| Ministries, Concentration & Emphases: ELCA Rostered Ministries: |
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INTERFAITH EMPHASIS
Interfaith Group | Course Requirements | Activity Option
| Senior Project | Final Structured Conversation | Director
This curricular emphasis enables M.Div. and M.A. students to acquire knowledge and expertise in at least one religious tradition besides their own. It has been designed to equip students to participate in respectful dialogue with people of other faiths and to engage constructively others in religiously diverse communities.
The Interfaith Emphasis provides a structure within which students develop their ability to articulate their own faith commitments and engage in theological reflection with members of other faith traditions. Students may request the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis or another member of the faculty involved in interfaith work to serve as their advisor. Components of the Interfaith Emphasis include:
• Meeting each semester with the Interfaith Emphasis group
• Three or preferably more elective classes in world religions and interfaith encounter
• At least one additional “interfaith activity option” (to be explained below)
• Senior project with final structured conversation.
M.Div. students should declare their intention to complete the Interfaith Emphasis no later than the fall semester of their Middler year by (a) contacting the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis and (b) filing an application with the Registrar’s office. M.A. students should declare their intention by their second semester of study.
The Interfaith Emphasis is recommended for both Christian and non-Christian students interested in world religions and inter-religious dialogue. For non-Christian students the basic requirements of the M.A. and M.Div. programs at LSTC provide a broad exposure to the Christian faith, while the special components of the Interfaith Emphasis further broaden knowledge and experience in other religious traditions and interfaith encounter.
At least once each semester, students in the Interfaith Emphasis meet with the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis and other participating faculty members. At this meeting, students in the emphasis become acquainted with each other and learn about each others’ interests and activities. These meetings may feature presentations and discussions by faculty and students on topics of interest. A review of the requirements of the Interfaith Emphasis and opportunities for current and potential students is a regular part of each meeting.
Students in the Interfaith Emphasis are required to take at least three elective courses in world religions and interfaith dialogue beyond the area requirement in World Religions. In selecting these courses, the following considerations may be helpful:
• Students may elect to have a concentration in a particular area, such as Islam and Muslim-Christian relations or Judaism and Jewish-Christian relations, or they may develop a broad working knowledge of more than one world religion.
• Students should aim for an exposure to a variety of disciplines and subject areas, through courses in sacred texts, religious history, comparative religion, and contemporary religious communities.
• Students are encouraged to take at least one course in world religions or interfaith encounter at another ACTS school, to take advantage of excellent offerings within the consortium.
• Additional courses in languages that would support a particular concentration (such as Arabic or Modern Hebrew) are strongly recommended.
• Students are encouraged to discuss their choice of courses for the Interfaith Emphasis with the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis or their academic advisor.
Students in the Interfaith Emphasis fulfill at least one additional interfaith activity option, in consultation with the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis or their academic advisor. This requirement is quite flexible, allowing for exploration of areas of interest and development of special expertise. Examples of ways to fulfill the interfaith activity option include:
• An approved travel/study program with an interfaith component.
• A project in interfaith relations during Ministry in Context or Internship.
• Regular participation in the Abraham Dialogue Association at LSTC.
• Attendance at an interfaith conference, or major academic conference, with subsequent evaluative report and discussion with the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis or the academic advisor.
• Visiting a number of Chicago-area places of worship and communities of faith, or some sort of practical involvement with a particular faith community..
• Other options as designed by the student in consultation with the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis or academic advisor.
• Help in running one of the projects/conferences organized by the Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice.
Students are urged to take advantage of the great variety of lectures and events related to interfaith matters taking place nearby, including lecture series at the University of Chicago and other local educational institutions, the activities of the Chicago Center for Global Ministries, the LRWC Global Conversations, etc.
The Senior Project for the Interfaith Emphasis may be completed in a number of ways during the final year at LSTC, including:
• A senior thesis, paper or project (for one or two course credits) on some aspect of interfaith relations.
• Major paper incorporating interfaith perspectives for a seminary course in some other field (with prior approval from the course instructor).
• Developing a guidebook or educational materials on world religions or interfaith relations for the parish or other audience.
• Running a conference, workshop, or educational series on world religions or interfaith relations.
Final Structured Conversation
Upon completion of all the requirements of the Interfaith Emphasis, students meet with two faculty members, including the Director of the Interfaith Emphasis and/or academic advisor, for a final structured conversation. Successful completion of the Interfaith Emphasis is announced at Commencement and recorded on the student’s transcript.
Director of Environmental Ministry Emphasis
For more information, contact Dr. Mark Swanson, Professor of Christian-Muslim Studies and Interfaith Relations, mswanson@lstc.edu.
This page was last modified on July 19, 2007