Academic courses – unit descriptions
Undergraduate pastoral units
Successful completion of learning objectives and assessment requirements assumes that students have access to the required learning resources listed for consultation and reference.
Note: unit descriptions are correct at time of publishing; however students should check with their lecturer before purchasing any required text books, or if there are any difficulties purchasing them.
PAS1001 Church in Mission in Australian Society
PAS1002 Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counselling
PAS1003 Parish Ministry
PAS1004 Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education 1
PAS1005 Parish Administration
PAS1006 Pastoral Care and Counselling
PAS1007 Missiology and Evangelism
PAS1008 Pastoral People 1
PAS1009 Evangelism in Australia
PAS1010 Introduction to Parish Ministry
PAS1011 The Catechumenate and Mission
PAS1012 Introduction to Worship
PAS1013 Liturgics
PAS1014 Introduction to Spirituality
PAS1015 Preparing the Sermon
PAS1016 Preaching the Sermon
PAS1018 Survival Skills for Practical Ministry
PAS1019 Spiritual Formation
PAS1020 Spirituality
PAS1027 Pastoral People 2
PAS1028 Administration in a Ministry Context
PAS1029 Leadership in Ministry
PAS1030 Specific Ministry within a Faith Community A
PAS1031 Specific Ministry within a Faith Community B
PAS1032 Personal Growth in a Specific Ministry Context
PAS1033 Professional Development and Self-evaluation
PAS1035 Pastoral People at Work
PAS1041 Discipling for mission and vocation
PAS1042 Church and family in Christian faith formation
PAS1001 Church in Mission in Australian Society
Prerequisites:
- None, but some prior study of the third article of the creed would be beneficial.
Course unit purpose:
Core unit in the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses.
This unit provides learning experiences that assist students to better understand the concept of culture in general and Australian society in particular, to reflect on their own understanding of the church, and to develop insights for mission.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1002 Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counselling
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Core unit in the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses.
The prime purpose of this unit is to provide students with competency in the basic people helping skills essential to all effective care and counselling.
Important adjunct purposes are to enable students to ground their care and counselling practice in
- an integrated theological framework,
- a basic understanding of human development theory, and
- an appreciation of a variety of counselling theories.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia. Commission on Worship, 1998. Rites and resources for pastoral care, ed David A Schubert, Openbook, Adelaide SA.
plus
- a text book of student choice on the basics of counselling
PAS1003 Parish Ministry
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
This unit is a core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
The unit is directed towards the preparation of candidates for pastoral ministry in the Lutheran Church of Australia. The unit is also available as a supervised unit for non-ordination candidates to explore specific areas of interest with respect to the role and work of pastors in the church.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1004 Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education 1
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
This is a core unit of the DipTh(Counsel) and the DipTh(School Chaplaincy), an elective for other courses.
It provides students with the experience of the unique experiential educational process utilised in Clinical Pastoral Education [CPE], and is particularly concerned with the integration of the student’s personal, pastoral, and theological/spiritual formation.
Required texts:
- Since the CPE model lays stress on the ‘living human document’ as the basic resource for this particular learning process, there are no set textbooks for the unit. Students are encouraged and taught to ‘read’ themselves and those to whom they minister.
PAS1005 Parish Administration
Prerequisites:
- Normally enrolment in the School of Pastoral Theology and completion of vicarage
Course unit purpose:
This unit is a core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
This unit provides an opportunity for students to: 1) reflect on the basic theological presuppositions and materials that offer learning experiences in the area of parish administration; and 2) appreciate those understandings, attitudes and skills needed to administer a congregation in the Lutheran Church of Australia.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia, 1987. Handbook of the Lutheran Church of Australia, Openbook, Adelaide SA (Sometimes called the LCA ‘Blue Book’).
