This pass/fail course introduces students to the basics of what it means to have healthy self-awareness and is designed to lay the foundation for effective and ethical pastoral care practices. The primary focus is to encourage students to recognize and enjoy their gifts and strengths without ignoring the limits of those good things. It is also about seeing and accepting ownership of the sometimes laudable, sometimes questionable motivations and needs that shape our perceptions and guide our behavior. The overarching goal of this course is for each student to gain accurate self-understanding and an appreciation of the ways in which he or she is predisposed to bring him or herself as a person to interactions that require sensitivity and skill.
Students may not enroll in this course until they have completed at least six courses.
Please also note that this course is reserved primarily for M.Div and CAS students, as it is specifically designed for those called to pastoral or ordained ministry in the Church or parachurch settings. Students from other programs (MTS, MTSU, CTS, DipCS) will need to seek the instructor’s permission first before enrolling.
There is a cap on the number of students who may enroll in the course, so those planning to graduate in the spring of the current academic year are encouraged to register early in order to be sure of being admitted to the course. Those hoping to take Advanced Formation and Internship in Pastoral Care Ministry must first successfully complete this course and must take into account that the advanced course also has a cap on enrollment.
Please note: All syllabi are considered draft until the first day of class. Please look for the final version of the course syllabus to be posted on the course's Quercus site.
