Bachelor of Theology in Community Leadership

This module is designed to enhance students' academic writing and research skills while fostering critical thinking and analytical abilities.

The first half of this module is designed to introduce the student to the nature, purpose and interpretative process related to the Scriptures. Attention is given to the historical backdrop of the Old and New Testaments, and to the development of the biblical canon (Jewish, Protestant and Catholic). Tracing the narrative trajectory of the Bible, this module is designed to equip students with a basic skill set necessary for the artful and faithful interpretation of the biblical text both within the church and public space. In the second half, students are introduced to the scope of the New Testament, as the testimony of the early Church, concerning the crucified and resurrected Jesus. The module follows the canonical order of the New Testament. Attention is given to historical background, interpretive issues related to literary genre, and to the theology and narrative integrity of the New Testament.

Laying a foundation for a theology of mission by tracing the biblical (creation to Israel, Israel to Christ, and Christ to the eschaton) and theological (key movements and paradigms) trajectory of mission, this module seeks to develop an understanding of the nature and task of world evangelisation and mission. This foundation informs a more detailed engagement with Urban Mission, by introducing the theory and practice (locally and globally) of urban mission. With special attention given to urban mission in cross-cultural contexts, students are also introduced to some important tools from the social sciences.

The module describes the challenges in urban contexts amid urbanisation and shows how these challenges affect, especially, the youth, leading to an increase in homelessness and unemployment. The module enables students to see how leaders, faith-based organisations, and churches respond proactively and reactively to these realities. Students are enabled to engage in activities that allow them to see, describe, and analyse the contextual realities as a critical function of faith leadership.

This module offers a comprehensive understanding of leadership from various theoretical perspectives, aiming to empower individuals for effective leadership in various contexts, particularly within South African and African settings. It delves into transformative leadership theory and practice, fostering personal and character growth. Additionally, the module introduces students to conflict resolution theory and practice, imparting essential communication skills to enrich inter-group and interpersonal relationships. Students gain insights into their conflict attitudes, self-reflect on approaches, and explore diverse conflict types through case studies. The module underscores the interconnectedness of communication, behaviour, and conflict, with a focal point on reconciliation strategies, enriching the learning experience.

This module is designed to introduce students to an understanding of being human in an integrated manner, fostering human flourishing. The module examines contemporary theological discussions on the meaning of human flourishing and its implications for both Christian faith and practice. The integration of various aspects of human life, including faith, work, and well-being, is explored in the pursuit of leading meaningful lives.

In this module focus is given to tracing the scope of the Old Testament, as a shared testimony, concerning its central character, Yahweh. The module follows the ordering of the Hebrew Bible. The first part gives particular attention to the Torah and Early Prophets. The second half traces out the meaning and theological significance of the remaining books of the Old Testament, giving particular attention to Israel's counter-testimony as recounted in the Latter Prophets and Writings. Attention is given throughout to historical background, interpretive issues related to literary genre, and to the theological frame and narrative integrity of the Old Testament.

Christian theology is concerned with the story of God in relation to the world. With God as the subject of theology, students are introduced to the various ways in which the church has sought to speak meaningfully about the God who reveals himself in history and through the biblical witness. The module thus focuses on the historical development of 'speech about God' and proposes that such speech be rooted within an eschatological framework. The implications of this doctrine are considered in the light of South African contextual realities.

This module is designed to explore how people make meaning out of life's experiences. Consideration is also given to the application of this theory to the general areas of developmental psychology, the theology of Christian formation and maturity. Additionally, students explore meaningful ways in which to bring together the theory and practice of Christian spiritual formation. This module also includes a compulsory tutorial for spiritual formation.

Part 1: Theoretical Hermeneutics. Concerned with the art and science of establishing meaning through interpretation, this part provides the necessary orientation for making sense of Scripture. This includes cultivating an awareness of the otherness of Scripture, surveying interpretative approaches, and offering guidelines for sensitive engagement. Part 2: Applied Hermeneutics: Reading from the Margins. Students are introduced to the importance and value of reading the Bible with others (the marginalised, women, children, the poor, the illiterate). The module combines theoretical and practical outcomes, with students assigned to an actual reading site where they will participate by applying the theoretical framework.

The module provides an overview of various descriptions of social cohesion in specific contexts and ways of evaluating social cohesion. It further describes how mediation and peace-building processes, as well as leaders, contribute to social cohesion. Particular attention is given to conflict mediation and peace processes in South Africa, as well as practical leadership skills to engage in these processes.

This module outlines various theological descriptions of community and the role of the Holy Spirit in constituting communion. Case studies of how communities respond to social and ethical issues are discussed to broaden an understanding of the intersection of social ethics and the various theological responses. The module explains how the broader ecumenical church responds to social ethics.

Building on our understanding of God's story and its trajectory in human history, this module looks at the question of human identity. It works from the premise that the meaning of life, of what it means to be human, to be created, comes into sharper focus when viewed biblically and theologically. Moving from the various biblical, theological, and historical responses to the question of human identity, the module looks to the doctrine of Christ for its ultimate answer, unpacking the story of God's restoration in and through Jesus Christ. The implications of this doctrine are considered in the light of South African contextual realities.

Students are equipped with the necessary theory and skills for adequate sermon preparation and delivery. Attention is given to increasing the student's ability to express ideas clearly and competently, in both written and oral forms of communication, for diverse circumstances and audiences. Students are exposed to a variety of preaching models and biblical passages to increase their awareness of the importance of these homiletical methods in the preaching process. The roles of the pastor and the congregation are explored in the interplay between the Word of God and the preached word within a liturgical environment.

In this module, students explore leadership theory, its application to their personal vision and mission statements, and methods and theories for leading to empowering others. Here, students explore the practice of leadership in the context of the church, faith-based organisations, and the public sector. Attention is given to issues such as the process of effectively utilising and developing human resources, teamwork, and strategic planning.

This module provides students with an introduction to the discipline of theology, focusing on the contact points between the Christian faith and public life. Students learn about the discipline's interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature, exploring how theological engagements require sound discourse and rigorous practical engagement within the range of contemporary societal well-being and issues for responsible stewardship. Particular attention is given to the role of the Holy Spirit and the notion of resilience.

This module applies the approaches and skills learnt in pastoral care theory to specific crises, such as illness, dying, bereavement, mental illness, and family breakdown. Institutional ministries that deal with these issues are visited, providing students with practical experience in one such institution.

This module is a focused study of the writings attributed to John – the Gospel of John, the Letters of John, and the Apocalypse of John. Students will examine these writings by attending to the testimony they render concerning the crucified and resurrected Christ. Attention is given to the issues of authorship, literary and rhetorical structure, theological motifs, with a view to understanding their vision and purpose both within their ancient and the contemporary church settings.

This module provides a comprehensive introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methodologies through approaches such as action research, ethnography, participatory action research, and phenomenology. Students will explore the philosophical foundations of research, including how ontological and epistemological perspectives shape study design. Practical assignments guide students through each stage of the research process, from selecting methodologies to data collection, analysis, and ethical considerations.

This module explores how individuals and communities construct meaning from their life experiences. Consideration is given to questions related to general areas of developmental psychology and the theology of Christian formation and maturity. Additionally, students explore meaningful ways in which to integrate the theory and practice of Christian spiritual formation. This module includes leadership skills for spiritual formation.

This module comprises two parts. Part 1: Old Testament Prophets. Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings provide the basis for a survey of Israel's history from conquest to exile. Special emphasis is given to the relationship between Israel's historical traditions and its theological appropriation around themes of election, law, land and leadership. Part 2: Old Testament Writings. The study and meaning of wisdom in the Old Testament literature are investigated, with attention to Hebrew poetry, literary structure and biblical theology of the wisdom writings.

In the context of globalisation, this module traces some of the key theological trends and figures in the twentieth and twenty-first century. The module critically assesses the trends and figures by carefully considering how politics, economics, gender, ethnicity etc., inform and shape contemporary theological reflection. In doing so the module is designed to challenge students to continue in critical theological reflection by returning to the beginning, to the biblical revelation of God, in response to the new challenges confronting the church.

The senior project paper is a supervised advanced level literature report and reflection paper based on the student's practical fieldwork experience. The senior project paper provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate the integration of skills acquired in biblical studies (exegesis), systematic theology and practical theology. Students will do this by exploring the relationship between the biblical text and a ministry related topic, integrating exegetical analysis with either a social science analysis or a doctrinal and/or historical analysis.

This module is a practical and generally church or community-based extension of the academic programme in Christian Leadership. Fieldwork is designed to be a multi-disciplinary application of what has been learnt theoretically during the programme. As such, it measures both the practical capabilities of the student within a field or sphere of learning and the ability to integrate theory and praxis.