Academics

STMI-219. Introduction to Preaching. 3 crs.
Designed as a construction, content and form analysis of preaching. Introduces the contemporary sermon as an event within historical perspective and sociological context. Offers maximum opportunity for research-action in anticipation of the progressive development and refinement of homiletical skills.

STMI-220. Religious Personality and Pastoral Care. 3 crs.
Explores historical definitions and functions of pastoral care and contemporary imperatives.

STMI-221. Introduction to Pastoral Care. 3 crs.
Study of types of pastoral counseling using case presentations, audio and video tapes, verbatim, and typescripts.

STMI-222. Pastoral Care: Practicum. 3 crs.

STMI-223. Pastoral Marriage Counseling. 3 crs.
Seminar exploring the techniques of counseling individuals preparing for marriage.

STMI-226. Religious Personality and Pastoral Psychotherapy. 3 crs.
A study of theories and counselling.

STMI-228. Pastoral Care and the Elderly. 2 crs.

STMI-230. Minister as Educator. 3 crs.
Seminar examining how the pastor/minister sets the tone and atmosphere for the educational program of the local churches and how the pastor works with volunteers in adult, youth, and church school education.

STMI-235. Religious Education and the Church Year. 3 crs.
Examines the theology and design of the liturgical calendar. The seasons of the Christian Year will be explored as well as how to recognize, practice and celebrate the seasons with all ages in the faith community.

STMI-240. Clinical Pastoral Education: Basic Unit. 4 crs.
Offers clinical pastoral training in institutional settings (e.g. hospitals) either full-time or extended part-time. Prereqs.: STMI-221 and STMI-222.

STMI-250. The First Pastorate. 2 crs.
A practical course designed to help ministers prepare for their first position as pastor or to deal more effectively with the issues in their current positions. Addresses a wide range of issues in the areas of administration, worship and program development, pastoral care, and personal concerns. Resource persons share experiences in their first churches. Primarily for students who have not pastored and for students who have pastored for less than three years.

STMI-300 Religious Education Instructional Research and Development. 3 crs.
Seminar: The Black Perspective offers a self-directed team approach to instructional development. Instructional modules will form the basis for the development of a learning activity packet appropriate for use in intergenerational church settings. These modules will focus upon the unique experiences of blacks in America.

STMI-303. History and Philosophy of Religious Education. 3 crs.
Introduction to religious education from the early church to the present, emphasizing the implications of naturalism, idealism, pragmatism, and existentialism.

STMI-305. Ministry to New and Small Churches. 3 crs.
The small-membership church outnumbers all other Protestant churches. Most seminary graduates begin their ministry in small-membership churches. Thus, this course will examine the life in the small-membership church and the kinds of programs one can develop to maximize the effectiveness of the ministry of the congregation. An outline will be developed on organizing a new church. the lecture-discussion method will be used with opportunities to share experiences from readings, reports, practioners, etc.

STMI-310. Curriculum Development for the Local Black Church. 3 crs.
Examines, develops, and translates traditional educational material of the various denominations for use in black churches.

STMI-313. Teaching Methods for the Church. 3 crs.
Explores a variety of teaching methods which can be useful in the local church setting. Tools for evaluating the educational needs of persons within the are church examined. Practical concerns are highlighted which focus on the context in which teaching takes place.

STMI-315. Educational Ministries with Youth. 3 crs.
Explores the dynamics of urban life that contribute to the formation of healthy or unhealthy youth, with emphasis on sensitizing congregational leadership to creative methods.

STMI-318. Initiating Persons into the Christian Faith: Issues in New Member Orientation. 2 crs.
Focuses on educational issues surrounding the process of Christian initiation including historical issues, faith development, and socialization.

STMI-320. Women in Ministry. 3 crs.
An historical and sociological treatment of the American woman and institutional change. The historical, biblical and philosophical underpinnings of sexist attitudes discussed.

STMI-322. Advanced Pastoral Care. 2 crs.
Continuation of STMI-221. Prereq.: STMI-221.