- Lutheran Church of Australia South Australia & Northern Territory District, Inc, 2009. Congregation handbook. Congregation Handbook April 2009
PAS1006 Pastoral Care and Counselling
Prerequisites:
- BTh or equivalent
- The units Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counselling or Pastoral People 1, or their equivalent
- Experience in practical pastoral care ministry
Course unit purpose:
This unit is a core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
The purpose of this unit is to build on the basic counselling theory and practice which students have undertaken in previous introductory units on pastoral care and counselling, and in their field work.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia. Commission on Worship, 1998. Rites and resources for pastoral care, ed David A Schubert, Openbook, Adelaide SA.
PAS1007 Missiology and Evangelism
Prerequisites:
- Units in the doctrine of Sanctification and Early Church history
Course unit purpose:
Core unit in the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
The unit is to enable students to examine the biblical and Lutheran foundations of mission; to develop insight to the history of mission on the basis of these foundations as evidenced in the history of the Christian church; to enable students to think theologically as confessional Lutherans about the relationship between mission and the doctrines of the church, conversion, and baptism; and to enable students to acquire a variety of insights that will serve them well in their participation in, and possible oversight of, mission and evangelism in congregations of the LCA.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1008 Pastoral People 1
Prerequisites:
- There are no previous counselling prerequisites.
- However, the unit assumes that participants are actively connected with a Christian community or congregation, and that they have a sense of pastoral care responsibility towards others.
- It is also assumed that participants have grounding in the essentials of the Christian faith, together with a love for God’s Word and the study of theology.
Course unit purpose:
This is a core unit for DipTh(Counsel) and DipTh(School Chaplaincy); elective unit for other undergraduate courses
The focus of Pastoral People 1 is on Christian lay people becoming better equipped for a ministry of pastoral care and counselling within their congregations and communities.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia. Commission on Worship, 1998. Rites and resources for pastoral care, ed David A Schubert, Openbook, Adelaide SA.
PAS1009 Evangelism in Australia
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
This unit provides students with an opportunity to grow in their understanding of evangelism in the Australian context and to reflect on how they can work with those insights in their own situation in life. In particular, the unit assists students to develop their own understanding of what it means to be evangelistic.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1010 Introduction to Parish Ministry
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Core unit in the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
The prime purpose of this unit is to progress the process of vocational reflection for pastoral students of the LCA by looking at the church’s expectations of clergy and the individual’s student’s vocational understanding.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia. Commission on Worship, 1996. Church rites, ed David A Schubert, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide SA.
PAS1011 The Catechumenate and Mission
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
The purpose is that the student explores the catechumenate as a possible approach to mission in contemporary Australian society.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1012 Introduction to Worship
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
This unit introduces students to the biblical and theological foundations for the enactment of the divine service in the church. As an introductory unit it concentrates on the teaching and practice of the New Testament and the Early Church to help them to appreciate the centrality of worship to the life of the church and the study of theology.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1013 Liturgics
Prerequisites:
- Introduction to Worship
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
This unit is designed for pastors and other people responsible for the design and practice of worship in the Lutheran Church of Australia. It trains them to lead Lutheran congregations in the communion service and in other minor services.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia, 1989. Lutheran hymnal with supplement, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide SA.
- Just, Arthur A, 2008. Heaven on earth: the gifts of Christ in the divine service, Concordia, St Louis MO.
- Senn, Frank C, 1997. Christian liturgy: catholic and evangelical, Fortress, Minneapolis MN.
PAS1014 Introduction to Spirituality
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Core unit for the DipTh(Counsel) and DipTh(School Chaplaincy); elective unit for other courses.
This unit introduces students to the theological foundations, rich traditions and disciplined practice of the spiritual life, drawing on insights and practices from the Lutheran and other Christian traditions. It provides an understanding of and practice in the disciplines of Christian discipleship as a basis and framework for vocation.
Required texts:
- The Bible, preferably the NRSV or the TNIV. Please seek advice from lecturer before purchasing a Study Bible edition.
