Course Objectives
Educational Graduate Outcomes
The Brisbane College of Theology is an academic community which exists to equip men and women for effective Christian ministry, service and leadership; to foster intellectual endeavour in theological study; and to facilitate personal growth. It pursues these ends through effective teaching, participation in peer and scholarly dialogue, and involvement in sound research, in a climate of disciplined study. This education is informed by the ecumenical undergirding of the College, which encourages a variety of forms of expression.
The educational and formative purposes of the College are as follows:
Theological education and formation
This occurs through the study of the Christian tradition, both in terms of present expressions of belief in relation to the contexts in which people live, and in terms of the origins of such beliefs and the factors which have shaped their development. There is the opportunity for studying specific strands of Christianity as well as for gaining a sense of its diversity, while reference is also made at times to other traditions of religious belief. Theological formation involves the development of specific abilities, including interpretative skills in relation to both written texts and historical data, and skills of theological reflection to facilitate engagement with contemporary contexts.
Ministerial education and formation
This occurs by means of the development of pastoral and educational knowledge, attitudes and skills at both a theoretical and a practical level. In addition to studying the human condition in relation to individual life stages, social contexts and the natural environment, students have the opportunity to develop analytical skills, pastoral skills, educational skills, and relational skills, as well as skills in leading worship and evangelism. The ecumenical context in which this happens is a marked distinctive of the College.
Communal and Personal formation
This is facilitated through the use of methods designed to encourage students’ reflection on their individual beliefs, development of their sense of selfhood, and enrichment of their spirituality within the broader contexts of the Christian tradition. The interaction between various Christian expressions in various classes across the campuses is designed to enhance the appreciation of others’ modes of understanding and practising their faith, and so a greater sense of Christian community is engendered.
The Bachelor of Theology provides students with the opportunity
to achieve the course objectives summarised below:
GENERIC OUTCOMES
In light of these general formative purposes, the BCT is committed to developing graduates who are knowledgeable in their chosen field of study, and who also portray a range of generic skills commensurate with the generic skills of all university graduates in Australia. In their areas of specialisation, BCT graduates will be characterised by:
IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY
- A coherent theoretical and practical knowledge of the fields of theology studied.
- An understanding of how other disciplines relate to the discipline of theology.
- The ability to engage in reflective practice within the Church and the community.
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
- The ability to define and analyse problems.
- The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.
- The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and reflect critically on the justifications for decisions.
INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY
- The ability to work and learn independently.
- The ability to engage in lifelong learning, intellectual development and critically reflective and creative thinking.
- The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.
- The ability to identify problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.
ETHICAL, ATTITUDINAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING
- Possession of a sense of social and civic responsibility.
- Commitment to truth, accuracy, honesty, accountability and ethical standards.
- A knowledge and respect of ethics and moral values in relation to Christian ministry and mission.
- Willingness to deal with ambiguity and to initiate and participate in change as appropriate.
- Appreciation of differences in gender, religion, culture and customs.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
- The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.
- The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.
- The ability to retrieve, evaluate and use relevant information.
- The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with current information and communication technologies.
- The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome, whether in the role of team member or of leader.
- The ability to adapt to an unfamiliar culture and operate in a socially and culturally diverse environment.
- Knowledge of time management and prioritising activities.
- Awareness of their own strengths and limitations.
SPECIFIC COURSE OUTCOMES
As well as the generic outcomes listed above, the following are the specific outcomes expected to result from the Bachelor of Theology course:
- to understand the biblical, theological and philosophical foundations of the Christian tradition and be able to apply this understanding to the interpretation of emerging social and ecclesial issues and the personal dilemmas which people face.
- to articulate a knowledge of the biblical, theological and historical bases of ministry, within a broad ecumenical position, and to begin to apply this knowledge in an integrated way to new tasks and situations.
- to analyze critically one’s own and others’ religious beliefs in the light of an informed grasp of scripture and the Christian tradition.
- to demonstrate appropriate techniques in methods of biblical interpretation and theological study, as a basis for conceptual development in Christian theology and ministry.
- to communicate sensitively and effectively, both orally and in written form, having particular regard for different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and settings and other Christian traditions.
- to understand the dynamics of interpersonal relationships and apply this to the process of building effective relationships among people.
EMPLOYMENT GRADUATE OUTCOMES
The primary employment outcome is ministry in a church context, in either ordained or lay positions, mainly within the member churches. This has historically catered for about 50% of BTh graduates.
Other occupations include chaplaincy in schools, prisons, business and the armed services; teaching mainly in Christian schools; youth work in churches or in the wider community; health care services requiring empathy with Christian principles; and business or professional appointments in conjunction with professional qualifications within a Christian context.