STMI-332. Faith Development and Life Cycle. 3 crs.
Reviews the major contributions of persons such as Erikson, Kohlberg, Fowler and others who have sought to increase an understanding of the relationship between Life Cycle and Faith Development. Emphasis will be placed upon how these two conceptual frameworks interface.

STMI-340. Directed Study in Pastoral Care. 3 crs.

STMI-335. Studies in Religion and Personality. 2 crs.
This course will examine the theories of personality that contribute to the understanding of the growth of persons. Psychological theories and religious personality theories will be studied.

STMI-347. Ministry in the Urban Church and Community. 3 crs.
Focuses on the nature of the ministry in an urban community. Includes an examination of issues and problems of urban people as they are addressed by the church.

STMI-348. Pastoral Care and Counseling in Crisis Situations. 2 crs.

STMI-349. Pastoral Care and Crisis Intervention. 3 crs.
Pastoral care and crisis intervention is the task of every pastor. Provides cognitive constructs whereby the students improve their skills in this vital area of ministry.

First-hand clinical experiences of the life and work of the church and related institutional forms of ministry.

STMI-355. Pastoral and Marriage Counseling in the Parish. 3 crs.

STMI-360. Parish Pastoral Counseling. 3 crs.
Introduces students to the skills required for the minister to be an effective counselor in the parish.

STMI-365. Church Leadership and Administration. 2 crs.
Explores the duties of the pastor, the nature of church administration, roles of leadership within the organizational pattern of the church, voluntary associations, community relations, and community image.

STMI-370. Introduction to Church Music and Worship. 3 crs.
Examines the theology, terminology, development, organization and practice of church music and worship.

STMI-375. Religious Nurture, Worship and the Christian Year. 3 crs.

STMI-380. Pastoral Care and Aging. 2 crs.
Examination of the personality changes experienced during the process of aging.

STMI-385. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. 3 crs.
Examines the life and thought of Martin and Malcolm. It will assess the similarities and differences between Martin and Malcolm; evaluate Martin’s and Malcolm’s legacies in terms of their praxis and social analysis of race, class and gender issues; and address their contribution to the Black church and Black theology.

STMI-395. Church Bible Study. 3 crs.
Explores the various methodologies and materials available for Bible Study from the religious education sector. Students get hands-on experience with a wide variety of approaches and resources already published.

An examination of the operations of the criminal justice system from a biblical theological perspective. Information and skills imparted to students on how to interact with the police, courts, prisoners and others involved in the criminal justice process.

STMI-398. The Church and Social Welfare. 3 crs.
A comprehensive overview of public and private service resources available to persons ministering in the urban environment. Emphasis on programs aiding minorities and the poor.

STMI-399. Housing the Poor: An Urban Mission of the Church. 3 crs.
Explores the theological rationales for churches involvement in housing, practical steps in developing housing, and follow-up steps in housing management. Involves classroom discussion as well as site-visitation of selected church sponsored housing developments.

STMI-400. Directed Study in Ministry. (Master’s level). 3 crs.

STMI-410. Christian Stewardship: Its Meaning and Practice in the Modern World. 2 crs.
An exploration of ways in which the practice of Christian stewardship can be a means of engaging congregations in the total mission of the church. The concept and resources for stewardship will be examined in relation to the modern world. On the basis of formulating a theological rationale, students will design a program of stewardship for the local church setting.

STMI-420. Seminar in Religious Education I. 3 crs.
The seminar in religious education is a doctoral level course designed for persons who are conceptualizing and designing original research in the fields of religious education, sociology of religion, or church administration. The seminar presents topics of current interest, new textbooks, and resources in religious education. The African American church is highlighted.

Continuation of STMI-420.

STMI-430. Fundraising and the Church. 2 crs.

STMI-435. Religious Education for Children: Ministry to Hearing Impaired. 2 crs.

STMI-440. Clinical Pastoral Education: Advanced. 3 crs.
Consists of clinical pastoral field experience. For M Div students only.

STMI-490. Preaching as a Folk and a Fine Art. 3 crs.
Analysis of preaching design, development, and delivery in the perspective of the black experience and the black community.

