Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Master of Divinity CURRICULUM

The Changing World

LSTC graduates in the 21^st century face a shifting landscape as context for ministry: dynamic, ever-changing issues challenge church and culture; increased plurality within Christian and Lutheran tradition(s) demands thoughtful and incisive response. The congregations to which our students are called are often quite different from the congregations in which they have been nurtured. Many of our churches, whether in rural or urban settings, are in need of re-birth and/or rebuilding as they struggle to deal with changing populations, increased needs and limited resources. There is growing demand for lay leadership and new forms of ministry. Rostered leaders must be equipped to engage in deep reflection with theological integrity, as well as skilled in the practical arts of ministry and leadership. The complexity of the world within which our graduates will serve is matched only by the complexity of the gifts and talents upon which they must call.

LSTC as Setting

The immediate setting of LSTC, characterized by its "marks"-- urban, ecumenical, multi-cultural, global, and university-related-- together with a rich diversity within the faculty, provides a fertile setting for students to prepare for a host of ministries as they grow in knowledge, skills, and faith. Through its curriculum, the faculty demonstrates a commitment to the church as it is called to be: Centered in the Gospel, open to the world.

Preparation of ministers in service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The M.Div. curriculum, which includes courses together with other experiences, prepares women and men to serve in a variety of ministries. To that end, the core of the curriculum includes a number of distributional requirements that reflect the rich challenge and opportunity of a 21^st century context for ministry: Communities of Color, Ethics, World Religions, and Leadership for Mission and Public Life. Also essential to the core are courses and structured experiences in Bible, theology, history, the practices of ministry, and spiritual nurture, reflecting the need for leaders who can grapple with and interpret the church's tradition(s) for the sake of the ministry of Jesus Christ. In addition to core courses, the curriculum provides opportunityÑthrough a choice of electivesÑfor students to explore new subjects, expand their knowledge of familiar subjects, enhance their skills, or develop specialties or emphases.

            Interdisciplinary and Core Area Options

Communities of Color: This area requirement has a multi-sided intent as it engages in theological inquiry emphasizing communities of color and communities representing emerging majority cultures: (1) to ensure that all students experience the challenges of multiple cultural heritages, resisting the ethnocentrism that is particularly difficult to resist for dominant groups; (2) to prepare students for deep dialogue in an increasingly multicultural world; (3) to provide opportunities for students to prepare for ministry in their own communities as well as in other communities within the wider church.

Ethics: The study of Ethics is by nature an interdisciplinary project. This area requirement provides opportunity for students to engage in critical reflection on contemporary issues facing church and society. Students may choose from courses in biblical, social, and theological ethics, as well as courses which address specific issues (e.g., sexual ethics) or which approach ethics through a particular focus (e.g., womanist ethics).

World Religions: This area requirement addresses the growing opportunity and challenge of living in an interfaith environment. The reality of religious pluralism is not confined to cities like Chicago, which is truly a city of many faiths. It is also increasingly the reality in rural and suburban U.S. contexts as well. Those who live their Christian vocations in this multi-faith world need skills in interfaith dialogueÑskills crucial to making a compelling witness of their own faith as well as respectfully learning about the faith of others. LSTC is particularly known for its work in interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims and between Christians and Jews, but courses offered at LSTC engage other faith traditions as well. Students may focus their work in World Religions in a particular area (such as Islam or Judaism), as well as develop a working knowledge of more than one world religion.

Leadership for Mission and Public Life: Courses in this area are designed to assist students to develop particular leadership skills and thinking processes that help them navigate the challenges of church and community leadership. Theoretical models of leadership as well as practical application will be important elements of these courses. Students may choose from courses such as Mission Leadership, Senior Seminar, Congregation-Based Organizing, etc.

The Integrity of the Whole: Intellectual, Spiritual and Professional Development

The curriculum is designed to provide the nurture of intellectual, spiritual and professional development and integration. Through this curriculum, the faculty resists attempts to compartmentalize these three elements, recognizing that spiritual nurture may take place in worship and in the classroom; that intellectual development may occur through study and in interpersonal relationship; that professional growth may happen as a result of field placement and critical reflection. Indeed, it is impossible to predict how or in what settings any particular student will support or expand her or his intellectual, spiritual and professional capacities. However, through courses and curricular experiences that address all three areas, students may be able to maximize their opportunities for growth.

In addition to the integrated approach taken within individual courses, there are at least two specific curricular requirements that lift up intellectual, spiritual and professional development:

Senior Interdisciplinary Seminar: Courses which fulfill this area option are designed to build upon students' internship experiences and to deepen their knowledge and skills in at least two theological disciplines. In order to model an interdisciplinary approach, the courses will be team-taught by professors representing different theological disciplines (e.g., Preaching the Gospel of John; Theology and Pastoral Care).

Growth in Faith: The curriculum is intentional in carving out time and space for the nurture of spiritual growth. Students will engage in a series of activities (under the direction of the Director of Spirituality/Dean of the Chapel) which will include a retreat during each of the three years of the MDiv program. In order to facilitate a community focus, entering students will participate in a week-long, pre-term, team-taught orientation to theological education at LSTC. They will be joined by returning students for portions of the pre-term week.

One of the challenges in any educational program, and certainly in a professional degree such as the M.Div., is in developing a curriculum flexible enough to engage students "where they are" and structured enough to make clear the academic and professional expectations of graduates. It is critical that less-experienced students may quickly achieve a level where they can engage well in the discourse of theological disciplines, just as it is critical to challenge the more-experienced students to grow in knowledge and ability. To that end, the curriculum is designed to maximize flexibility in course selection (many core requirements may be met by selection from two or more courses) and, in some cases, in the order in which courses are taken. This permits students to develop a program that takes seriously their needs as adult learners while also challenging them to be accountable to the standards of the ministries for which they are preparing.

A Structured Outline of the M.Div. Curriculum

Note: Requirements listed in italics can be met by a choice from among two or more courses.

Biblical Studies	History/Theology	Ministry	Field Work
Hebrew Pentateuch-Wisdom Prophets Greek Pauline Epistles Jesus & the Gospels Advanced Exegesis	Church History I Church History II Lutheran Confessions Systematic Theol. I Systematic Theol II Adv. Syst. Seminar	Worship Preaching Educational Ministries Pastoral Care	CPE Ministry-in-Context[1] Internship[2]
Interdisciplinary & Core Area Options
Communities of Color Ethics World Religions Leadership for Mission and Public Life Senior Interdisciplinary Seminar (team-taught) Growth in Faith[3]
Electives: 5 total courses

SAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCING

Pre-term	Junior Fall	J Term	Spring
Growth in Faith & week-long intro	Greek/ or Choice	Choice	Gospels or Paul
	Pentateuch-Wisdom		Choice
	Church History I		Choice
	Worship		Choice

Summer	Pre-Term	Middler Fall	J Term	Spring
CPE	Growth-in-Faith	Syst Theol I	Choice	Syst Theol II
		Hebrew		Preaching
		Choice		Leadership
		Choice		Choice
		Min-in-Context		Min-in-Context

Internship

Pre-Term	Senior Fall	J Term	Senior Spring
Growth-in-Faith	Adv Syst Sem	Choice	Sr. Interdisciplinary Sem.
	Adv Exegesis		Choice
	Choice		Choice
	Choice		Choice

            Additional Requirements (to be chosen where the above sequence reads "choice")

Communities of Color	Educational Ministries	Elective
Ethics	Church History II	Elective
Missions/World Religions	Pastoral Care	Elective
Lutheran Confessions	Prophets	Elective
		Elective