Master of Divinity

Target Group

The MDiv in Church Ministry offers professional theological training to ministers, clergy, pastors, lay workers, pastoral care givers and pastoral therapists for the ministry.

Specific Admission Requirements
• A BDiv degree; or
• Another qualification that is judged by Senate to be equivalent to the content of the four-year BDiv programme, as well as the bible languages requirements regarding the current BDiv degree.

Programme Structure

• The first semester starts in the middle of January and runs for 21 weeks. The second semester runs for 15 weeks.
• The different subthemes under the main themes are presented by means of a block approach and the integration of various theological disciplines.
• For the purpose of this programme, a week starts on a Tuesday and ends on a Monday in order to include the weekend.
• In May-June all the candidates go on a compulsory combined ecumenical tour of approximately two weeks.

Programme Content

Compulsory Modules (credits = 180)
You must enrol for the following core modules at the beginning of the academic year:
Church and Society 871(15), 872(15)
Discipleship and Ministry Skills 871(20), 872(20)
Introduction 871(20)
Ministry and the Bible, history and tradition 871(15), 872(15)
Research Study 873(60)

The three main themes with their different subthemes are set out below:
• Pathos aspects
o Church in society (contextuality): The role of the church in society within different contexts and ethical questions.
• Logos aspects
o Church – history, systematic ecclesiology, Bible and worship (church identity): The nature and functions of the church; historical connections; church confessions and communication within the context of worship and liturgy.
• Ethos aspects
o Discipleship, spirituality and ministry skills (ministry practice): The connection between Christian spirituality and leadership aimed at developing congregational spirituality within various forms
of ministry. Faith maturity and faith formation. The development of ministry and pastoral skills with a view to pastoral care, solace, prevention and enrichment during various life crises and problems in personal relations.

The eight module contents under the main themes are set out below. The credits are indicated in brackets.
Module 1: Introduction
(credits = 20)
Christian leadership and edification of congregations Leadership styles and edification of congregations.
Practical theological ecclesiology Introduction to practical theological interpretation.
Research methodology Basic research skills.
Spirituality week Christian spirituality and calling of the minister/Christian leader.

PATHOS ASPECTS
Module 2: Church and Society 1 (Pathos)
(credits = 15)
Church in Africa The issue of intercultural and interreligious communication.
Church, society and market The issue of poverty, unemployment, criminality, gang violence, street children.
Ecumenics Contemporary problems and developments.
Ministry of reconciliation and justice The theological nature of reconciliation and forgiveness.
The church and public life Moral decision-making and public policy in the private and public spheres.

Module 3: Church and Society 2 (Pathos)
(credits = 15)
Children’s and youth culture Tendencies in youth research and theological
understanding of youth problems.
Congregational studies and congregational analysis in African contexts Synoptic context analysis of church and society.
Gender, culture and the Bible in the life of the church Investigation of the mutual relationship between
gender and diverse cultural contexts.

LOGOS ASPECTS
Module 4: Church in the Bible, history and tradition 1
(credits = 15)
Church polity and church governance Theological foundations; methodology; principles and understanding of being a church and church governance.
Figures from church history and ministry today Integrated knowledge of important figures from church history and the history of theology.
Pedagogics of the Bible Hermeneutical impact of biblical pedagogics in congregational context.
Remembrance, history and involvement with the past A critical discussion of the importance of remembrance as access to the past.

Module 5: Church in the Bible, history and tradition 2
(credits = 15)
Apologetics Theology in conversation with science, culture and views of life.
Symbolism Confessions and confessional writings.
Systematic ecclesiology The doctrine of the church.

ETHOS ASPECTS
Module 6: Discipleship and Ministry Skills 1
(credits = 20)
Homiletics Preaching as mode of communication. Theory and practice.
Liturgics The theological nature and understanding of worship and the question of communication in a secularised society. Various ways and models of worship.

Module 7: Discipleship and Ministry Skills 2
(credits = 20)
Children’s ministry Trends in youth research and theological understanding of youth issues.
Pastoral care for the sick and hospital care Hospital supervision.
Preventative pastoral care Marriage pastoral care and enrichment; family pastoral care and enrichment.
Youth care and moral formation The theological nature of youth work and moral education.

Module 8: Research component
(credits = 60)
• You must complete a research assignment of 50 pages during the programme in order to develop research skills.
• The due date for this research assignment is the last day of the fourth term.
• All MDiv assignments are examined by an internal, as well as an external examiner.
• Research may be carried out in any of the following six disciplines: Ecclesiology, Missiology, New Testament, Old Testament, Practical Theology and Systematic Theology.