The purpose of this survey course is to introduce the study of Christian Heritage and Mission in such a way that church history is understood in light of God's mission and God's mission is understood in light of church history. The theoretical scope of this course is tremendous; it covers 2000 years of human history on six continents. It will be made more manageable through learning-centered teaching methods and by focusing on a limited set of themes, geographical regions, and time periods which were most influential for subsequent developments in the church's mission. Students will also be exposed to a variety of historical writings such as biographies, historical theology, social history, and even historical fiction. Its purpose is to introduce students to a broad area of study so that they can choose subsequent courses to take in the area of Christian Heritage and Mission. A deliberate effort will be made in the assignments for this course to help students to see the connections between contemporary church life and the history of Christian mission in earlier eras.

The purpose of this survey course is to introduce the study of Christian Heritage and Mission in such a way that church history is understood in light of God's mission and God's mission is understood in light of church history. The theoretical scope of this course is tremendous; it covers 2000 years of human history on six continents. It will be made more manageable through learning-centered teaching methods and by focusing on a limited set of themes, geographical regions, and time periods which were most influential for subsequent developments in the church's mission. Students will also be exposed to a variety of historical writings such as biographies, historical theology, social history, and even historical fiction. Its purpose is to introduce students to a broad area of study so that they can choose subsequent courses to take in the area of Christian Heritage and Mission. A deliberate effort will be made in the assignments for this course to help students to see the connections between contemporary church life and the history of Christian mission in earlier eras.

The purpose of this survey course is to introduce the study of Christian Heritage and Mission in such a way that church history is understood in light of God's mission and God's mission is understood in light of church history. The theoretical scope of this course is tremendous; it covers 2000 years of human history on six continents. It will be made more manageable through learning-centered teaching methods and by focusing on a limited set of themes, geographical regions, and time periods which were most influential for subsequent developments in the church's mission. Students will also be exposed to a variety of historical writings such as biographies, historical theology, social history, and even historical fiction. Its purpose is to introduce students to a broad area of study so that they can choose subsequent courses to take in the area of Christian Heritage and Mission. A deliberate effort will be made in the assignments for this course to help students to see the connections between contemporary church life and the history of Christian mission in earlier eras.

An interdisciplinary introduction to the Church in mission around the world. Overview of the biblical and theological foundations for Christian mission and the historical development of models of missionary practice in light of anthropological and sociological perspectives. Analysis of key contemporary issuesdetermined by the emergence of non-Western churches and the new local and global partnerships required to face obstacles and opportunities in the current century.

An interdisciplinary introduction to the Church in mission around the world. Overview of the biblical and theological foundations for Christian mission and the historical development of models of missionary practice in light of anthropological and sociological perspectives. Analysis of key contemporary issues determined by the emergence of non-Western churches and the new local and global partnerships required to face obstacles and opportunities in the current century.

An interdisciplinary introduction to the Church in mission around the world. Overview of the biblical and theological foundations for Christian mission and the historical development of models of missionary practice in light of anthropological and sociological perspectives. Analysis of key contemporary issues determined by the emergence of non-Western churches and the new local and global partnerships required to face obstacles and opportunities in the current century.

This module focuses on a biblical-theological vision for the missional nature of Christian faith and the patterns of life, action and speech which that requires. We identify the importance of this for an understanding of the nature of the Church and its perceived mission in other times and places. Learners form a vision for incarnational service in, with and through the church, in dialogue with social and cultural factors that contribute to ministry in the 21st century. The learner will identify and develop personal postures, approaches, and capacities that support effective, confident cultivation and leadership in missional communities. The Openseminary prologue consists of 12 weeks of online readings, assignments, and discussions in preparation for the on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.T.S. program course.

This module focuses on a biblical-theological vision for the missional nature of Christian faith and the patterns of life, action and speech which that requires. We identify the importance of this for an understanding of the nature of the Church and its perceived mission in other times and places. Learners form a vision for incarnational service in, with and through the church, in dialogue with social and cultural factors that contribute to ministry in the 21st century. The learner will identify and develop personal postures, approaches, and capacities that support effective, confident cultivation and leadership in missional communities. The Openseminary one-week, on-ground experience consists of full-day class sessions and engagement with teacher-practitioners in the field of study. Openseminary M.T.S. program course.

This module focuses on a biblical-theological vision for the missional nature of Christian faith and the patterns of life, action and speech which that requires. We identify the importance of this for an understanding of the nature of the Church and its perceived mission in other times and places. Learners form a vision for incarnational service in, with and through the church, in dialogue with social and cultural factors that contribute to ministry in the 21st century. The learner will identify and develop personal postures, approaches, and capacities that support effective, confident cultivation and leadership in missional communities. The Openseminary final project consists of 8 weeks of research and online discussions to produce a final paper/project, based on the learnings in the prologue and on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.T.S. program course.

This module focuses on a biblical-theological vision for the missional nature of Christian faith and the patterns of life, action and speech which that requires. We identify the importance of this for an understanding of the nature of the Church and its perceived mission in other times and places. Learners form a vision for incarnational service in, with and through the church, in dialogue with social and cultural factors that contribute to ministry in the 21st century. The learner will identify and develop personal postures, approaches, and capacities that support effective, confident cultivation and leadership in missional communities. The Openseminary prologue consists of 12 weeks of online readings, assignments, and discussions in preparation for the on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.P.T. program course.

