This course explores alternative approaches for analyzing how people make choices, engage in learning, collaborate in networks, adapt to and change institutions (rules), and manage and govern social-ecological systems. The course analyses how institutions and governance can be designed at different organizational levels to adapt to social-ecological change and to transform governance and management. The course analyses trans- and inter-disciplinary theories and methods for decision-making under complexity and uncertainty and how collaboration for common-pool resources can overcome narrow strategic behavior and instead result in decisions which improves the outcome for all. The student is introduced to adaptive approaches based on learning and re-evaluation.
The course provides the student with an introduction to the public administration of socio-ecological systems in the context of caring for creation. The course introduces a basic understanding of public administration of socio-ecological systems and examines case studies on this topic. This course provides the necessary skills and a conceptual framework to understand and evaluate the public administration of socio-ecological systems as it pertains to the creation care and engages in a constructive and missional dialogue.
The missional perspective in the public administration of socio-ecological systems is one in which the kingdom of God is realized within the framework of the care of creation on earth, and how the people of God help to shape and transform the natural-, social-, built- and virtual-environments. This course teaches the practical process of analyzing the public administration of socio-ecological systems while caring for creation in everyday reality and practice within the body of Christ.
This course focuses on the public administration of socioecological systems with the scriptures as the foundation for both faith and practice. The student does not just study basic bible truths and learn about the public administration of socioecological systems, but also studies the text to learn how it speaks to him/her within their cultural context to inform their ministry and missional practices. A missional perspective of the Bible provides the theological framework for missional and ministry practice in light of the natural-, social-, built- and virtual-environments. This course and program builds on the implications of a theology of mission through the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care.
This course is driven by the concept that Christian believers should become part of the Missio Dei — the mission of God in this world, which seeks to join in with God where He is at work — in homes and communities — so that we may see the spiritual transformation of people and communities through the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care. Students taking this course value a missiological understanding of the Missio Dei (the mission of God) that enables believers to discern where God is at work among peoples in the community and join in God’s mission in the world. This course and program identifies implications of the Missio Dei in relation to missional and ministry practice as it pertains to the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care.
Through various resources, students conduct research to be exposed to demographic and sociographic data for their local communities to enable them to develop missional approaches for their local contexts according to the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care. The student values various forms of cultural research that inform both the student’s understanding of the natural-, social-, built- and virtual-environmental contexts within their communities and their missional and ministry practice. This course and program incorporates contextual information as foundational for the delivery of missionally-driven implementation according to the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care.
This course celebrates the cultural diversity that exists in this world as a reflection of the creative nature of the image of God in humanity. We desire that all peoples would have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We desire that Christian believers learn how to express their faith in their own social context in culturally-appropriate ways, as informed by public administration of socioecological systems and creation care. We value embracing diverse cultures and fostering authentic, culturally-appropriate faith expressions among each cultural group. This course embraces culturally-appropriate missional and ministry practice according to the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care in the natural-, social-, built- and virtual-environments.
This course calls upon the student to engage individuals, families, groups, organizations and/or communities of the people of God in public administration in socioecological systems and creation care. Also, it requires students to function professionally while they research and apply their learnings in socioecological resilience and creation care. Finally, the student is expected to develop abilities that allow him/her to integrate practice with research inquiry as it relates to socioecological resilience and creation care in the natural-, social-, built- and virtual-environments.
Integrated throughout this course is an experiential orientation including “field practice” where concepts that are discussed in class are lived out in the real world according to the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care. Reflection, integration and collaboration flow out of the relationships that are formed between students and faculty. This experiential learning has transformative power to equip students with ministry and missional skills. We value theological and missional reflection conducted within a community of missional and ministry practice that informs and interprets those experiences. This course and program interprets missional and ministry practice by reflecting biblically, theologically and missionally on the public administration of socioecological systems and creation care in the natural-, social-, built- and virtual-environments.
