School of Theology and Christian Ministries

Dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries: Mark Maddix

Mission:
As an expression of its commitment to historic Christianity from a Wesleyan perspective, the School of Theology and Christian Ministries equips women and men for lives of faith and service in the world and in the church. Christian praxis is developed through integrative reflection on the Bible, theology, history, philosophy, ethics, and contemporary society.

The two departments in this School are Philosophy and Religion. Majors available in the School, by department:

Department of Philosophy

Majors

Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy

Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy and Religion

Minors

Philosophy

Department of Religion

Majors

Bachelor of Arts, Christian Ministry

Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy and Religion (see Department of Philosophy)

Minors

Bible

Biblical Languages

Children's Ministries

Christian Education

Christian Ministry

Missions

Pastoral Ministries

Theology

Worship Leadership

Youth Ministries

Descriptions of majors, areas of emphasis, minors, and other programs are found in this chapter, while course descriptions are found at the end of the catalog, arranged alphabetically by discipline.

Learning Objectives:

Christlike Character: Graduates of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries will grow toward spiritual maturity, using their knowledge of the Bible, the rich heritage of the Christian faith, and Christian values to represent Christ to the world and build the community of Christ.
Academic Excellence: Through integrative reflection on the Bible, theology, history, philosophy, ethics, and contemporary society, graduates of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries will develop a world view consonant with both reason and revelation that will continue to develop beyond the classroom.
Creative Engagement: Graduates of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries will respond to needs with inspired solutions as they live lives of service in the world and in the church.
Social Responsiveness: In response to the claims of the Gospel, graduates of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries will engage in Christian praxis with an expansive spirit that acknowledges the worth and dignity of all.

Ministerial Preparation

The School of Theology and Christian Ministries provides oversight and guidance to students preparing for Christian vocational ministry. Ministerial preparation includes academic achievement, personal development, and divine calling. Each major or minor sets forth a program of academic achievement.

The student’s progress is monitored by the administrator of the major or minor. Matters of personal development are treated in a series of courses (PRTH 1710, 2960, 3210, 3960, 4960) spread throughout the student’s years of enrollment. Such matters as a call to ministry, personal religious experience, self-understanding and character development, professional conduct, avenues of Christian service, and ministerial licensing are discussed with each student. These courses include many hours of field experience and internship in a ministry setting, as well as personal interviews by members of the faculty and area pastors.

Because of the increasing complexity of ministry in contemporary society, the School and the Church of the Nazarene strongly encourage all ministerial students to prepare themselves well and complete a seminary education. Those students who do not intend to pursue graduate-level education for ministry preparation are urged to select the Christian Ministry major with an appropriate departmental minor in preparation for ministry following graduation. Those students who intend to fulfill the educational requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene through their undergraduate program must complete either the Christian Ministry major with an appropriate departmental minor or the Missions major with a minor in Christian Ministry.

Ministerial Standing

Ministerial Standing is a formative process that encourages the highest possible standards in students planning to enter vocational ministry. This process seeks to be developmental and holistic by recognizing personal growth in students over time, rather than merely applying a fixed standard uniformly. The items assessed in the process toward acceptance are: academic excellence, personal initiative (Social Responsiveness), leadership, spiritual formation (Christ-like Character), and the ability to integrate academic learning into the local ministry context (Creative Engagement).

Prior to achieving Ministerial Standing, a student is considered to be in ministry observation/exploration. However, Ministerial Standing is mandatory for formal admission to a program of ministry preparation and for graduation with a Christian Ministry major from the School of Theology and Christian Ministries (STCM). Ministerial Standing is also required for those students who are seeking to fulfill the educational requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. In addition, Ministerial Standing will be strongly considered in awarding Religion Department scholarships as well as in making recommendations to local churches, pastors, church leaders, and graduate schools.

Application to Ministerial Standing:
To be eligible for a program of ministry preparation, a student must meet the following requirements for the achievement of Ministerial Standing:

complete the following courses prior to application: PRTH 1710, CHED 1810, and BIBL 1100;
have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better;
apply for Ministerial Standing in the spring semester of the student's sophomore year and reapply each subsequent year;
obtain favorable character references from peers, NNU faculty, NNU Student Development, and pastors;
submit critical assignments in ministerial training;
interview with a STCM faculty subcommittee; and
receive a favorable recommendation for the granting of Ministerial Standing from the STCM faculty.

Students who do not achieve Ministerial Standing will receive clear feedback and be encouraged to reapply the following year.

Continuation of Ministerial Standing:
To continue to hold Ministerial Standing, a student must meet the following requirements:

make progress toward the completion of the student's degree program by being enrolled in NNU during one of the previous two semesters;
maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better;
reapply for Ministerial Standing annually (including the application requirements above); and
receive favorable recommendations from field experience and/or internship.

Failure to meet any of these four requirements will result in the withdrawal of Ministerial Standing. Graduating seniors who do not achieve Ministerial Standing cannot graduate with a Christian Ministry major but may seek to graduate from the university with a different major. However, a student whose Ministerial Standing has been withdrawn may reapply after one semester, with a favorable recommendation from the Dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries.