Theology courses are available for both ordained and lay people.
Although both the theology and ministry courses aim to keep theory and praxis in mutually-critical correlation, the courses have distinctive foci. The theology courses aim to develop in the student competences in construction of theoretical frameworks for understanding and communicating Christian faith, in the light of the foundations of the faith. Presuming such theological frameworks, the ministry courses focus more particularly on the practical dimensions of the Christian mission in the effective communication of the Christian Gospel.
Theology differs from Studies in Religion in that it presumes a faith stance, albeit with a desire to understand and communicate that faith in ways that demonstrate that faith is not beyond reason. According to the ancient definition of theology as "faith seeking understanding", the potential student for the theology courses is any person seeking to deepen their understanding of the Christian faith. Such students include those who simply wish to deepen their personal faith understanding. Others may take on theological studies seeking formal qualifications for employment within their Christian church organizations as teachers, parish workers, etc. Others still, who are called to ordained ministry within their churches, undertake theological study as part of their formation for ordination.
Theological reflection is an essential dimension of the mission of the church. The event in human history on which the Christian religion is founded, the historical event of Jesus Christ, requires constant re-interpretation throughout history from diverse contexts. It is the task of Christian theology to facilitate such re-interpretation in dialogue within the context of the church, the academy and wider society.
The study of theology therefore exists as an academic discipline to aid Christian communities and individual Christians in their reflection on their Christian faith. Such study provides resources for the deepening of belief and more effective sharing of that belief. It fulfils a function for both the church community and individuals within the church. Firstly, within the church community, the discipline exists to help the church to reflect more deeply and critically on its aims and practice. Secondly, the discipline provides ways of expressing the Christian Gospel that are more attuned to the modes of thinking and communication of particular contexts and cultures in which those expressions take place. Thirdly, for individuals and communities, the discipline of theology provides an opportunity to deepen their understanding and interpretation of the faith and of applying it within new contexts and cultures. Fourthly, an essential element in the existence of the church, dialogic engagement with the groups and cultures around it and theological reflection on that engagement contributes to the church's life in the world.
These four purposes in the study of theology presume certain generic skills, e.g., skills in verbal and written communication, competence in research into aspects of wider society, openness to dialogue with others of differing points of view, competence in providing coherent and persuasive frameworks for dialogue, and competence in the conventions of academic scholarship into order to communicate with scholars in other non-theological disciplines.
The discipline of theology seeks to bring coherence and method to its consideration of Scripture, experience and tradition. As an academic discipline, it is committed to a critically analytical response to these sources, seeking to make explicit the theoretical frameworks out of which the various fields of theology undertake their enquiry. The interpretation of Scripture, experience, and tradition proceeds according to the dual criteria of fidelity to its Christian origins and academic rigour. Theoretical frameworks for explicating Christian belief and the effectiveness (or otherwise) of those frameworks for application of belief into Christian life exist in mutually-critical correlation. Studying theology enables students at the Brisbane College of Theology to acquire generic and academic skills commensurate with those developed in arts and humanities courses in universities.
This communal and individual academic endeavour has traditionally been divided into various fields of enquiry which name the sources and major themes of theological reflection. "Theology", in the broad sense of the term, includes each of these fields of enquiry. The foundational documents for Christians are the books of the Bible. These are, for Christians, the primary witnesses to the foundational events of God's revelation to humanity through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Their study is therefore a fundamental source for theological enquiry. This study is the concern of Fields A/B (Biblical Studies). In a more focused sense of the term, "theology" attempts to present Christian belief in a systematic and coherent way. In Field C (Systematic and Moral Theology), particular doctrines and themes, including the themes of Moral Theology, are studied with a view to presenting those doctrines and themes in such a systematic, coherent and convincing way. Systematic theology therefore gives attention to all the other fields of study, which nevertheless are integral theological disciplines in their own right. Field D (Church History) examines the history of the church, both with regard to its internal life and the relationship of the church to wider world history and cultural contexts. Field H (Philosophy and the Humanities) studies the philosophical tradition, a traditional dialogue partner for systematic theology; philosophy provides systematic theology with relevant background theories for its systematic exposition of Christian belief. Field E (Ministry and Mission), studies the environments in which the Christian message is lived and proclaimed and seeks to develop in the student competency in correlating theory and praxis. Although Field E offers its own distinctive programs, the courses it offers are also appropriately studied within the theology programs.
In many disciplines and professions, the foundational training is via a Bachelor's degree. Students seeking a broad understanding of theology, along with those training for ministry, will normally enrol in the Bachelor of Theology course. At a more advanced level, postgraduate studies in theology provide the opportunity for theology graduates, along with graduates from other fields, to engage in deeper, more sustained theological reflection covering a greater range and complexity of ideas than is expected at the undergraduate level.
Whereas both theology and ministry courses aim always to interrelate theory and praxis in a mutually critical way, theology (as systematic theology and its fields of study) is focused more on the task of providing coherent theoretical frameworks for understanding and explaining Christian beliefs. The Ministry courses employ such coherent theological frameworks as background theories for the practice of Christian ministry in diverse contexts. The two disciplines therefore are mutually critical dialogue partners in the overall theological enterprise.
The Graduate Certificate in Theology offers non-theology graduates the opportunity for acquiring an introductory and broad knowledge base in the fields of biblical studies, systematic theology, church history, and philosophy.
The Graduate Diploma in Theology further develops the knowledge base acquired in the Graduate Certificate in Theology by allowing advanced study of elected areas across the fields at a deeper level. In addition, the program affords the student the opportunity to further develop research skills.
The Master of Theology aims to provide the student with opportunities for concentrated focus on more specialised areas of theological enquiry by developing one field in greater depth whilst, at the same time, integrating that study with the other fields. It aims to develop in the student advanced skills of research and integration of knowledge in a coherent way.
While some students may enrol in a postgraduate course in theology for their own personal development, and others may enrol to enhance their voluntary engagement in such ministries as teaching religious education in schools or in-hospital visitation, still others may be pursuing a career path or a vocation. Among these vocationally-oriented students, those who are progressing towards ordination under the sponsorship of their church will find that their postgraduate studies in theology contribute significantly to their formation as ministers or pastors or priests. Other graduates may be employed as youth workers (e.g., in churches or in the community), or as chaplains (e.g., in schools, in industry, in the armed services, or in the health sector). There may also be opportunities for employment in religious publishing and website development.