| M.Div.
Concentration in Methodist Studies
United Theological Seminary
of the Twin Cities and Luther Seminary provide students deeper
formation for leadership in the United Methodist Church (as
well as other Methodist traditions present at the two schools,
such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Christian
Methodist Episcopal Church) through a shared program of educational
offerings.
Requirements of the Concentration
The concentration requires six courses (18 credits)
of work:
1. IC2624 United Methodist Church History
and Doctrine (taught annually at Luther)
2. A History and Polity course:
a. For UMC students: CH320
United Methodist History and Polity (taught annually
at United)
b. For AME students: IC2641 African Methodist Episcopal
Church History and Polity (taught every third year at Luther)
c. For students from other Methodist traditions: directed
study in the history and polity of their particular tradition
3. CL484 Wesleyan
Holiness: Developing Congregational and Personal Spiritual
Vitality (taught every other year, alternating between
Luther and United; team-taught by United Methodist members
of the regular faculty at both institutions)
4. CL330 Worship of the Church (taught annually at United)
5. An Evangelism course (three options, taught at Luther and
United)
a. CL894 Evangelism
through the Arts (at United)
b. CL4510 The Ministry of Evangelism in the Church (at Luther)
c. CL4530 Starting New Missional Ministries (at Luther)
6. An elective in Leadership for a Vital
Church in the Contemporary World (student’s choice drawn
from the following list):
AT UNITED (taught on
varying rotations):
CL329 Music in Worship: Hymns,
Psalms, and Spiritual Songs
CL364 Media, Culture, and Worship
CL481 The Spiritual Life of the
Congregation
CL571 The Public Witness of Congregations
CL896 Theology and Practice of
Stewardship
TR331 Antiracism Dialogue: Theory
and Practice
TR370 Politics and Religion in
the World
TR650 Theology in Contemporary
Film
TR820 Reimagining the Church:
Ecclesiology, Mission, and Ministry for our Contemporary
Time
AT LUTHER (taught on varying
rotations):
CM2410 Mission of the Triune God I
PR4540 Preaching and Pastoral Leadership
CL4525 Theological Leadership in Addressing Change and Conflict
At United, there are additional features
of the M.Div. degree that work together with the above courses
to promote United Methodist formation in UMC students:
Contextual Studies placements: Students
in United’s M.Div. program are required to take two
field placements as part of their Contextual Studies requirement.
One of these must be in a parish setting, and both may be.
UMC students can be placed in UMC churches for this required
field experience.
Integrative Notebook and Spiritual
Chronicle: United uses a portfolio process called
the Integrative Notebook to support a student’s integration
of the various parts of his/her education into a coherent
ministerial identity within the student’s denominational
tradition. The work done by United Methodist students within
this concentration will be taken up formally and explicitly
in this process and thus integrated with their other seminary
studies, giving their emerging ministerial identity a distinctively
United Methodist shape. United uses a set of resources and
requirements called “A Spiritual Chronicle” to
support a student’s continued spiritual development
and formation throughout her/his seminary career.
The Co-curricular Environment Supporting
United Methodist Formation: United offers various
co-curricular activities that create a broader environment
of United Methodist formation.
United Methodist Chapel Services
United holds midday chapel services twice a week. These are
mostly services of morning or midday prayer with occasional
eucharistic services and are held on the heaviest class days
each term so they are accessible to the greatest number of
students. United’s chapel has a full complement of copies
of the United Methodist Hymnal, as well as the supplement
The Faith We Sing, and these are used regularly. United Methodist
students and faculty regularly lead worship in the United
Methodist tradition.
United Methodist Seminar
The United Methodist Seminar meets six times per academic
year. Students share in worship, lunch, and a discussion of
themes proposed by the collaborative planning team, as well
as input from students. Programs to be shared include a presentation
on the Standards of Ministry, a visit with the bishop, and
a session on boundaries. The purpose of the seminar is to
connect United Methodist students with others in the denomination
and share connection, resources, and formation. It provides
the Cabinet, Board of Ordained Ministry, and United Methodist
faculty at Luther and United with a seminary-mandated and
supervised vehicle through which to be actively involved in
a formation process with students that is particular and distinct
to United Methodism. The seminar is planned jointly by the
Board of Ordained Ministry of the annual conference and United
and Luther Seminary and is open to students at both schools.
Educational Goals of the Concentration
The excellent graduate of the Methodist Studies concentration
of the United M.Div. degree program:
• will be able to explain the distinctive marks of the
Wesleyan theological tradition;
• will be able to explain the basic historical narrative
of the Methodist movement in its essential continuity and
diversity, as it results in the United Methodist Church of
today;
• will be able to lead a congregation in accord with
the provisions of the Book of Discipline;
• will know and have experienced the Wesleyan tradition
of nurturing vital piety;
• will be able to lead worship and preach in ways that
are grounded in Wesleyan theology and spiritual formation;
• will be able to lead a United Methodist congregation
in expressing the Good News of Jesus Christ to contemporary
persons outside the church; and
• will be able to lead a United Methodist congregation
in mission to today’s world.
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