THE3-3101 Prepare the Sermon

The following specific areas will be addressed:

• The nature and purpose of the Christian sermon.
  
• The preacher as herald, storyteller, witness, and mediator between text and congregation.
  
• Communication theory and preaching. Communication, preaching and the Holy Spirit.
  
• Exegetical methodology suitable for homiletical purposes.
  
• Homiletical meditation.
  
• Sermon outline: various sermon forms, especially the law-gospel format.
  
• Working-brief of the sermon and the sermon manuscript including writing for the ear.
  
• Sermons for children.

THE3-3102 Preach the Sermon

This unit provides students with further experience in writing and delivering sermons, paying special attention to the delivery of the sermon.  To assist in achieving that purpose, the unit draws upon resources from the world of public speaking.

The unit addresses the following specific areas:

• theory and practice in effective public reading using the three-year lectionary;
  
• principles and practice in public speaking;
  
• problems of contextualisation;
  
• function and content of the regular weekly lectionary sermon;
  
• function and content of occasional sermons for specific contexts (e.g. weddings, funerals);
  
• developing and benefiting from sermon preparation and feedback processes in the local congregation.
  
• identifying various ways to generate sermon content.

THE3-3103 Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling

The prime purpose of this unit is to provide students with competency in the basic people helping skills essential to all effective care and counselling.

Important additional purposes are to enable students to ground their care and counselling practice in:

• an integrated theological framework,
  
• a basic understanding of human development theory, and
  
• an appreciation of a variety of counselling theories.

THE4-3104 Creation and Redemption

This unit has two main aims corresponding to its two parts. The purpose of creation is to introduce students to the church’s teaching about creation and new creation, the creaturely word, sin and original sin, Christian anthropology and ecological theology. Special attention will be given to the emerging consonance of science and theology and the theory of evolution.

The purpose of Redemption is to give students an understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ, from a biblical and dogmatic perspective, in the light of present-day discussion. Special attention will be given to the problem of faith and history, the Lutheran approach to christology, and the problem of election and predestination.

THE4-3205  Christ and Culture / Contextual Theology and ministry

The Melanesian world view is studied from anthropological, historical, and theological perspectives. Traditional belief systems and ceremonies are investigated.

The relationship betweeen Christianity and Melanesian cultures is explored.

THE4-3206 Lutheran Confessions (incorporating Law and Gospel)

This unit provides the opportunity for students to become acquainted with the background, essential content and main themes of the Three Ecumenical Creeds of Christendom and the particular Lutheran Confessions that comprise the Book of Concord.

The unit also provides students with a good understanding of the relationship and distinction between law and gospel, so that they understand Lutheran theology and are able to properly apply the Scriptures in preaching, teaching, and everyday living.

THE3-3207 Parish Education

This unit aims to help students grow in understanding the implications of Lutheran theology when developing an educational program at the congregational level and to equip students to be leaders

The unit views Christian education from a Lutheran perspective by reflecting on the significance of the Law/Gospel and justification/sanctification distinctions for all-age Christian education. It looks at contemporary approaches to Christian education. Students are familiarised with the education resources of the Lutheran church, encouraged to learn to assess curriculums, and challenged to organise an integrated one year program of Christian education for a congregation.

THE4-3208  Church History 3 (Global Christianity)

The purpose of this unit is to enable students to gain knowledge and understanding of the church’s historical development from post-Reformation times up until the present as motivated and determined by its nature as a movement of biblical proclamation, worship, care, and mission.