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Course Listings | Future Courses People in the 21st century have a renewed interest in how to relate the faith they profess to the lives that they lead. They are asking, “How does my faith connect to my life?” They want to be better equipped at work and at home, in their communities and in their congregations to:
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia offers Online Theological Education for Laity as one key part of its Faith and Life Institute initiative in order to better equip laity (all the baptized people of God) for their ministry in the world and in their church. These online opportunities are for enrichment and growth and are not for credit. They have limited prerequisites. It is an easy way to both begin and continue your theological and biblical exploration. Online Theological Education for Laity is an opportunity to study where you live, work and worship. Many people do not live within easy driving distance to the seminary for on-campus events! (Our online students hail from places as distant as Texas, Wisconsin and California as well as Pennsylvania!) This approach enables you to log on wherever you are and as often as you wish during the two months a course is online. You learn through structured reading and responding to others online. Dialogue with the instructor and with other students is a key component. You can meet people online that you could never study with otherwise and explore the thoughts and concerns of believers in dramatically different contexts! Online Theological Education for Laity also provides congregations and synods with a structured resource that can be used for equipping congregational leaders as well. Pastors and students alike have told us that studying our courses has made growing leaders better-prepared to serve their congregations as members of congregation councils, Sunday school, Confirmation and Adult Forum teachers, as worship assistants, committee chairs and lay visitors, and as youth ministry leaders. Online Theological Education for Laity What is it?
Who is it for?
What are the prerequisites?
How much is the tuition?
What are the steps after I have spoken to my pastor? Step # 1 -- Registration
Faith and Life Institute Step # 2 -- Set Aside Study Time
Course # 21, May and June 2008
The course will be structured in such a way that the students will be led forward in the reading of The Acts of the Apostles guided by questions designed to cause each student to reflect critically on the text and help them consider how this text can and should be applied to themselves and their ministry in the church today. The course will include a series of five short "lectures" designed to get the student into the document of The Acts of the Apostles in a critical way. The "lectures" will include all the student needs to complete the course, as the primary component of the course will be reflection questions that will be asked of the student. Students will be encouraged to post reflections on line so that other members of the class can read and react to the answers with the purpose of causing each member of the class to more critically consider their own reflections. As leader of the class Rev. Hardenstine will direct the class to consider one or two questions more fully each week, pressing for deeper discussion. The Rev. Autumn Fletcher Hardenstine is an Episcopal Rector with parish experience currently serving as a family counselor at Philhaven in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. She has taught several on line courses for the seminary in the past. October and November - 2008: "Singing with Mind and Spirit: The Hymns of the Church." In Paul's first letter to the people in Corinth, he counseled them on how to sing and pray: "I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will sing praise with the mind also." In this online course, we will study the hymns and songs of the Christian church so that we can sing them with both our mind and our spirit. Structured historically, we will consider the development of Christian assembly song, the theological content of the song, and the practical ways that hymns participate in a life of faith. Using the worship book Evangelical Lutheran Worship, we will consider hymns and songs from all times and places. Registration August and September 2008. Teacher: Mark Mummert, Seminary Musician. February and March - 2009: "With All Your Mind: An Introduction to Christian Theology." You shall love the Lord your God... with all your mind" (Mt 22:37). We are Christian theologians when we use our minds to consider the mysterious goodness of God through Jesus Christ. In this way, theology is for everybody. Participants in this online course will examine classical theological themes such as creation, redemption, and faithful living, especially from a Lutheran perspective. Our texts will be the Bible, Luther's Small Catechism and other accessible yet challenging works. This class is intended to serve as a basic introduction to theology or a refresher course, with the overall objective that we continue to serve God and neighbor by using the beautiful minds that God gave us.Registration: December 2008 - January 2009.Teacher: LTSP PhD scholar Martin Lohrmann. Contact the Faith and Life Institute team for more information: faithandlife@ltsp.edu or 215-248-7352. |
Online
Theological Education for Laity
Following the Resurrection of Jesus, the world was on the precipice of great change. Two men of great stature, led by the power of the Holy Spirit, would direct a world-shattering missionary movement toward a new age, one, through the same Holy Spirit, we have inherited and continue to enact. We'll examine the Acts of the Apostles, the book that recorded our spiritual birthing place. What are implications for today? Registration is open through the end of April, 2008. The course is on line during May and June. This course is non-credit, for growth and enrichment. Students receive a certificate at the end of their study.