Courses

This course will stress the theology and philosophy of Christian education as the foundation of parish programming through the teaching of planning, administration, and leadership skills important to the development, management, and evaluation of parish ministry programs. Prerequisite: CED 201 or consent of instructor. Offered in alternate years.

This course will equip students with a variety of instructional strategies for use in the parish setting with a focus on planning, managing, delivering, and evaluating instruction. Students will practice these competencies through applied experiences (e.g., observing, teaching a Bible class, leading devotions, etc.) in a Lutheran school classroom. Transportation to and from the practicum site is the student's responsibility. Prerequisites: Completion of background check and fingerprint clearance. Offered in alternate years.

Through a study and application of current behavior theory and research in the area of small group communication, this course will include the specific areas of group leadership, conflict resolution, verbal and nonverbal communication, social influence processes, problem-solving, conformity, and consequences of group interaction, with an emphasis on the application of these concepts to real-life situations. Offered in alternate years.

An in-depth study of the church's ministry with children from birth to age twelve, this course will emphasize faith development theories; family and intergenerational ministry; teaching techniques related to children's ministries; involving children in the total life of the church; and planning, administering, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive ministry to children. A fieldwork component is required. Offered in alternate years.

This course will provide students with the basic foundations of parish youth ministry; an opportunity to better understand the current youth culture; a variety of organizational models; and an opportunity to develop programming skills needed for successful parish youth ministry. A fieldwork component is required. Offered in alternate years.

This course will look at adult learning theories, faith development, and discuss andragogy as it relates to the planning of effective adult education programs in a local congregation. Offered in alternate years.

An advanced examination of the Christian education field with a focus on family ministry structures, this course will address current conceptual models and practical guidelines for developing family ministry programs within a congregational setting. Offered in alternate years.

A foundation course providing an understanding of the content and process of counseling. Specific aspects of the counseling process addressed include: basic skills, legal and ethical issues, crisis intervention, cultural sensitivity, how and when to refer, control-mastery theory and the integration of psychology and theology.

This course will introduce students to the theology and practice of Christian evangelism, developing the skills needed to share the Gospel to others.

An introductory course in systematic and confessional theology covering theological method, revelation and Scripture, Law and Gospel, the Triune God and His attributes, humanity and sin, and the person and work of Jesus Christ as the God/man, with an emphasis on key biblical material and its expression in the Lutheran Confessions.

An introductory course in systematic and confessional theology covering the work of Christ, the person and the work of the Holy Spirit, the church and eschatology, with an emphasis on key biblical materials and its expression in the Lutheran Confessions. Prerequisite: THL 371.

An introductory survey course of several major Western theological positions organized around the systems of Roman Catholicism, Luther, Calvin, and Wesley. Prerequisite: CTHL 101, 200, THL 101, or equivalent.

This course will examine the theology of corporate worship as it is taught in Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, and in how it has developed throughout the history of the Church as the criteria for preparing and evaluating worship services in today's church are examined and applied. Prerequisite: CTHL 101, 200, THL 101, or equivalent.

Through an intensive study of the major themes of the Old and New Testaments, this course will introduce and apply the tools and principles of exegesis and hermeneutics, with special emphasis on deriving Law and Gospel principles for use in congregational ministry. Prerequisites: THL 201 and 202 or concurrent enrollment.

This course will provide an overview of the theology and practice of Christian missions including the historical development, missionary methods, evangelism programs, and paradigm shifts, developing the skills needed to share the Gospel to others. Offered in alternate years.

An in-depth study of a single book of the Bible or several smaller books in their entirety which will vary from offering to offering and be selected by the instructor. Prerequisite: THL 201 or consent of instructor. This course may be repeated for credit if a different book is studied.

An in-depth study of a single book of the Bible or several smaller books in their entirety which will vary from offering to offering and be selected by the instructor. Prerequisites: THL 201 and 202 or consent of instructor. This course may be repeated for credit if a different book is studied.

This course will examine the ministry of the director of Christian education (DCE) in congregations of the LCMS through the study of key roles and sub-roles of DCEs, history of the DCE ministry within the LCMS, the team ministry of pastors and DCEs, and contact with current field DCE models. Prerequisite: sophomore standing. Course requirement: completion of fingerprint clearance procedures including payment of appropriate fees.

This course will analyze person-to-person communicative behavior in contexts ranging from informal to organizational looking at topics such as attraction, trust, language, and nonverbal behavior.

This course is an advanced study of speech communication with an emphasis on professional speaking techniques, humor, and the use of stories. Oral assignments will include serious and humorous personal stories that make a point; persuasive and special occasion speeches; and a final professional presentation. Speeches will be viewed and analyzed. Prerequisite: COM 111 or 211 or consent of instructor.

Social and cultural variables in speech communication processes and strategies for resolving communication problems in intercultural settings with an emphasis on variables such as perception, roles, language codes, and nonverbal communication will be examined in this course.

An introductory course to the addictive behavior connected with alcoholism and drug use with the goal of teaching students to understand the biological and psychological processes of addiction and the use of various interventive strategies in treatment.

This course is a study of human development during the adolescent period with an emphasis on an examination of theories and research data as they relate to adolescent development, including problems and adjustment patterns in the context of the family, peer groups, school, and society.

Using a Christian approach to marriage, this course will study the family and its intimate environment, including a discussion of courtship and role relationships within the family as a social institution with an emphasis on the changing nature of the family, family problems, and family strengths.

An overview of the socialization process involving the young child in the larger cultural setting. Focus will be on social institutions as social agents including the family, the school, peer groups, mass media and community structures. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

An introductory course to the study of aging from a sociological perspective with attention given to current research, problems faced by the elderly, the impact of an increasingly aged population on society, and the resulting implications for policy and social intervention. Offered in alternate years.

A survey course of the world's major non-Christian religions including motifs, belief patterns, ritual and worship, ethics and social patterns, origin and development, and sacred writings.

The relationship of the Christian faith to the major philosophies and ideologies that conflict with Christianity will be evaluated by the epistemological and ontological argumentations developed by Christian apologists in support of Scripture from the second century to the present in this course. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing or consent of instructor.

Through an exploration of morality and ethics in light of what Scripture teaches, students will be oriented to the main approaches, both traditional and contemporary, of non-biblical philosophical ethics as they learn how the Christian faith interacts with these approaches as the significance of the Lutheran confessional distinction between God's left and right hand rule is explored. Student research and presentation on contemporary ethical issues is usually included. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing or consent of instructor.