September 6 - October 22

The Diaconate

Roderick Dugliss, Ph.D.
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

What is the diaconate and how is it relevant to the Church’s ministry? Beginning with the diaconate as presented in the New Testament, this course will look at how this office has changed over the years. We will focus on how the diaconate fits into the life of the Episcopal Church today, and on the many different ways in which people recognize and fulfill their calling to be deacons.

Roderick Dugliss (Ph.D. in political science, Duke University) is Dean of the School for Deacons in the Diocese of California.

 

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We Will With God’s Help: Ministry in the Anglican Tradition

The Rev. John Kater, PhD
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

In this course, participants will explore the biblical roots of Christian ministry, examine some of the ways in which ministry developed in the Anglican tradition, observe how Anglicans around the Communion understand the ministry of laypeople, deacons, priests and bishops, and finally reflect on some contemporary ministry issues.

John Kater (Ph.D. in history, McGill University) is Emeritus Professor of Ministry Development at Church Divinity School of the Pacific.
 

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From Mothers to Warriors: Women in the Old Testament

Sandra Collins, PhD
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

Although traditional biblical interpretation has tended to focus on the “great men” of the Bible (Abraham, Moses, David, etc.), a close look at female stories shows that they play important and complicated roles in the Bible.  Focusing on dynamic women from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), this course will explore some of these complex characters, with serious reflection on the theological and ethical significance of that representation.  The stories range from the inspirational to the horrific  to the valorous, but they are in every instance fascinating.  The focus in the class will be on students’ own close engagement with and literary analysis of the biblical texts and their response to that material.

Sandra (Sandee) Collins holds a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh with a concentration in Jewish Studies. She holds a master’s degree in church history from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary as well as a Masters in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh.  She is currently Academic Dean and faculty in Biblical Studies at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA.  Sandee has taught biblical courses as well as general religion classes to both undergraduate and graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Her dissertation, "Weapons Upon Her Body: The Female Heroic in the Hebrew Bible" is slated for publication by Cambridge Scholars Press in late 2011.

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Food and Faith: The Spirituality of Sustainability

The Rev. Dcn. Phina Borgeson
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

The current “food movement” is really a cluster of movements and networks, such as organic food, slow food, food security, food sovereignty, food justice, public health concerns, food safety, small-scale farming, sustainable agriculture, relocalization, and on and on....

This course brings to that cluster of concerns a particular emphasis on social, cultural and environmental sustainability in dialogue with faith. The heart of the course moves beyond consumer concerns and choices to look at production, advocacy for change, and celebration, and to consider how they play out in the lives of our households and faith communities.

Phina Borgeson, Lecturer in Ministry Development at CDSP, has led theological education in congregations for more than three decades. An Episcopal deacon, she is a member of the Food System Alliance of Sonoma County, and works on and blogs about a wide range of community food security and environmental issues. http://justgleanings.blogspot.com

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Introduction to Christian Spirituality CLASS CANCELLED

S. Alyssa Ninan Nickell, PhD (Candidate)
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

CLASS CANCELLED
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

“Spirituality” is a term that has become commonplace in popular culture, yet is often passed over in the parish, the pulpit and even in adult education courses. In this introductory course on Christian spirituality, we will examine the texts and images of various Christian communities across time and around the world, in order to come to a better understanding of what the language of spirituality signifies and how it functions in contemporary use. We will also explore how Biblical themes and figures have been embodied, often intensified and diversified, in the writings, arts and practices of Christians from the first millennium to the present enabling us to consider how Christian spirituality has shaped and been shaped by personal, cultural and ecclesiastical concerns. Our topics include: sacred spaces, decorum and deviance, art and affect, and posture and practice, among others.

Alyssa Nickell is a doctoral candidate at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA, and teaches in the Graduate Liberal Studies program at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. Her research centers on the relationship between spirituality and sensuality, particularly as evidenced in the devotional literature and art of late-medieval Europe in the tradition of the Meditationes Vitae Christi. She has also served as a board member, grant writer and practitioner at the Care Through Touch Institute in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, where she helped develop and implement an empowerment program for homeless and marginalized people, based on compassionate presence, advocacy and respect.

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Early Church History: The Origins of Christian Tradition (1st to 6th Centuries)

Tom Ferguson, PhD
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

The focus of this course is the early development of the Church in the East and West until about 800 CE. Participants will discuss the early theological debates that led to the first ecumenical councils and creeds. Readings will include both primary texts and historical analyses of the period, with an eye toward how Anglicans have understood the life and work of early Christians.

The Rev. Tom Ferguson received his PhD from GTU/CDSP in 2002 in the History of Christian Life and Thought.  He has taught a number of courses at CDSP, through CALL and for MDiv course credit.  He currently serves as Deputy to the Presiding Bishop for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations.

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Leadership in Ministry: Social Issues and the Church’s Response

Sr. Pamela Clare Magers
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
3 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

What is social ministry?  How do we go about doing this ministry which flows from our baptismal covenant?  This is a practical course designed to help prepare lay leaders, deacons, and others to be leaders in the Church’s social ministry.  It will address major social issues facing our society – poverty, health issues, racism and violence – and analyze the Church’s response to these pressing challenges through discussion and reflection on interviews, social agency site visits, and readings provided by the instructor.

