LC 520 – Pastoral Care Modalities

Prerequisite:  None Credit:  0.5 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 550 – Creating a Congregational Culture of Care  Creating a Congregational Culture of Care During this course, we will seek together to develop your role as a pastoral caregiver within the congregational context and to cultivate your gifts in equipping the entire congregation to be a community of care. To achieve this, we’ll investigate theories, methods and practices of pastoral care and counseling, and will explore the role of theological reflection within the contexts of congregational care. We will consider how our embedded and operative theologies impact our approach and role in care giving. We will also engage a diverse selection of scholars in theology, systems theory and organizational dynamics. All these areas will be examined through the varying lenses of gender, cultural, national, racial, ethnic, ability, class and sexual difference. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor: Dr. Richard Coble

LC 552 – Diagnosis & Referral: Lost Art of Listening  This course is designed to introduce students to skills for effective pastoral care giving. Students will learn the art of pastoral listening through instruction, practice and feedback, thus helping to improve interpersonal self-awareness. This course introduces the topics of pastoral assessment/diagnosis and intervention, with specific attention to learning when and how to refer a person to additional sources of care. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  0.5 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 554 – The Art of Visitation  Visitation is one of many activities which fall under the larger heading of pastoral care.  As such, this course builds on theories and practices covered in LC 520 Pastoral Care Modalities with the intent of aiding the student in becoming a more self-aware and effective pastoral care giver. This course will not recommend any one method for visitation, but will facilitate reflection on the various advantages and disadvantages of different options for doing visits and implementing a visitation program.  It will argue for and try to facilitate deep awareness of even the small decisions and moments in this incarnational ministry. The nature and work of God.  We will look at ideas about creation and providence, God’s dual nature as both immanent and transcendent, theodicy and the nature of God as Trinity. This course includes a required assignment in your current congregation to conduct and reflect on a congregational visit.  You should begin to make arrangements for this as soon as you have registered for the course.  If you are unable to schedule this assignment in your congregation, you must ask the instructor before the course begins for an alternate assignment to satisfy the course requirement. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  0.5 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 570 – Special Topics in Ministry During this two week module, we will seek together to develop your role as a pastoral leader within the congregational context and to cultivate your gifts in ministry with persons who live with disabilities.  To achieve this, we’ll investigate discourses and theories of the body and ability; and will consider the interlocking systems of theological, cultural and sociological dynamics that construct “disability.”  We will consider how our embedded and operative theologies of the body and normalcy impact our approach and role in care giving and pastoral leadership.  All these areas will be examined through the varying lenses of gender, cultural, national, racial, ethnic, ability, class and sexual difference. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  0.5 Instructor: Faculty

LC 571 – Loss & Grief in a Community of Faith At times of death, dying and bereavement, human limitations are attested. Pastoral care givers have a powerful opportunity to minister to persons and communities in such times. By exploring death and dying process students will have an opportunity to bring such reality closer to themselves. By looking into grief theories, students will develop pastoral care giving skills to utilize in such times. Such exploration will be brought to the context of church ministry especially to the context of funeral to conclude this course. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor: Dr. Peter Capretto

LC 572 – Crisis Response in Caring Relationships  This course aims to build clergy’s competence in dealing with various crisis situations. For such purpose, we will review the basic principle of crisis intervention and explore various resources to utilize in crisis situations in ministry. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 573 – Pastoral Care with Couples This course will explore the significance of pastoral work with couples in ministry settings. Informed by theology, practical theology, counseling psychology, and marriage and family therapy concepts, this course will provide theoretical and skills-based approaches shaped by the assumption that relationship and care are foundational to what it means to be human. Rather than focusing on the problems that can mire relationships, this course presents a strengths-based outlook on the ever-changing nature of living in a coupled relationship. Students will be introduced to the spiritual, psychological, sociological, and physiological dimensions of being in committed relationships. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 574 – Trauma & Recovery This course aims to foster students’ capacity to reflect on and respond to traumatic injuries and trauma survivors as pastoral care provider. The historical background of such reflection will be studied through the reading material and various practical issues that a religious responder needs to know about in caring for trauma survivors will be examined and practiced. Based on such knowledge students will foster pastoral sensitivity through theological reflections on experiences of trauma. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Dr. Peter Capretto

