Designed to deepen our understanding of how to communicate the gospel in different parts of the biblical text as a theological and pastoral activity of proclamation in the world. Different topics are offered each year. The emphasis is on how one can practice intergenerational and intercultural proclamation of the Word in the places of ministry to which we are called.

Provides a biblical theological understanding and practical tools for Christian pastoral care in times of grief, transition and loss. Topics include how the Christian tradition portrays death, grief and lament; how Christians have practiced care for the dying and grieving over the centuries; and how to offer appropriate care to others in times of loss, including home and hospital visitation, planning and conducting funerals, and ongoing support.

Provides an exploration of trauma and traumatic loss, with a particular focus on the relationship between grief, mourning, and the psychological and emotional processes that accompany different forms of trauma. Students will examine the distinctions between normal grief responses and complex, often prolonged, healing processes associated with traumatic loss. Through engagement with the course readings, case studies, and practical applications, students will develop an understanding of trauma informed care. Special attention will be given to pastoral ministry approaches, equipping students with practical strategies and theological insights to provide compassionate, effective support to help survivors heal.

Helps students in Pastoral Thanatology explore and better understand the role of human emotion in life, faith, and ministry. Through assessments, readings, written assignments, and class discussion, students will learn how emotions shape Christian spiritual growth, influence the grief process, and affect how we care for those who are grieving. Attention will also be given to how emotions inform the safe and effective use of self in thanatological work. The course is designed around the unique experiences and challenges of working as a thanatologist and includes a one-week in-person residency, along with pre- and post-residency assignments. During the residency, students will participate in demonstrations, role-playing, and practical activities that integrate biblical resources and spiritual formation practices. A strong emphasis is placed on self-care, spiritual growth, and Safe and Effective Use of Self (SEUS), both for the thanatologist and for those they are called to companion.

Examines pathways to support and help others through their grief journey. Focusing on the importance of one’s personal timeline of losses, respective of stage of development, cultural experiences and neuroscience we will integrate theoretical models with practical application of grief theory, types of loss, cultural influences, biblical theological and spiritual influences, and coping mechanisms.

Students will explore the history of Thanatology, foundational and contemporary grief theories/ models, the dying process, and end-of life care. To understand grief and loss, students will examine their own loss stories and those of others. Further, students will develop a biblically and theologically grounded definition of grief and bereavement care to use in the design of a grief or bereavement care program. The definition and program will be described in words, images and/or diagrams and used as a chapter in the research portfolio, and as a bridge to the field research project.

Thoroughly investigates the goal and purpose of the church and why that matters for the church and for the world. Students will robustly engage the practice of hospitality in both theological understanding and practice in their ministry context. Participating in the life, ministry, and mission of the Triune God will lead to new insights concerning host, guest, food, and formation connected with the table, as well as relationships within the church congregation and connections with the local neighbourhood. Students further explore the inter-connection between worship and witness to understand the practices appropriate to their context, such as gratitude and communal discernment.

Equip students with the tools and disciplines necessary to apply appropriate discernment amidst conflict and change in their community. By exploring the disciplines of epistemology, contextualization, and biblical/theological reflection, this course will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to help students build a local imagination for how hospitality is extended in their context. This course is paired with DMML 0952 Integration Proposal.

Equip students with practical strategies and experimental approaches to cultivate radical hospitality within their faith communities. Building on the foundations of communal discernment and a theology of hospitality, students will engage deeply with biblical texts, strategic frameworks, and practical tools to reframe their personal and communal “plausibility structures”. There will also be an exploration of shifting from a posture of “domesticated faith” to one of active, transformative engagement with the broader public. Emphasizing both theoretical insight and practical experimentation, this course challenges students to develop strategic plans that extend the table of hospitality, address roadblocks to reframing, and integrate sustainable rhythms of discipleship in their contexts.

An exploration of the place of discernment in the life of the Christian and of the church, including such topics as attending to the Spirit, and developing individual and communal discernment practices.