This module focuses on a biblical-theological vision for the missional nature of Christian faith and the patterns of life, action and speech which that requires. We identify the importance of this for an understanding of the nature of the Church and its perceived mission in other times and places. Learners form a vision for incarnational service in, with and through the church, in dialogue with social and cultural factors that contribute to ministry in the 21st century. The learner will identify and develop personal postures, approaches, and capacities that support effective, confident cultivation and leadership in missional communities. The Openseminary one-week, on-ground experience consists of full-day class sessions and engagement with teacher-practitioners in the field of study. Openseminary M.P.T. program course.

This module focuses on a biblical-theological vision for the missional nature of Christian faith and the patterns of life, action and speech which that requires. We identify the importance of this for an understanding of the nature of the Church and its perceived mission in other times and places. Learners form a vision for incarnational service in, with and through the church, in dialogue with social and cultural factors that contribute to ministry in the 21st century. The learner will identify and develop personal postures, approaches, and capacities that support effective, confident cultivation and leadership in missional communities. The Openseminary final project consists of 8 weeks of research and online discussions to produce a final paper/project, based on the learnings in the prologue and on-ground engagement. Openseminary M.P.T. program course.

This course will look at the major movements of the 20th century and how those movements have evolved or dissipated in the 21st century. When Will Herzog wrote his classic Catholic, Protestant, Jew these groups have been more homogenous and dominant. Later on the 20th century evangelicals have spoken with a more unified, conservative voice in theological matters while the African-American Church was a social movement for morality and social reform. Currently, the non-denominational church is increasing in size, the denominational churches are decreasing in size and influence, the impact of the African-American Church is questioned and the ethnic churches are proliferating. While we are rejoicing greatly at the growth of the international church, the emphasis of this course will be on the church in the USA.

Today's civil rights movement has decentered churches. Participants in the Black Lives Matter movement are younger and less religious than traditional civil rights advocates. This decentering is part of a larger change that is creating a unique challenge and opportunity for the church. At stake is the faithful transmission of faith to the next generation, to which the church's failure to respond may impact the survival of institutional evangelicalism. Understanding the contours of this shift and its implications is strategically important for missional pastors. This course will equip pastors to be more effective in evangelizing and ministering to the next generation.

What is spiritual warfare? Does it happen in far-off jungles, urban centers, or suburbia? Is there a possibility that we have domesticated the work of the Devil in our society? Commonly speaking, people consider exorcisms, witch doctors, and casting spells as evidence of spiritual warfare. But there are far more arenas in our Christian life in which the Devil is trying to find a foothold. This course is intentionally called "Christus Victor" because we believe that Jesus triumphed over the Devil on the cross and that he wants us to live in the freedom that comes from that triumph. In this course we will examine the concept of spiritual warfare in both expected and unexpected venues.

There are always multiple stories in history and while the story of men has more often been told, other stories do exist. This course will explore the story of African American Women. From enslaved women who heard a word of hope even when the preacher was not offering hope, to women today who hear a call for service and answer the call even when the opportunities to serve appear limited, African American women have been faithful. These women have been thread pullers, women who pull the threads of faith forward, and who have sought to improve the lives of the communities in which they lived. In this course we will meet well known and little know women who have made vital contributions to church and the work of the church in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. This historical rooting will give students an additional lens through which to view other sociological, political, economic, and even theological movements that existed during this time period.

This course is designed to give the student an understanding of immigration and US policy. Though it will look at immigration and refugee issues in general, it will focus special attention on our border with Mexico with a week-long trip to Tijuana during Spring Break. The course will provide many opportunities to engage with the stories of immigrants, asylum seekers and deportees, learning the reasons for their decision to emigrate, the obstacles they have faced along their journeys, and the hopes they hold on to for their futures. The latter part of the class will consist of processing these experiences and seeing how what is learned might be incorporated into congregational and community ministries. Despite our immigrant roots as a country, our national dialogue about immigration has had a tendency to dehumanize those coming to the US in search of a new beginning. This course seeks to re-humanize our image of the sojourners who seek a new home with us, to connect their stories with our own, and to encourage church leaders to act first with compassion as we seek to fulfill Christ's command to welcome the stranger. The course meets once a week in either on-ground or online sessions during the semester, and participation in the trip to Tijuana is required.

This course provides an understanding of immigration and US policy, with special attention on the border with Mexico. Students will engage with the stories of immigrants, asylum seekers and deportees, learning the reasons for their decision to emigrate, the obstacles along their journeys, their hopes for the future, and then incorporate these learning into ministries with congregations and communities. This course re-humanizes the image of the sojourners and encourages church leaders to act first with compassion to fulfill Christ's command to welcome the stranger.

An independent study course for advanced students who desire to undertake intensive, independent research in one or several areas related to Christian Heritage. By permission and agreement with an appropriate instructor.

When you think of people who have changed the world in the 20th century, who comes to mind? Revolutionaries such as Lenin, Mao, Mandela, Malcolm X, and Che Guaverra were willing to overthrow the existing systems, while Reformers such as Karl Barth, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, were willing to transform or change the existing systems. Will the 21st century be populated by revolutionaries or reformers? When you think of yourself, with whom do you align and how do you justify that alignment biblically?