LC 575 – Small Groups as Centers of Care This course is a two-week module is designed to introduce students to the theoretical and theological foundations of small group care. Students will learn the skills of effective small group leadership and gain an understanding of group content and process. This course offers an introduction to practical strategies for planning and implementing both spiritual formation and common themes groups. An experiential learning component allows students the opportunity to participate in a short-term small group and increase their understanding of interpersonal relations. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  0.5 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 576 – Pastoral Care and Substance Abuse

Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 577 – The Healing Power of Anger Is there a place for anger in Christian lives? When a Christian feels anger, what is s/he supposed to do with it? What do we do when we have to deal with others who are angry? This course will deal with the underlying assumptions of these questions, which may rather paint a negative picture about anger. This negative assumption has had a powerful impact on how we deal with this emotion. We will examine the emotion of anger from various perspectives to build a more balanced, thicker understanding of it. In this process, we will highlight the constructive, relational aspect of anger to form a more positive relationship with it. This will be accomplished through careful self-reflection and a final project to care for our community. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor: Faculty

LC 578 – Issues of Care in the Black Church This course is a two-week module designed to introduce students to skills for effective pastoral care specifically in the black church. Students will learn the basics of pastoral care in the black church through instruction, case studies, practice and feedback, thus helping to improve awareness of issues prevalent and somewhat unique to the black church whether urban or rural. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  0.5 Instructor: Faculty

LC 579 – The Journey of Development This course seeks to take you on a journey of discovery and experience: the journey of psychological and religious development from the beginning to the end of the life cycle.  If we are, as the adage says, “layered” beings, embodying “all the ages we have ever been,” how does this affect our present-day souls and psyches and our lives within a church community?    As well as looking at some of the theories on development, students will be also given opportunities to examine their own developmental journey as well as to reflect on ramifications for pastoral ministry. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor: Faculty

LC 580 – Power, Privilege, & Difference How do we take power and privilege into account when we provide pastoral care? This question can be approached from many different angles. In this course, we will explore this question by examining different layers of relationship in which power dynamics happen: we will consider power, privilege and differences in the context of professional ethics, family system thinking and the challenges of multiculturality and hybridity.  This course requires the students to engage in serious self-reflection to see the self in the various power dynamic contexts by utilizing the course material proactively. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 581 – Care of Persons, Care of Worlds:  Social Justice and Care How do we take power and privilege into account when we provide pastoral care? This question can be approached from many different angles. In this course, we will explore this question by examining different layers of relationship in which power dynamics happen: we will consider power, privilege and differences in the context of professional ethics, family system thinking and the challenges of multiculturality and hybridity.  This course requires the students to engage in serious self-reflection to see the self in the various power dynamic contexts by utilizing the course material proactively. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 582 – Climate Change:  Caring for Our Planet, Caring for Ourselves What is the connection between our mental and spiritual health and the health of the planet? How might our commitments to the earth enliven our souls? How might an ecological theology become a centerpiece of our spiritual care-giving? In this course, we will examine the effects of environmental degradation on the soul, and learn how a co-creation centered theology can stitch back together congregations, families, friendships, and selves. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 583 – Spiritual Foundations for the Pastoral Caregiver This course is an immersion into soulful living, which promises to be informative and transformative. One of its main goals is to guide students on a journey of spiritual formation, which can demonstrate in practice how solid spiritual foundations can ensure a sustainable, effective, and soulful commitment to ministry and care. Together, as a class, we will explore some models of spiritual growth, engage in some spiritual practices, and learn how to link our own spirituality and the task of ministering and guiding others. We will draw resources primarily from within the Christian tradition; yet, keep a posture of respect and openness towards spiritual practices coming from other traditions of faith. Course lectures, readings, and practical activities will be organized around those themes, which are most relevant to the life and character formation of people called to pastoral ministry. Such themes are: identity and vocation, contemplation and action, spirituality and social justice, mourning and celebration. The basic skills we will learn and practice together in this course will be: introspection, spiritual and theological reflection, compassionate listening, and awareness of one’s gifts and limitations when it comes to the task of caring for others. Prerequisite:  LC 520 Credit:  1.0 Instructor:  Dr. Francesca Nuzzolese

