The focus is on "interpretation" as a essential skill for ministry. The three areas of interpretation envisaged are:
- Interpreting the sacred texts of the church
- Interpreting the context of the church
- Interpreting the living human document
Overview of the Body of Knowledge
The Master's degree has a practical theological focus. Practical theology has been defined as the "theological reflection and construction arising out of, and giving guidance to a community of faith in the practice of its mission. Practical Theology is critical and constructive reflection on the praxis of the Christian community's life and work in its various dimensions." Many authors have speculated on what these dimensions are and how they relate to one another. Some have suggested four dimensions using Greek words to describe these: Koinonia (community), Kerygma (proclamation), Leitourgia (worship) and Diakonia (service), while others include Paideia (formation) or Didache (teaching). Most scholars would agree that these are not water-tight compartments but rather overlapping dimensions in the dynamic of local church life.
In this course of study we have chosen: Koinonia, Kerygma, Leitourgia, Diakonia and Paideia as the dimensions, since we believe that they adequately cover the wide range of ministries of the local church. While these five dimensions are the classical dimensions in the life of the church, we have added one more dimension -- Theologia. This dimension explores the task of the church to do theology in its context. The local church is understood not in a parochial sense, but in the sense of the Church - i.e. all the people of God - in action in the contemporary world, in the complex context in which the Christian community lives and acts.
Each one of these dimensions becomes the theme of a module of study. The following modules are offered: