Why Theory, Theology & Skills in Pastoral Care?

The Graduate Certificate in Theory, Theology & Skills in Pastoral Care offers community ministry practitioners, community development managers, community outreach coordinators, pastoral staff members, and other missional leaders with the following capabilities:

• ability to develop a theology of Christian social engagement and the role God intends for humanity in developing community and society
• ability to increase the capacity of spiritual caregiving to generate personal and social transformation
• ability to assess a person’s faith development in a pluralistic setting and contextualize a pastoral care approach
• ability to develop pastoral care ministries based on a biblical and theological framework
• ability to develop a personal ethical code for the practice of pastoral care supported by ethical reasoning
• ability to counsel individuals based on an understanding of the current theories of counseling, the broad categories of the DSM V and particular focus on Axis II Personality Disorders
• ability to develop a pastoral communication model for relating to people with different cultural contexts, ethnic diversity, gender, sexual orientation, age, education, religious orientation, and socioeconomic status
• ability to develop and implement a customized plan of self-care that fosters an ongoing development and maturation of strong faith in God

Pastoral Care is the support that Christians offer one another in daily living and at times of need or crisis in personal and communal life. Thus, pastoral care consists of helping actions directed towards the healing, sustaining, guiding, reconciling, and nurturing of persons whose troubles and concerns arise in the context of daily interactions and ultimate means and concerns. A major component of pastoral care is that of "spiritual care" which recognises and responds to the needs of the human spirit when faced with trauma, ill health, or sadness and can include the need for meaning, for self-worth, to express oneself, for faith support, perhaps for rites or prayer or ordinance/sacrament, or simply for a sensitive listener. The Graduate Certificate in Theory, Theology & Skills in Pastoral Care equips students to serve individuals and families by providing spiritual, emotional, and relational support to the most vulnerable in diverse settings (homes, senior residences, correctional/prisons, health care, and local churches, and others).

Core faculty

Dr. David Hormenoo

Core courses

Theory, Theology and Skills in Pastoral Care - 24 credit hours