STMI-498. Poetics and Proclamation. 3 crs.
A theopoetic approach to preaching building on the experimental insights of James Weldon Johnson’s, "God’s Trombones," the aesthetical formulations of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Langston Hughes, and the hermeneutical suggestions of black, Third World and feminine liberation theologies. Assumes an introductory background in homiletics or sacred speech and seeks to establish a theological and exegetical grounding for communicating the Gospel. Emphasis upon identifying and utilizing the folk oral-aural elements of preaching as they rise to the level of a more conscious art and the ability to coordinate substance, style and spontaneity. The construction and delivery of at least two "symphonic Sermons” will comprise the major requirements.

STMI-500. Directed Study in Ministry (Doctoral level). 3 crs.

STMI-502. Advanced Pastoral Counseling. 3 crs.
Practicum in cases and their analyses, with video taping sessions and interdisciplinary input from psychology and psychiatry.

STMI-503. Clinical Pastoral Counseling. 3 crs.

STMI-505. Doctoral Seminar: One. 3 crs.

STMI-506. Doctoral Seminar: Two. 3 crs.

STMI-507. Doctoral Seminar: Three. 3 crs.

STMI-508. Sexual Issues in Parish Ministry. 2 crs.

STMI-510. Pastoral Counseling and Needs Assessment. 3 crs.
Pastor’s use of personality assessment and referral in determining the needs of persons who come to him/her for help. Church and community helping resources will be studied.

STMI-515. Church and Community I: 2 crs.
An investigation into the methods and styles involved in church leadership. Emphasis given to resolving conflicts within parishes. In addition, the development of church programs and effective means of administering church activities are discussed. Special focus varies each semester.

STMI-520. Churches in Transition. 3 crs.
Seminar considering the cultural, economic, and theological dynamics that contribute to the ordeal of transitions for local churches and denominations, requesting blacks and whites to suggest models to aid in the creative transition process.

STMI-521. Frontiers in Ministry and Mission. 3 crs.
An exploration of emerging aspects of mission in the contemporary church.

STMI-522. Professional Ministry Seminar. 3 crs.
Focuses on the minister’s needs in preparing and maintaining a high quality of ministry. Issues treated are: (1) congregational nurture and care and recognizing the dynamics of the institutional setting; (2) conflict management; (3) the care and nurture of the minister and his family; (4) personal and professional assessment; (5) deepening of one’s spiritual resources; and (6) life development issues.

STMI-523. Urban Ministry Seminar. 3 crs.

STMI-525. Church and Community II. 3 crs.
Crisis intervention is the task of every pastor. The goal of this course to provide cognitive constructs for improvement of skills in this vital area of ministry.

STMI-527. Crisis Intervention and Grief Counseling. 3 crs.
Crisis intervention is the task of every pastor. The goal of this course is to provide cognitive constructs whereby the students improve their skills in this vital area of ministry.

STMI-528. Church Administration as Ministry. 3 crs.
Focuses on the organizational and developmental aspects of the church’s ministry with special attention given to managing the church’s resources in the community. Utilizes both a theoretical and field approach to learning.

STMI-530. Theological Perspectives on the Contemporary Church. 3 crs.
The contemporary church considered in the light of Scripture and the work of certain representative theologians - Wolfhart Pannenberg, Karl Rahner, and Juan Luis Segundo. Particular attention given to the involvement of the church in society.

STMI-536. Clinical Pastoral Education: Intermediate. 3 crs.
Offers clinical pastoral field experience.

STMI-540. Clinical Pastoral Education: Advanced I. 4 crs.
For D Min Students only.

STMI-545. Clinical Pastoral Education: Advanced II. 4 crs.

STMI-548. Pastoral Care in Crisis Situations. 2 crs.

STMI-550. Pastoring for the Social Crisis. 3 crs.
This course will endeavor to heighten and sharpen the awareness of students to the social crisis facing this nation and the world with particular reference to black and poor oppressed peoples and the call upon the church to speak to those issues.

STMI-555. Urban Ministry Special. 3 crs.