CRS850

Pastoral Theology

Arts
800 level
2 credit units
95 pages
15 units

This course introduces students to Pastoral Theology, exploring common themes in pastoral ministry and the roles of ministers in the church and society. It equips students with theoretical, theological, and practical knowledge to critically evaluate the place of pastors in Christian theology and their societal relevance. The course motivates students to become ambassadors of social service and community development, promoting empathy, care, and charity.

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About this course

Difficulty: Intermediate
Study hours: 45 hours
Maths: None
Content: Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work: Yes

How it is assessed

Assignments
Tutor marked assessments
Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of CRS850, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1 · NOTION AND NATURE OF PASTORAL THEOLOGY

Module 2 · BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR PASTORAL MINISTRY

Module 3

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

CRS850 · UNIT 1 GENERAL NOTION OF PASTORAL THEOLOGY

In this unit you have been introduced to the general notion of pastoral theology. In this regard, there was a discussion of its definition, its necessity, and its goal. All these should enable you to have a general idea of what pastoral theology is all about.

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What you should be able to do

Define Pastoral Theology and explain its nature.
Identify the priestly ministry in the Old Testament and discuss the prophetic ministry in the Old Testament.
Analysis the ministry of Jesus and describe the apostolic ministry in the New Testament.
Identify aspects of Christian ministry in the New Testament and explain ministry through Word, prayer and Sacrament.
Understand Pastoral administration and discuss pastoral counseling.
Explain crisis ministry and discuss ministry to the wider society.

What it prepares you for

Careers

Pastor
Chaplain
Religious Educator
Youth Minister
Pastoral Counselor

Where it is applied

Religious Organizations
Social Services
Healthcare
Education
Community Development

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

Module 2: Biblical Foundations for Pastoral Ministry
Unit 2: Prophetic Ministry in the Old Testament
Requires detailed knowledge of Old Testament history, religious practices, and prophetic traditions, demanding significant memorization and contextual understanding.
Module 3: Issues in Pastoral Theology
Unit 3: Pastoral Counselling
Requires integrating theological principles with practical counseling techniques, demanding strong interpersonal skills and ethical judgment.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 39 hours in total. Yours will differ.

Week 1Module 1: Notion and Nature of Pastoral Theology
- Unit 1: General Notion of Pastoral Theology · 3 hours
  Define Pastoral Theology and its focus on ministry and care of souls.. Understand the role of the pastoral theologian in structuring Christian assemblies.. Reflect on the necessity of pastoral theology in addressing human needs for God..
Week 2Module 1: Notion and Nature of Pastoral Theology
- Unit 2: Method In Pastoral Theology · 3 hours
  Explore the scriptural approach, using the Bible as an authoritative source for pastoral guidance.. Examine the ecclesial tradition approach, drawing from established traditions of ministry.. Apply reason to think constructively and consistently in exercising pastoral ministry..
Week 3Module 1: Notion and Nature of Pastoral Theology
- Unit 3: The Nature of Pastoral Ministry · 3 hours
  Identify the nature of pastoral ministry as service to God and neighbor.. Discuss the context of pastoral ministry within a Christian community.. Examine aspects of pastoral ministry, including worship, counseling, and community challenges..
Week 4Module 1: Notion and Nature of Pastoral Theology
- Unit 4: The Pastoral Ministry: Vocation and Role · 3 hours
  Understand the pastoral minister as one called to serve.. Explore the role of the pastoral minister in practical reality.. Discuss the importance of the pastoral minister's vocation..
Week 5Module 1: Notion and Nature of Pastoral Theology
- Unit 5: The Pastoral Minister as Leader · 3 hours
  Explore pastoral leadership as service, emulating Jesus Christ.. Discuss pastoral leadership as empowerment, enabling others for pastoral service.. Understand the importance of service in pastoral leadership..
Week 6Module 2: Biblical Foundations for Pastoral Ministry
- Unit 1: Priestly Ministry in the Old Testament · 3 hours
  Explain the nature of priesthood in Israelite religion.. Describe the pastoral roles of Israelite priests.. Understand the priestly ministry in the Old Testament..
Week 7Module 2: Biblical Foundations for Pastoral Ministry
- Unit 2: Prophetic Ministry in the Old Testament · 3 hours
  Discuss the background to prophecy in Israelite religion.. Explain the pastoral roles of Israelite prophets.. Understand the prophetic ministry in the Old Testament..
Week 8Module 2: Biblical Foundations for Pastoral Ministry
- Unit 3: The Ministry of Jesus · 3 hours
  Examine Jesus' example of ministry in Galilee, on the way to Jerusalem, and in Jerusalem.. Discuss Jesus' teaching on ministry.. Understand the ministry of Jesus..
Week 9Module 2: Biblical Foundations for Pastoral Ministry
- Unit 4: Apostolic Ministry in the New Testament · 3 hours
  Discuss the initial development of apostolic ministry.. Explore the further development of apostolic ministry.. Understand the apostolic ministry in the New Testament..
Week 10Module 2: Biblical Foundations for Pastoral Ministry
- Unit 5: Aspects of Christian Ministry in the New Testament · 3 hours
  Explore ministry through rendering services.. Discuss ministry through the exercise of charismatic gifts.. Understand aspects of Christian ministry in the New Testament..
Week 11Module 3: Issues in Pastoral Theology
- Unit 1: Ministering through Word, Prayer and Sacrament · 3 hours
  Understand ministry through the word, including preaching and teaching.. Explore ministry through prayer, including leading and interceding.. Discuss ministry through sacrament, including baptism and Eucharist..
Week 12Module 3: Issues in Pastoral Theology
- Unit 2: Pastoral Administration · 3 hours
  Explain the general principles of pastoral administration.. Define personnel administration.. Discuss the administration of temporal or material goods of the Church..
Week 13Module 3: Issues in Pastoral Theology
- Unit 3: Pastoral Counselling · 3 hours
  Identify the qualities of a good pastoral counselor.. Evaluate the guidelines for effective pastoral counseling.. Understand pastoral counseling..

Preparing for the exam

What to do

Create a timeline of key events in Old and New Testament ministries (Units 6-10).
Develop case studies applying counseling techniques from Unit 15 to different scenarios.
Summarize the core principles of pastoral administration from Unit 14.
Practice essay questions comparing and contrasting priestly and prophetic roles (Units 6 & 7).
Review key scriptures related to Jesus' ministry and their implications for modern pastoral care (Unit 8).

Questions students ask about this course

What is CRS850 about?

How many units does CRS850 have?

CRS850, Pastoral Theology, has 15 units across 3 modules, over 95 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is CRS850?

CRS850 carries 2 credit units, at 800 level in Arts.

Is CRS850 hard?

CRS850 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.

How long does CRS850 take to study?

About 45 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.

How is CRS850 assessed?

CRS850 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.

What can I do with CRS850?

Pastor, Chaplain, Religious Educator, Youth Minister and Pastoral Counselor.