- Foster, Richard J, 1999. Celebration of discipline: the path to spiritual growth, study ed, Hodder & Stoughton, London.
- Hanson, Bradley, 2000. A graceful life: Lutheran spirituality for today, Augsburg, Minneapolis MN.
- Hebart, Friedemann, tr, 1983. Luther’s large catechism, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide SA.
- Kleinig, John W, 2008. Grace upon grace: spirituality for today, Concordia Publishing House, St Louis MO.
- Luther’s small catechism, with explanation, (any version)
- Veith, Gene Edward, 2010. The spirituality of the cross: the way of the first evangelicals, rev ed, Concordia Publishing House, St Louis MO.
PAS1015 Preparing the Sermon
Prerequisites:
- Students not preparing for the pastoral ministry will need to consult with the lecturer before enrolling in this unit.
- Normally completion of exegetical units is required.
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
This unit introduces students to the task of preparing the sermon. It concentrates on the nature and function of the sermon, exegetical methodology, homiletical meditation, outlining, dividing law and gospel, context and communication to help students appreciate the task of the proclamation of the Word for the life of the church.
Required texts:
- Pless, John T, 2004. Handling the word of truth: law and gospel in the church today, Concordia, St Louis MO.
PAS1016 Preaching the Sermon
Prerequisites:
- Preparing the Sermon
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
The first purpose of this unit is to provide students with further experience in writing and delivering sermons, paying special attention to the delivery of the sermon. To assist in achieving that purpose, the unit draws upon resources from the world of public speaking.
The second purpose of the unit is to familiarise students with the writing and preaching of occasional sermons, especially for weddings and funerals and in the school context.
Required texts:
- Lischer, Richard, 2005. The end of words: the language of reconciliation in a culture of violence, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids MI.
PAS1018 Survival Skills for Practical Ministry
Prerequisites:
- Although not essential, it is preferable that students undertake this unit after they have completed Pastoral People 1.
Course unit purpose:
This is a recommended elective unit within the Diploma of Theology (Counselling).
The unit equips students with the essential practical skills that enable them more efficiently to carry out the daily tasks of their pastoral ministry.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1019 Spiritual Formation
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
This unit provides an introduction to the theological foundations and disciplined practice of the spiritual life. The lifelong process of understanding and habituating the disciplines of Christian discipleship helps to provide a basis and framework for the pastoral ministry.
Required texts:
- The Bible, preferably the NRSV or the TNIV. Please seek advice from lecturer before purchasing a Study Bible edition.
- Luther’s small catechism, with explanation, translated 1943, rev ed 2005, Concordia, St Louis MO.
- Friedemann Hebart, tr, 1983. Luther’s large catechism, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide SA.
PAS1020 Spirituality
Prerequisites:
- Introduction to Worship
- Spiritual Formation
[Check with course advisor]
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the BTh/BMin ordination strand; elective for other courses
This unit assists students to understand the Lutheran tradition of spirituality and to grow in the practice of it in their devotional life.
Required texts:
- Kleinig, John W, 2007. Grace upon grace: the mystery of embodied spirituality, Concordia, St Louis MO.
PAS1027 Pastoral People 2
Prerequisites:
- Pastoral People 1
- The Bible Today and/or The Christian Faith [or their equivalents]
- Active involvement within a Christian community or congregation, where the student is able to engage in acts of pastoral care and counselling
Course unit purpose:
This unit is a core unit within the Diploma of Theology (Counselling), and it is offered within the School of Theological Studies of Australian Lutheran College.
Pastoral People 2 is a natural extension to Pastoral People 1. It builds on the basic care and counselling skills that were established in the first unit, and extends the use of those skills into specific pastoral contexts.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia. Commission on Worship, 1998. Rites and resources for pastoral care, ed David A Schubert, Openbook, Adelaide SA.
PAS1028 Administration in a Ministry Context
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
This unit introduces the student to elements of administration as a basis for future church work. Its specific purpose is to give the student the opportunity to develop basic skills in parish [or similar] administration and in routine office tasks.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1029 Leadership in Ministry
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
This unit introduces the student to aspects of leadership styles and skills and provides a context for the development of the student’s own leadership style.
Required texts:
- There are no specific resources for this unit. The student has access to the ALC library and to resources available through the on-site supervisor or the institution of the student’s placement.
PAS1030 Specific Ministry within a Faith Community A
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Core unit of the DipTh(Youth Ministry); elective unit for other courses
This unit introduces the student to the range of aspects involved in the specific ministry area with a focus on the student’s preferred area of service in the church, e.g. family, youth, administration, counselling, general parish work. It provides the context for the student to plan and implement an individual ministry program within a faith community.
Required texts:
- Nil
- The student and supervisor should identify and draw on relevant literature within the specific ministry context.
PAS1031 Specific Ministry within a Faith Community B
Prerequisites:
- PAS1030 Specific Ministry within a Faith Community A
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
This unit introduces the student to further experience of the varying aspects of a specific ministry context and allows the student to develop advanced skills in working with others in a faith community. Specifically the student is enabled to plan and implement a second ministry program or further develop and evaluate the earlier program.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1032 Personal Growth in a Specific Ministry Context
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
This unit introduces the student to the concept of personal growth through participation in a specific faith community and provides the context for personal reflection on that growth in terms of self-understanding, faith and spirituality.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1033 Professional Development and Self-evaluation
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
This unit introduces the student to the concept of professional development in ministry. It provides opportunity for the student’s involvement in and reflection upon ‘on the job’ training and/or professional growth in a specific ministry context.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1034 Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education 2
Prerequisites:
- PAS1004 Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education 1
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit which builds on PAS1004 Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education 1.
It provides students with the experience of the unique experiential educational process utilised in Clinical Pastoral Education [CPE], and is particularly concerned with the integration of the student’s personal, pastoral, and theological/spiritual formation.
Required texts:
- Nil
PAS1035 Pastoral People at Work
Prerequisites:
- Pastoral People 1 and, preferably, Pastoral People 2
Course unit purpose:
This unit has been developed as the alternative to the unit PAS1004 Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education 1, a core unit in the DipTh(Counsel) and DipTh(School Chaplaincy).
The purpose of this unit is to provide the student with the opportunity to engage in supervised pastoral care to others, and then to reflect with supervisor(s) and peer(s) on his/her practice of ministry.
Required texts:
- Lutheran Church of Australia. Commission on Worship, 1998. Rites and resources for pastoral care, ed David A Schubert, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide SA.
PAS1041 Discipling for mission and vocation
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
The unit provides students with the opportunity to explore the Lutheran teaching on vocation, how it contributes to the theology and practice of mission, and how to assist others in developing a vocational approach to their Christian witness.
Required texts:
- Wingren, Gustaf, [1957], 2004. Luther on vocation, tr Carl C. Rasmussen, Wipf & Stock, Eugene OR.
- Veith, Gene E, 2002. God at work: your Christian vocation in all of life, Crossways Books, Wheaton IL.
PAS1042 Church and family in Christian faith formation
Prerequisites:
- Nil
Course unit purpose:
Elective unit
The unit provides an opportunity for the student to explore the role of the family and the church in the formation of Christian faith. It encourages the student to explore different historical, biblical, theological and pastoral approaches to the topic and orients the student to contemporary resources in general and the Faith Inkubators and Child in our Hands resources in particular.
Required texts:
- Luther, Martin, ‘The Small Catechism’, in The Book of Concord: the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, eds Robert Kolb and Timothy Wengert, Fortress, Minneapolis MN, 2000.
- Everist, Norma Cook, 2002. The church as learning community: a comprehensive guide to Christian education, Abingdon Press, Nashville TN.
Updated: 23/05/2011 [1.08]
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