Pamela Clare Magers, CSF (Ph.D. in anthropology, University of Arizona) is a member of the Community of St. Francis and is on the faculty of the School for Deacons in the Diocese of California.

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Introduction to Funeral Planning

The Rev. Diane Bowers, PhD
Registration Deadline: August 30, 2010

September 6 - October 22
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

This course will introduce students to the historical and theological structure of the Christian burial rite as a dramatic embodiment and robust proclamation of the Christian hope of resurrection, and will offer a practical guide to its structure and planning. Students will become familiar with the basic elements of the Episcopal Rite of the burial of the dead, or with the rite/s endorsed by their particular denomination. Participants will be introduced to and reflect upon recent trends in American burial practices, including cremation and casual and upbeat “celebrations of life” services. Finally, participants will gain practical skills for funeral and memorial planning, and guiding the loved ones of the deceased in meaningful participation.

Dr. Bowers is an ordained pastor in the Lutheran church (ELCA) and currently serves a congregation as its regular guest pastor. She recently completed her doctoral degree in systematic theology at the Graduate Theological Union on the theology Martin Luther. Dr. Bowers is working on a book about eco-spirituality, provisionally titled, Grace, Compost and the Christian Life. She lives with her husband in Berkeley, and when not writing, preaching or leading funerals, she tends flowers and bees and grows lackluster tomatoes.

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Greening North American Christianity CLASS CANCELLED

The Rev. Kate Alexander, PhD
Registration Deadline: August 27, 2010

CLASS CANCELLED
4 CEUs or 3 Academic Credits

Cost: $375 for CEU ($295 for groups of 3 or more); $2040 for Academic Credit for MDiv/MA Students.  Please contact your advisor for more information.

Together we will explore the impact of "green studies" on Christian spirituality, theology, ethics, and pastoral life, especially in North America. We will engage a variety of current issues in ecological theology, using primary and secondary texts that range from ecological classics to contemporary nature writers. Our goal is to learn to articulate how recent eco-thinking and practice present both a challenge and a promising opportunity for religious peoples and communities. Instructor commentaries and outside readings are provided each week to help us grapple with this amazing and complicated development within North American Christianity.

Students are required to complete a one-week online pre-course module, August 30- September 5, 2010.  Estimated time involved is 3 hours over the weeklong period.

The Rev. Kate Alexander is currently a doctoral candidate in Systematic Theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA and her dissertation is in ecological theology and theological aesthetics. She holds an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School, but is a Californian by origin, and did her undergraduate studies at Mills College in Oakland, CA. Kate lives in Little Rock with her husband and three children and serves as an Episcopal priest in a downtown parish in the Diocese of Arkansas, where she also chairs a diocesan task force on the environment.

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October 25 - December 17

The Prophetic Voice of the Deacon

The Rev. Dcn. Susanne Watson Epting
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

Deacons are charged by the church to "interpret the needs, hopes and concerns of the world to the church."  That often calls for interpreting skills, but some believe that this charge is not unlike that of the Prophets called to articulate God's vision.  For those who are committed to bringing these needs, concerns and hopes of the world, we’ll explore some of the skills, tools and spiritual grounding helpful in fulfilling this charge.  The seven units of this course will provide a taste of the prophetic tradition, assist in developing interpretive skills for advocacy, dialogue, service learning and asset development, supply resources for spiritual sustenance as well as nurture community and companionship with others in our midst.

Deacon Susanne Watson Epting is the Director of the North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD), with experience in facilitating and teaching in many church contexts.  She recently served on the Primates' Task Force on Theological Education in the Anglican Communion and also on the Episcopal Church task force on Proclaiming Education for All.  Ministry development and baseball are her passions.

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Women in the New Testament and Early Christianity

Erica Martin, PhD
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

This course presents an examination of the representation of women and gender in the New Testament and other early Christian texts, with attention to their historical and contemporary significance.  Participants will cross paths with girls, adult women, reputed harlots, ascetic virgins, mothers and daughters all portrayed through the historical memory and imagination – sometimes idealizing, sometimes violent – of early Christian texts.

Dr. Erica L. Martin teaches Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Qur’ān and Biblical Languages in the Theology and Religious Studies department of Seattle University and the graduate School of Theology & Ministry at Seattle University, in addition to serving as Affiliate Chaplain for Jewish Life at the University of Puget Sound.

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Biblical Exegesis for Preaching

Darren Miner, PhD (Candidate)
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

This course will acquaint (or reacquaint) the student with both established and more recent forms of biblical criticism, including the following forms: historical, social-scientific, canonical, rhetorical, narrative, and reader-response. The emphasis will be on how these methods may be used by the preacher in the exegesis of the biblical text. The course will also discuss the relation between biblical exegesis and the larger field of biblical hermeneutics. In addition to the assigned reading and participation in online discussion, students will be expected to submit several short homilies to demonstrate their understanding of various critical methods.