LC 590 – LC Competency Exercise *Please refer to section 7.1.6-7.1.8 of the Student Handbook* Prerequisite:  Completion of all other LC 500 level work Credit:  0.5 Instructor:  Dr. Richard Coble

LC 670 – Pastoral Diagnosis This course will help students to: 1. identify levels of Pastoral Care, 2. develop a diagnostic and pastoral care matrix, 3. identify principles of family systems and 4. identify, develop, and evaluate appropriate pastoral care responses making use of the case study method. The course will address these goals especially through the discussion of case studies in a variety of issues pastors encounter as care-givers. Consideration will also be given to the theological and spiritual dimensions of pastoral diagnosis and care, and to self-care on the part of the pastor. Prerequisite: Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 671 – Short-Term Pastoral Counseling The course will utilize Narrative Therapy as our primary psycho-therapeutic theory, which will shape our practice of short term pastoral counseling.  We’ll begin by exploring the differences between pastoral care, pastoral counseling and psychotherapy, and will consider the importance of negotiating into and out of those different kinds of care. We’ll then move into the theoretical grounding for narrative therapy, with particular attention to its postmodern commitments, the role of the counselor, how this approach intersects with our theological commitments, several key assumptions related to justice and pathology, and an overview of the counseling process. Prerequisite: Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 672 – Clinical Pastoral Education *Please refer to section 5.10 of the Student Handbook.* Prerequisite:  Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 673 – Pastoral Care and Substance Abuse Through this course, the students will explore the psychological, biological, cultural and social dynamics that are present in substance abuse and dependency. Deeper understanding of the different layers of the lived experience of substance abuse, along with rigorous theological reflection, will allow students to develop competency in pastoral care for those who suffer from substance related problems. Prerequisite:  Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 674 – Incarnational Ministry: Pastoral Care in Multicultural Contexts Students in this course will explore the significance of sociocultural contexts in ministry settings. Through a framework informed by incarnational theology, students will develop a reflective and practical approach to caring for cultural diversity in congregations. Prerequisite:  Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Faculty

LC 675 – Empathy in Pastoral Care & Counseling This course introduces ministry students to foundational theories, practices, and methods of empathy in pastoral care and counseling. More specifically, it is designed to train seminarians to become attentive to how empathy functions in caregiving practices, and to help them develop critical tools for understanding both the strengths and limitations of empathic caregiving. Students are expected to reflect carefully on their own social location, in order to hone ministry practices that are aware of the limits of their empathy. They will also be challenged to consider how empathic listening gives way to other forms of communal pastoral and political praxis. Special attention is paid to the identities, narratives, and unique vulnerabilities of both givers and recipients of pastoral care—including but not limited to race, gender, sexuality, disability, socio-economic status, and exposure to trauma. Prerequisite:  Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Dr. Peter Capretto

LC 676 – Political Pastoral Theology This course introduces ministry students to the political dimension of pastoral caregiving and theology. More specifically, it offers seminarians a basic framework for understanding how the theological principles of pastoral care call us to move beyond traditional counseling settings, and into social advocacy and political interventions. This course thus invites students to reflect theologically on the limits of dyadic pastoral counseling (i.e. – one-on-one counseling in an ecclesial setting) and to think constructively about how caregiving must extend to other forms of prophetic witness. Toward this end, students will be required to examine and identify strategies for offering pastoral care to their ecclesial and community setting, which include politically contentious topics. In the process, students are expected to analyze how matters of race, gender, sexuality, disability, and socio-economic status shape our pastoral decisions for political advocacy and witness. Prerequisite:  Successful completion of one competency exercise and a minimum of 60% of LC 500 level work Credit:  2.0 Instructor:  Dr. Peter Capretto

♦ Updated 03/29/21