Explores the many of facets of becoming like Jesus and their impact on our formation. Areas of exploration include families of origin, gender, personality, culture, and church tradition, and the many ways we engage in our formation, such as spiritual disciplines. These facets, as well as an overview of the history of spiritual formation, an introduction to operative images of God and the emergence of the false self, will create a lens for creating healthy relationships with God, ourselves, and others. Journaling will be a sustaining discipline throughout this course, serving as a mechanism for answering formational questions and as a repository of observations of the student’s own formation. This form of journaling will also prepare students for writing their spiritual autobiography later in the program.

An integration of Biblical and psychological insights, formational prayer, and transformational spiritual direction, using teaching, modeling, and group experience and including such topics as woundedness, addictions, and healthy ego development.

An investigation into how the Bible presents spiritual formation and how the Bible can be employed in spiritual formation, including such topics as worship, Bible study, and lectio divina.

Designed to connect the Imago Dei (image of God) to the Missio Dei (mission of God), as an educational and experiential journey. It includes a theological exploration of the Trinity, Christology, and Pneumatology; an overview of the missional church movement and missional traditions; and examines how these are integrated with prayer and worship. Spiritual formation and mission are explored as worship. Students will learn to connect their own stories to missional spirituality, to their ministries, and to their potential DMSF research.

An exploration of ancient practices of the church that will enhance one’s spiritual well-being in the midst of the busyness of daily life and ministry. This will include practices such as contemplative prayer, being in silence and solitude, listening to God to discern his voice and discovering what it means to rest in God.

A theoretical and practical review of dyadic relationships such as mentoring, discipleship, and spiritual direction that play a critical role in spiritual formation. This integrative course explores Christian spiritual formation in community, providing a theoretical and practical review of the relational and communal context of Christian formation. This includes an examination of the identity, structures and practices of Christian community. It also explores historic Christian disciplines and relationships to cultivate a theologically reflective practice of Christian discipleship. Includes application of learning to ministry.

Directed Reading and Research (DRR) courses allow students to study in a specific area of interest not addressed by the scheduled course offerings. Permission required.

An exploration of the issues related to suffering, adversity, death, dying and grief. These issues will be examined from a theological, psychological and spiritual perspective in order to be able to respond in an appropriate pastoral manner. What is critical in all of this is to discover God’s role in all of life including the end of life.

Provides support and guidance for continuing in and completing work for the DMin program. Pass/ No Pass. No credits. Permission required.

An overview of the ancient and contemporary practice of writing a spiritual autobiography and the composition of one’s own spiritual memoir. Project report will be included in your research portfolio.

Students will develop a biblically grounded and informed spiritual formation model and describe it with words, image and/or diagram. Students will learn the components of a spiritual formation model, be able to identify spiritual formation models in Christian history and Scriptures, and other forms of stories. They will also develop a theological foundation for their own models. The model will be a chapter in the research portfolio and will provide a thematic bridge to the field research project.

A research project on a ministry of spiritual formation or thanatology leading to experimental findings, the development of applied ministry competencies, and practical positive changes to an individual's ministry. This project report will be included in your research portfolio. Prerequisites: DMSF 0941 and DMSF 0942/DMPT 0942.

Facilitates the completion of the summative Doctor of Ministry document, integrating the main three research projects in a portfolio that meets publication standards. Includes a public presentation and an oral hearing based on the portfolio and the objectives of the program. Normally the last course; normally runs from January to December. Prerequisites: DMSF 0941, DMSF 0942/DMPT 0942 and DMSF 0943.

Students develop a personal articulation of the opportunities for women to engage in Christian leadership through interacting with biblical, historical, theological, and contextual scholarship, furthered by in-class discussions, examination of case studies, preparing presentations and written reflections. Building on the importance of narrative, students discover the transformative effects of articulating challenges in one’s own leadership story and reflecting upon how that story interacts with God’s ongoing story of redemption. Avoiding a posture of defensiveness and moving into a posture of freedom, this course encourages students toward practical steps to flourish as leaders who encourage women to participate fully in God’s ongoing work in the church and the world.