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DR115.15
Children and Families Ministry: Core Issues and Contextualities
for Excellence in Practice
Foundational Unit
(Groundwork for Christian Ministry) for MDiv
This unit
examines the theological, developmental and methodological resources
for contextual children and families ministries across the spectrum
of Australian church based, community based and para-church
expressions. Addressing the theology, spirituality and sociology
of the child in relation to family, church, faith, culture,
technology, history and philosophical discourse, the unit develops
critical skills for evaluating and designing robust, contextual
processes for discipleship, pastoral care, mission and leadership
with children and their families.
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Upon
successful completion of this unit students will be able
to:
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1. Outline
major frameworks of child theology, theologies of child,
child spirituality and theology for children in religious
education
2. Demonstrate critical approaches to interaction between
child development, theology, social discourse and learning
paradigms
3. Identify typologies of church, missional, religious education
and discipleship structures and evaluate the place of child
within their practice.
4. Critically evaluate different methodologies in ministry
with children and their families
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Pre-requisites:
none
Class time: Wednesdays 6.00pm
- 9.00pm
Assessment:
- Theology of
Child Literature review 750 words (20%) assessing learning
outcome 1
'World of the Child' Journal Reflections 4 x 500 words (40%)
assessing learning outcome 2
Core
Issues Essay 1500 words (40%) assessing learning outcomes
3 & 4
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Faculty: Beth Barnett
Offered: in first semester 2012
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Select
bibliography:
- Barna, George.
Transforming children into spiritual champions. Ventura:
Regal, 2003.
*Beckwith, Ivy. Postmodern children's ministry: ministry
to children in the 21st century. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
2004.
*Buckland, Ron. Perspectives on children and the Gospel:
excellence in Ministry with children and their families.
West Gosford, NSW: Scripture Union, 2001.
Bunge, MJ. The Child in Christian Thought. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 2001.
*Cupit, G. Children and Spirituality. Central Coast
Business Centre, N.S.W. : Scripture Union Australia, 2005.
Hay, David & Nye, Rebecca, The Spirit of the Child.
London: Fount, 1998.
Kociumbas, J. Australian Childhood;A History. St Leonards,
N.S.W : Allen & Unwin, 1997.
Medved, Michael and Dianne. Saving Childhood: Protecting
Our Children from the National Assault on Innocence. Zondervan,
1998.
Mercer, Joyce. Welcoming children : a practical theology
of childhood. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2005. Stonehouse,
C., Joining Children on the Spiritual Journey. Grand
Rapids: Baker,1998.
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