Religious Studies

This course will introduce students to some practical tools and models for engaging in critical theological reflection in order to develop the skills and practices in pastoral ministry of relating life to theology and theology to life. The course will also assist in the development of a growing competence in the practice of pastoral care across varying contexts and life situations in the context of ministry in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Prerequisites: BRS510

Level 6

This course will introduce students to some practical tools and models for engaging in critical theological reflection in order to develop the skills and practices in pastoral ministry of relating life to theology and theology to life. The course will also assist in the development of a growing competence in the practice of pastoral care across varying contexts and life situations in the context of ministry in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Level 6
To be successful in church ministry requires a certain amount of leadership skills. This course provides an overview of various types of ministry leadership, especially within the Methodist Church of New Zealand, and equips students with skills relevant to each type.

Level 6

This course is an exploration of the development of Methodism in Oceania and Te Haahi Weteriana o Aotearoa, The Methodist Church of New Zealand; with a particular focus on the establishment of the Bi-cultural journey, Connexionalism and Agents of Change.

Level 6

This course offers an introduction to the theology and practice of Christian
preaching, especially in a Methodist context in New Zealand. It takes account of the art of public speaking and the rhetorical requirements of the task.

Level 6

This course provides an orientation to liturgy, its theological basis, and the practice of designing a liturgy within a particular situation or occasion. The aim is to give students a thorough knowledge of the subject and some practical skills.

Level 6

This course takes weaving (whiri) as a metaphor and opportunity for religious and theological engagement, and explores ways in which justice (in its various
nuances– equality, fairness, rightness, divine gift–and its many forms–political, relational, economic, environmental, etc) could be woven in(to) public struggles. The public struggles that will be addressed include casteism, Islamophobia, racism, ethnocentrism, gender and sexual discrimination. Could weaving justice in(to) public spaces resolve these struggles? What else do we need to weave-in(to)-thepublic in order to help us cope with life’s
struggles?

This course provides an intense introduction to the discipline of religious studies, explores the key areas of the field, and focuses on the key questions religious studies seeks to answer. Students will also be introduced to the theoretical precursors of the field and discuss some of the key paradigms for research and analysis. 

Explore and examine the religious landscape of Aotearoa and the challenges it poses to Christian ministry. The focus will be on the intersection between religious pluralism and democracy, exploring both the historical and contemporary relationship between church and state in Aotearoa and the ways in which religious thought and practice have influenced, and been influenced by, the development of democracy. Participants have an opportunity to share their perspectives on the study of religion and to investigate the history and sociology of religion and the many religious majority and minority groups in the country. Participants visit local places of worship and examine films to provide context to classroom discussion. In addition, participants work with college faculty to develop, conduct, and present a related research project. This is a semester-long course.

Level 7

This course critically investigates the development of the ecumenical movement and its (ir)relevance for Aotearoa. What does the ecumenical values of oikoumene and koinonia mean to global and local churches
today? What, or in what, is the future of the ecumenical movement in Aotearoa? Students will explore questions such as these and visit local churches that host and facilitate ecumenical projects.

Level 7

This course critically investigates key scriptures of the major world religions
(Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism) on critical religious concerns such as peace, justice, and hope. Close attention will also be given to the use of sacred texts in worship and public places.

This course critically investigates the development and impact of the ecumenical movement globally and locally in Aotearoa, and re-examines its relevance and/or irrelevance to Aotearoa’s 21st century context. How much does the ecumenical values of oikoumeneand koinonia mean to churches today? What is the future of the ecumenical movement in Aotearoa? Is there an alternative to ecumenism for Christian churches? Participants will discuss questions such as these and will visit various churches. This is a semester-long course.

This course will explore the origins and nature of apocalypticism. Beginning with apocalyptic thought in ancient Jewish writings (including the Books of Daniel and Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible), we will explore the socio-historical context for ancient Jewish visionary ascent texts, early Christian apocalypses (including the Book of Revelation) and later interpretations and use of ancient "prophecy" concerning the end of the world. This course includes a close reading of ancient texts and an analysis of the apocalyptic imagination through popular literature and movies.

This course aims at understanding and comparing fundamentalist movements in Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. Participants will examine the term "fundamentalism" as it has evolved from describing an American Protestant form of religiosity to signifying a global phenomenon spanning different religions and cultures. What is fundamentalism? How do religious fundamentalist describe themselves, how are they described by others? What are the grievances, ambitions and goals of “fundamentalists”? Can we differentiate between fundamentalist piety and religious extremism? In what ways have fundamentalist movements begun to intersect with ethnic, national and political identities? Do fundamentalists of different religious backgrounds share common world views? How do fundamentalists see humans interacting with divine commandments? What are the roles of men and women? Do fundamentalist principles legitimate new forms of religious violence?

Level 7

This course will study scriptural texts from the major world religions under the frames of, and in response to the cries for, justice. The primary aims of studying these texts are (1) to understand the religious teachings behind and/or inspired by these texts and (2) to name and unravel biases (read: injustices) associated with these religions and scriptures. The scriptures to study will include selections from Manusmriti (on varna/caste), Qur’an (on jihad), Hebrew Bible and Christian Bible (with focus on cultures of elitism). In what ways do these texts proclaim and demand acts and cultures of justice? And in what ways do they propagate and conceal injustice? How might we read these and other scriptural texts justly?

This course deals with the dynamic interplay between how Christians have read and interpreted their Bibles on the one hand, and how they have understood sex and human sexuality on the other. Thus the questions that will drive our inquiry are fundamentally questions about interpretation. What does it mean to make the claim that a particular perspective on human sexual experience is ‘biblical’? How are we to understand the sheer variety of ways that a fixed set of canonical scriptural texts have been used as an authoritative resource for discussing and regulating sexual ethics, identity and practice? How do changing notions of what ‘sexuality’ is (and why sexuality matters) impact the way that biblical texts have been interpreted? We will explore these questions through the study of key texts in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament and an examination of how these texts have been interpreted from antiquity to the present. Topics to be covered include marriage, gender identity, desire, same-sex relationships and sexual renunciation.

Violence against children and youth is a global epidemic that every society, and churches in particular, must acknowledge and address. Some of these acts of violence find justification in biblical stories or certain interpretations of those texts. This course will critically examine texts concerning children and youth in the Bible and scrutinises the way they are positioned in relation to power and access to resources. Seldom do we read texts from the perspectives of children and youth. Likewise, we rarely consider the interests of children and youth when it comes to decision making and program designing in churches. This course will take that perspective seriously and look for ways of reading texts and doing theology that are transformative and liberating for children and youth in the church and the wider community.

What is liberation theology? Who does it? Why is it important to the church? How do traditional theologians and critics respond to it? This introductory course will discuss the many strands of liberation theology from different global contexts. The focus will be on liberation theology’s methodologies, its relation to the social context, and its challenges to the theological discipline. The course is designed to introduce some of the classical texts of liberation theologies from different parts of the world and the works of a few key new critical thinkers; analyse some of the newer challenges to liberation theologies: cultural hermeneutics, postcolonial criticism, and globalization; develop the skills of contextual theological thinking and critique of traditional theology of the church and one’s own faith; and to equip students to learn and reflect on theology from an anti-racist and multicultural perspectives through both course contents and pedagogy.

From time to time, a course will be offered on special topics relevant for the time and the formation of community and religious leaders. Those topics might be on matters arising in contemporary social and religious experience, in the academic, political or public arenas.

This course is designed to equip students for research. The focus will be on research methodologies (both quantitative & qualitative), and that includes Pacific and Maori approaches to research. Research theorists and practitioners will be invited to share their research with special emphasis on methods employed. This course is open to a students, but is required for those intending to do a research project. Designing a research proposal is a key requirement for the course.

This course intentionally engages in critical reflection and action as it critically analyses and formulates practical theological and ministry outcomes arising from a place of marginality in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. The examples of marginality focused on could be socio-economic, disability, sexuality, or other key areas of concern.

How might we weave justice into Aotearoa and Pasifika? And how might we weave in justice? In other words, how might life unfold in Aotearoa and Pasifika if justice is woven-with and woven-in public spaces? These questions point to two drives of this course: (1) weave justice with the minds and events of the public and (2) weaving justice in public spaces. This course takes weaving (whiri) as a metaphor and opportunity for religious and theological engagement, and explores ways in which justice (in its various nuances--equality, fairness, rightness, divine gift--and its many forms--political, relational, economic, environmental, etc) could be woven in(to) public struggles. The public struggles that will be addressed include casteism, Islamophobia, racism, ethnocentrism, gender and sexual discrimination. Could weaving justice in(to) public spaces (in which society, community, church and academy are among its sectors) resolve these struggles? What else do we need to weave-in(to)-the-public in order to help us cope with life's struggles?

This inter-strand course is designed to equip students for research. The focus will be on research methodologies (both quantitative & qualitative), and that includes Pacific and Maori approaches to research. Research theorists and practitioners will be invited to share their research with special emphasis on methods employed. This course is open to any students but is required for those intending to do a research project. Designing a research proposal is a key requirement for the course.

Students who have completed the core and required courses for Religious Studies, and who hold an average grade of B or above, may undertake a thorough study of a topic approved by the Research Committee. The research project is equal to three 20-credit courses, and to be completed within one semester.