Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2015-2016 (archived)

Module THMN3187: Preaching in Pastoral Context

Department: Theology and Ministry

THMN3187: Preaching in Pastoral Context

Type Open Level 3 Credits 10 Availability Not available in 2015/16 Module Cap Location Durham

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • 1. To develop students’ competence in reflecting critically on the Church’s preaching ministry
  • 2. To enable students to bring a critical dimension to preaching in their ministerial contexts by addressing particular issues in the light of the Christian traditions and local/regional and wider contexts
  • 3. To examine a range of strategies and approaches to preaching, to evaluate critically the strategies, and to consider their value and appropriateness for different pastoral contexts
  • 4. To enable students to develop further their competence in using Scripture in the context of sermon preparation, delivery and reflection, paying attention to the different ways of reading and interpreting the Scriptures To enable students to develop further their competence in using Scripture in the context of sermon preparation, delivery and reflection, paying attention to the different ways of reading and interpreting the Scriptures
  • 5. To help students to gain a deeper understanding of approaches to, and theories of, preaching and their application of this knowledge to inform and improve their preaching practice.

Content

  • This module will take students further in their preaching ministry. It concentrates on the pastoral implications of preaching: both the obvious and the less obvious aspects of this area. It will explore context, theological reflection and preaching is specific situations. It will also probe hermeneutical insights and equip students to be properly self critical about their preaching. It will give them practice in applying some of the techniques that preachers have found helpful in these situations. It will also face the problems that arise through the pastoral nature of preaching. It will enable them to expand and extend their ability to communicate ideas in clear, concise and convincing ways and give them the tools they need to prepare and deliver sermons which are appropriate to pastoral situations and contexts.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of this module, students should have:
  • An understanding of a range of strategies and techniques for addressing pastoral contexts in preaching
Subject-specific Skills:
  • A coherent understanding of key approaches to and theories of preaching
  • An in depth understanding of key scriptural passages and their potential use and application in different pastoral contexts
  • A critical awareness of the importance of appropriate exegetical and hermeneutical approaches to Scriptures for preaching
Key Skills:
  • An awareness of the demands and opportunities arising from particular occasions
  • The ability to evaluate critically information from a range of sources, and apply it to develop solutions to new or complex problems or situations

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Seminars: contact time 14 hours

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours

Summative Assessment

Component: Sermon Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Recorded sermon 10-15 minutes 100%
Component: Reflection Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Written reflection 1000 words 100%

Formative Assessment:

An assessed sermon in the student’s home church.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University