2017-2018 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Special Programs for Academic Credit
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Basic Graduate Theological Studies
The basic graduate theological studies required for those seeking ordination as deacons in the United Methodist Church include courses in the areas of Old Testament; New Testament; church history; theology; mission; worship; evangelism; and United Methodist history, doctrine and polity. These courses are offered regularly on the Dallas campus and in the Houston-Galveston program. The following courses satisfy these requirements:
The Hispanic/Latin@ Ministries Program
The Hispanic/Latin@ Ministries Program was founded in 1974 to prepare church leaders with the knowledge and skills for effective ministry in Spanish-speaking contexts and cultures. The program remains committed to recruiting, preparing and providing continuing education for people in ministry with Hispanics/Latin@s. It is at the heart of Perkins School of Theology’s leadership as a vibrant center of Hispanics/Latin@ theological thought and writing and a vital advocate before the general church with and in behalf of Hispanics/Latin@ congregations and ministries.
The Hispanic/Latin@ Ministries Program offers to pastors and laity its short-term, intensive training programs through the Course of Study School in Spanish (Curso de Estudio); the United Methodist Local Pastors Licensing School in Spanish (Escuela de Licencia); continuing education events, symposia, consultations and lectures. Some of its academic program areas include oversight of the concentration in Hispanic studies and support of L@s Seminaristas, a student organization for Perkins students focused on ministry with Hispanics/Latin@s. The program works closely with The United Methodist Church’s National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry and MARCHA, the official Hispanic/Latin@ United Methodist caucus. The Hispanic/Latin@ Ministries Program is designated as an Ethnic Center by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and as such, supports the recruitment, retention, and flourishing of Hispanic/Latin@ persons interested in, preparing for, and involved in ministry. The program publishes the quarterly journal Apuntes: Theological Reflections from the Hispano-Latino Context.
Hispanic Summer Program
In collaboration with several other seminaries, Perkins sponsors the Hispanic Summer Program, which takes place for two weeks each summer at a different site in the United States or Puerto Rico. Hispanic students, as well as others who are bilingual and who are interested in Hispanic ministries, may attend this academic program and take a maximum of one course for three credits. Courses in the Hispanic Summer Program cover a wide range of the theological curriculum, and they are always taught with the Latino church in mind. The program provides students with the opportunity to study and reflect with other seminarians who are from across the nation and Puerto Rico and who are preparing to do ministry in the Hispanic context. Perkins students who are accepted into the program pay a reduced registration fee.
International Studies
Students with sufficient Spanish language skills may be able to do a term of studies in Costa Rica or an internship in Mexico or Central America. Immersion experiences in Mexico, Central America and South America are also periodically offered through the Global Theological Education program.
Spanish Language
Perkins does not offer instruction in Spanish for credit. Students are encouraged to seek instructional programs in Dallas and/or attend a Spanish-language school in Cuernavaca, Mexico, or elsewhere. The director of the Hispanic/Latin@ Ministries maintains information on these opportunities and assists students in making appropriate plans to gain the necessary competence.
Global Theological Education
Through cultural immersion courses, the Global Theological Education Program offers students a study of theology, Scripture, missions, ministry or interreligious relationships in a cultural context different from the students’ own, usually outside the United States. These courses give special attention to the role of theological reflection in an environment affected by globalization in all its dimensions through a focused, on-site study in a particular cultural environment and region of the world.
Spiritual Formation
The Spiritual Life and Formation Program is an aspect of a multidimensional theological education and thorough preparation for ministry offered at Perkins School of Theology, which includes personal spiritual formation through an experience of a variety of spiritual disciplines. It provides the student with basic familiarity with the complex landscape of spiritual practice, with an awareness of the diversity of forms of spirituality throughout history. It trains the student in the ability to integrate the spiritual, theological and social dimensions of life, fostering an awareness of the ongoing dialog with spiritual traditions of other faiths, coupled with sensitivity to contexts of race, gender and ethnicity in spiritual life and practice. The program helps the student develop the ability to facilitate the spiritual growth of others, as it sharpens the theological and critical capacity to evaluate trends in spirituality.
Led by facilitators in groups of five to 10, students participate in a formative process designed to provide them with the framework of a common experience, emphasizing contemplative practice, prayer and devotion, with a broad-based exposure to a variety of spiritual disciplines. It is an educational setting that provides an opportunity to explore the vital connection between spiritual life and Christian ministry.
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