146 Organization of Schools
2012-2013 Academic Catalog
School of Theology and Formation Connecting students with the Church through the centuries, the School of Theology and Formation focuses on how Christians have formulated their faith, worship God, grow in grace and live in the world as responsible disciples of Jesus Christ. Five academic disciplines are represented in the School of Theology and Formation: theology, philosophy, church history, ethics and spiritual formation. The disciplines of theology, philosophy and Church history inquire into the basic aspects of Christian thought in order to enable people to know the foundation for believing in God, to understand God’s ways in the world, and to reflect theologically as they minister in the Church and the world. Dimensions of faith are examined from methodological, doctrinal, critical, historical, biblical, philosophical, and ethical perspectives. The disciplines of spiritual formation and Christian ethics focus on Wesleyan understandings of holiness which are distinctive in their emphasis on both the personal and the social dimensions of Christian formation and responsibility. Courses in these areas contribute to the preparation of students for ministry through attention to practices, disciplines and theoretical underpinnings of spiritual and moral formation. In Christian ethics courses, students receive training for analysis of, and ministry within, various cultural and institutional contexts. A number of courses provide experience in and reflection on specific ministry settings. In spiritual formation classes students receive guidance for integrating spirituality and ministry and for offering personal as well as corporate spiritual direction. The task of theology is an ongoing one that involves the whole person. Though the content of faith revealed by God is once-and-for-all given, its articulation must be made relevant to each generation and in ever-changing contexts. Special attention is given to the Wesleyan-Arminian understanding of Christian theology within the wider classical Christian tradition and in contemporary thought.
School of Urban Ministries The School of Urban Ministries on the Florida Dunnam Campus offers an interdisciplinary and inter-cultural approach to complex issues facing the church and its relationship to increasingly international, multi-cultural contexts. It aims to equip students in developing a strong foundation for ministry in a complex interplay of local and global forces that form and inform our increasingly multi-layered urban and non-urban contexts. The School of Urban Ministries believes that a transformative, effective and, sustainable response to God’s call to ministry in today’s world begins with a two-prong process of intent listening and learning. This listening and learning happens at many levels of students’ seminary journey and, especially, through a communal process that includes opportunities for bridgebuilding across local and global lines. The School of Urban Ministries shares the following programs with the other four schools of Asbury Theological Seminary: Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministries, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling, Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, and the Certificate in Christian Studies. This means that these programs are available to all students registered on the Florida Dunnam Campus. It also signifies that the goals articulated for required courses and elective courses under the various schools also pertain to the School of Urban Ministries. Students wanting more information on the various degrees and their requirements can refer to the section “Programs of Study” section of this Catalog.