The Rev. Darren Miner earned a Master of Divinity degree from the CDSP and a Master of Arts in Biblical Languages from the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in 2006. He is currently a doctoral student in biblical studies at the GTU, as well as a transitional deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of California.

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Introduction to Spiritual Guidance Traditions

The Rev. Daniel Prechtel, DMin
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

We live in a time when many people are seeking spiritual guidance from a wide range of sources.  This course will provide a forum for exploring major historical developments in Christian practices of spiritual guidance and their contemporary expressions, as well as assist participants in recognizing how they receive and share in spiritual guidance in their own lives. Through discussion board reflections of weekly readings, key elements and forms of contemporary spiritual guidance and direction will be examined.  Participants are invited to practice spiritual companionship attributes such as spiritual hospitality, reflective listening, empathy, and contemplative engagement with other people in their own setting and regularly journal about those experiences--as background for discussions, and most importantly as reflective practitioners of spiritual companionship. A 2-3 page reflection paper will help synthesize learning and complete the course.

The Rev. Daniel Prechtel, DMin. served as core faculty and program director for the Institute of Spiritual Companionship; and adjunct faculty and chaplain at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary teaching courses in spiritual direction, advanced spiritual group leadership, and spiritual formation in small groups.  He founded Lamb & Lion Spiritual Guidance Ministries in 1993 and has over twenty years of experience as a spiritual director for individuals, groups, and organizations.

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Benedictine Spirituality

The Rev. Elizabeth Ford Friend, PhD (Candidate)
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in Benedictine spirituality.  In this online course, we will explore, experience, and reflect on the rhythms of Benedictine spirituality through three spiritual practices:  lectio divina (sacred reading), centering prayer, and the liturgy of the Hours.  We will attend to the contemplative dimension of our own lives through these prayer practices that have enriched the lives of the faithful from the earliest centuries of Christianity.

Rev. Elizabeth Ford Friend is a PhD Candidate in Christian Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.  An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and a spiritual director, she also serves as a Professorial Lecturer at Georgetown University.

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Medieval Church History (6th to 16th Centuries)

Bradley Peterson, PhD
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

This course acquaints students with major developments in Christianity during the Middle Ages (approximately 500 to 1000) in Western Europe by focusing on its missionary beginnings, its international presence, its monastic life, the dominance of the universities in its thought, the blossoming of mysticism, and the many movements leading to reform or heresy.

Dr. Bradley A. Peterson earned his PhD in Church History from the Graduate Theological Union in 2008. He currently teaches in the Diocese of California’s School for Deacons and is on the staff of First Congregational Church of San Francisco.

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Introduction to Anglican Liturgy

The Rev. Walter Knowles, Ph.D.
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

Anglican worship is a broad and varied tradition of relationship to God. Using the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as our primary reference, we will be experiencing and exploring this way of prayer in our own worship life. You’ll be introduced to some of the theological and historical thinking which has grounded Anglicans in our thinking about this community gathered to worship God and sent out to do God’s work in the world.

The Rev. Walter Knowles, Ph.D. studies, writes and teaches in the intersection of the arts (particularly music), history, and liturgy. He earned his Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA in 2009 and is Pastoral Associate and Minister of Music at All Saints' Episcopal Church in San Francisco, CA. www.liturgicalstudies.org.

 

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An Introduction to Dreamwork

Steven Bauman, PhD (Candidate)
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

This course introduces participants to multiple methodologies in the study of dreams while providing practical experience in group dreamwork. Participants will acquire familiarity with the theological, psychological, cultural, social, and global dimensions of dreams through practice and development of skills for exploring the many layers of meaning in their own dreams and those for whom they care.

Steven Bauman holds a MA in Medieval Church History from the Washington Theological Union and is a PhD Candidate in Religion and Psychology at the Graduate Theological Union. He has studied with Jeremy Taylor and Kelly Bulkeley and is an experienced instructor and group dreamwork facilitator. As a featured presenter at their regional conference, he addressed the IASD regarding the implications of theology and dreamwork with urban homeless, with special emphasis on the dreams of runaway youth and sex workers.

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A Wild Kingdom: Rediscovering Animals in Christian Theology

Marilyn Matevia, PhD (Candidate)
Registration Deadline: October 18, 2010

October 25 – December 17
2 CEUs
Cost: $190; $150 for groups of 3 or more

In this course, we will track the status of nonhuman animals in Christian theology and traditions, sampling writings from the patristic era, to more contemporary thought.  We will also explore whether/how those texts and traditions can inspire churches to expand visions of justice to include the humane treatment and protection of animals.

Marilyn Matevia is a doctoral candidate at Graduate Theological Union, focusing on environmental ethics and animal ethics.  She did previous graduate work in animal behavior, specializing in nonhuman primates.  Over the years, her interests and concerns shifted to the ethical dimensions of conserving and protecting endangered species.  She was a Newhall Fellow in 2008, co-teaching Environmental Ethics with Dr. Carol Robb at San Francisco Theological Seminary and recently conducted a workshop in animal theology and ethics, "Creature Comfort: Redeeming Our Relationships with Nonhuman Animals" at CDSP's Epiphany West 2010 conference.

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