Module TMMC2181: Missional Ecclesiology

Department: Theology, Ministry and Mission

TMMC2181: Missional Ecclesiology

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To give students an introduction to both the traditional ecclesiology of the church throughout history and contemporary views of ecclesiology for changing contexts and cultures.
• To encourage students to reflect theologically on different views of ecclesiology both from their own experience and from their study of other modules.
• To develop practitioners able to develop, sustain and evaluate Fresh Expressions of church in today’s world.

Content

• An introduction to theological and historical perspectives of ecclesiology and its relation to the mission of the church.
• An introduction to the history of the missional church throughout the world and its implementation of new ecclesiologies in response to changing and different contexts.
• A critical study of Fresh Expressions and the mixed economy of church, highlighting recent developments in ecclesiology and mission.
• Engagement with practitioners, including visits to contexts to view how ecclesiology works in pioneering missional situations.

Learning Outcomes

• Give a detailed account and analysis of key theological and historical arguments and methods of inquiry in Christian ecclesiology.
• Describe, analyse and evaluate new approaches to ecclesiology.

• Draw on their understanding of ecclesiology and other relevant disciplines to reflect critically on an experience of establishing a new form of church or of a project/fresh expression they have visited.
• Begin to develop a critical theological analysis of new forms of missional churches which are relevant to their context.

• Identify, gather, analyse and evaluate textual source materials for a range of purposes.
• Undertake a critical analysis of information and arguments, communicating these effectively to non-specialist audiences, showing critical awareness of their own beliefs, commitments and prejudices.
• Take responsibility for a task that involves independent inquiry; the management of time, resources and use of IT; meeting deadlines, evaluating the task and learning from it.

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

• Teaching methods to be specified by each TEI, selecting from the following:
• Lectures provide content, a conceptual framework and a survey of approaches within a subject area that enable students to locate their learning in a wider context, to make connections with other disciplines, and to evaluate and apply their learning to different contexts.
• Seminars offer students an opportunity to present, evaluate and apply their knowledge to specific contexts, and to engage with teaching staff and peers in debate and reflection.
• Guided reading in conjunction with lectures encourages independent learning and underpins the knowledge and understanding gained in lectures and seminars.
• Small group learning creates an environment where students learn to articulate their knowledge and understanding effectively and in a way that is relevant to the group and its context.
• Case studies offer students the opportunity to apply their knowledge, analytical and problem-solving skills to the kinds of complex, realistic and often ambiguous situations they are likely to encounter in their profession / ministry/ vocation.
• Supervision of projects or dissertations offers students guidance and feedback on their independent learning and ensures the project / study is appropriately research-led and informed.
• Visits enable students to encounter the subject matter in a way that provokes formational as well as cognitive learning that demands critical reflection on the subject area and its implications.
• Placements and/or work-based learning ensures that students make habitual connections between knowledge, understanding, skills, professional practice and the reality of a specific context, under the supervision of an experienced practitioner.
• Programmed distance / online learning materials guide students through knowledge content, its wider framework and different approaches to its application.
• Virtual discussion forums offer students the opportunity to articulate the knowledge and understanding they have acquired to others and to engage in informed debate.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Students will be expected to demonstrate engagement with the subject matter and the learning outcomes throughout the module by suitable formative assessments that encourage integrative and reflective skills.

■ 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