Undergraduate 

Theology & Religious Studies BD/MA

Listening in Mission TRS1037

  • Academic Session: 2023-24
  • School: School of Critical Studies
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No

Short Description

This course will explore the practice and theology of listening in mission within local communities and how this may renew imagination and impact of the church in a rapidly changing society. Course attendees will explore common mission approaches and be introduced to practices of local community research, theological reflection, and spiritual discernment, in order to develop practical skills in mission attentiveness. Processes that enable group reflection, observation, listening to stories and interpretation will be introduced so these skills can be deployed in church or mission teams. This course is applicable to those who lead in local church situations and those interested in innovating and pioneering in church mission. 

Timetable

8 x 2 hr lectures over 9 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus, plus 8 hrs fieldwork.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Portfolio. (1000 words - 50% ) Four journal entries (250 words approx.)   

 

Report. (1000 words including diagram content - 50%)

Course Aims

This course aims to:

■ Help participants explore a local practice of church mission that attends to the theological theme of missio Dei in their social context.

■ Develop skills in local community research, theological reflection, and identifying local mission opportunities, that can be deployed in churches.  

■ Stimulate participants and their churches to renew their imagination and impact for local mission through improved awareness and understanding of the local community and its social changes  

■ Reflect on current church approaches to mission.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

■ Reflect on their own mission postures and attentiveness to local mission opportunities within the context of a theology of Missio Dei.

■ Undertake observational and listening research exercises in their local neighbourhood

■ Sort and analyse research results into forms that can extend comprehension in church communities

■ Apply theological evaluation and discernment to identify the most relevant information for designing future mission action in the local community.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.