church, and world. Finally, we offer an International Service Certificate for those interested in living and working in multicultural settings.

Admission to Majors or Minors
To quality for a major in the School of Theology, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in all previous college credits and have attained at least a B- grade in a University Foundations course.

Educational Ministry Major

Robert Drovdahl, Contact
The field of educational ministry, traditionally known as Christian education, is an interdisciplinary area addressing the question of how we facilitate spiritual development in persons. To answer this question, the field explores the foundational theological disciplines, the social sciences, and educational philosophy. A major in educational ministry is recommended for students interested in spiritual development and the educational/equipping ministry of the church. It provides a pre-professional course of study within a liberal arts perspective for students pursuing full-time ministry in a church or parachurch setting. Occupationally, educational ministry majors work within church and parachurch organizations. Possible church roles include director of Christian education, youth director, and children’s director. Possible parachurch settings include student development, Christian service organizations, Christian camping, and curriculum design. Some students also combine a major in educational ministry with education certification to prepare for elementary school teaching.

Requirements for the Educational Ministry Major
Note: The requirements for the major are in addition to meeting the Foundations requirements.

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