Master of Divinity

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Master of Divinity is to provide learners with the knowledge, specific skills, and applied competence necessary to function effectively and responsibly as ministers and leaders in Christian churches and the broader community.

The secondary purpose is to provide faith communities and society at large with learners who have the knowledge, skills, and competence required to engage in ministry within church and society and to contribute to the development of the broader society in an ethical, critical and constructive way.

Rationale

After the Bachelor of Theology, this qualification is the most commonly sought qualification by prospective learners. There is a global trend for men and women to enter the vocational Christian ministry as a "second career." In many countries, the qualification is necessary for ordination, required by many denominations. The development of the qualification involved the Association for Christian Religious Professionals (ACRP), the only professional body for the registration of Christian religious professionals in South Africa.

The qualification has a particular target audience: Christian leaders entering, vocational ministry as a second career. They have a four- or an Honours qualification in a non-theological field worked in a professional vocation for a period, and then received a call to vocational ministry. This kind of mid-life career change is a global trend that has become extremely common in church circles. Many professionals enter pastoral ministry in their churches after serving in other vocations. These people need formal theological training, and they have the academic ability to work at a Postgraduate level; the qualification meets their professional and academic needs.

The qualification will also meet the needs of Christian leaders whose prior qualifications are in theology (e.g. BTh, BTh Honours), who wish to advance their theological studies but with a focus on praxis rather than research. The qualification, being a professionally-oriented Master's qualification, optimally meets their needs for advanced professional training. Upon completion, they might opt to undertake an MTh, or they might seek to further their professional training by pursuing a professional doctorate.

The qualification is a professionally-oriented at the Master's level that trains those who are serving in vocational ministry.

The qualification benefits learners who need affordable, ministry training in the context of their local church (or parachurch organisation), especially those entering the vocational ministry as a second career. Society benefits greatly from well-trained ministry leaders who interpret their times and their texts. They serve their communities as wise counsellors, as moral guides, as servant leaders, and as pastoral helpers. They initiate projects that serve the people in their communities.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution distinguishes between a formal learning (CAT - Credit Accumulation and Transfer) and informal and non-formal learning (RPL - Recognition of Prior Learning). With respect to RPL, the institution distinguishes between RPL for access and RPL for advanced standing.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT)

Learners who have completed equivalent level 9 courses at other accredited institutions may be exempted from similar courses in the MDiv curriculum. Exemptions are awarded on a course-by-course basis.

RPL for Access

RPL for access applies to learners who do not have an NQF level 8 qualification (e.g. they have a level-7 degree), but whose ministry experience suggests that they are able to work at NQF level 9. This is extremely rare and limited to those with proven high-level academic skills. They would support their application with a Portfolio of Evidence, which might include published or unpublished writings, evidence of ministry experience, and so on. If the admissions committee believes an applicant has an excellent prospect of success, they are not admitted directly into the qualification. They are asked to pass three NQF level 8 and 9 courses to demonstrate that they are able to work at the required academic level.

RPL for Advanced Standing

The institution does not award credits or exemptions at the Master's level on the basis of informal or non-formal learning.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Divinity, NQF Level 8.

Or

• Bachelor of Theology, NQF Level 8.

Or

• Bachelor of Theology Honours, NQF Level 8.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 240 Credits.

Compulsory Modules NQF Level 9, 96 Credits

• Theological Orientation, 12 Credits.
• Ministry Practicum 1, 12 Credits.
• Ministry Practicum 2, 12 Credits.
• Research Project, 60 Credits.

Elective Modules NQF Level 9, 144 Credits

Learners must choose at least two courses in each of five sub-disciplines: Old Testament, New Testament, Practical Theology, Church and Society, and Systematic Theology. Their remaining two electives can be from any sub-discipline.

Old Testament (minimum of 24 credits; select any two of these four courses)

• Deuteronomy and Biblical Ethics, 12 Credits.
• Nehemiah and Christian Leadership, 12 Credits.
• Judges and Narrative Preaching, 12 Credits.
• Psalms and Christian Spirituality, 12 Credits.

New Testament (minimum of 24 credits; select any two of these four courses)

• The Gospels: What Jesus Taught, 12 Credits.
• The Pastorals and Pastoral Ministry, 12 Credits.
• Ephesians: The Unified Church 12 Credits.
• Acts: The Missional Church, 12 Credits.

Practical Theology (minimum of 24 credits; select any two of these four courses)

• Child Theology, 12 Credits.
• Expository Preaching, 12 Credits.
• Marketplace Ministry, 12 Credits.
• Discipleship, 12 Credits.

Church and Society (minimum of 24 credits; select any two of these four courses)

• Islamic Worldview and Religion, 12 Credits.
• African Worldview and Religion, 12 Credits.
• Understanding the Times, 12 Credits.
• Understand the Margins, 12 Credits.

Systematic Theology (minimum of 24 credits; select any two of these four courses)

• God and Revelation, 12 Credits.
• Man, Sin, and Salvation, 12 Credits.
• Church and Kingdom, 12 Credits.
• Science and Theology, 12 Credits.

The above requirements will account for 216 credits out of the 240 required for the qualification. Learner can choose any two courses from the above subject lists to complete their 240 credits.

1. Analyse, interpret, and apply primary and secondary Christian sources, exegetically and theologically.
2. Develop and manage independent learning strategies that sustain lifelong learning and academic and professional development.
3. Develop contextual ministry and mission strategies to help Christian faith communities respond biblically and receptively to major ideological forces at work in the world.
4. Identify, analyse, and critique contemporary societal needs and develop constructive and creative strategies for transformation, at both the local and global level.
5. Effectively communicate the findings and implications of biblical, theological, and ministerial research to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
6. Undertake advanced, independent theological research within a chosen field of theological enquiry and report the findings inappropriate ways to diverse audiences.
7. Demonstrate the ability to contribute critically and creatively to the development of ethical standards in a Christian ministry context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Interpret a broad range of biblical texts critically, coherently, and Christo centrically.
• Demonstrate skill in using a variety of exegetical methods and tools to interpret biblical passages.
• Source, master, and critical correlate a broad range of scholarly resources.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Obtain, engage, and refer scholarly resources to facilitate personal and ministerial growth.
• Demonstrate academic discipline and good time management.
• Demonstrate the ability to operate independently and to take responsibility for their work.
• Design and implement a strategy for processing and managing information related to their fields of study and practice.
• Review the current state of scholarly knowledge on a selected topic in a way that is accurate, critical, and comprehensive.
• Design, select and apply appropriate and creative methods, techniques, processes or technologies to address complex practical and theoretical problems.
• Interact effectively with others within academic and ministry settings as a means of enhancing their learning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Employ research and problem-solving skills to address complex problems in ministerial practice.
• Apply the principles derived from research findings to ministry practice in related contexts.
• Facilitate Christian ministry and evaluating its effectiveness.
• Promote, develop, and analyse leadership in a faith community and the broader community, especially about the issues of power and transformation.
• Interact constructively with diverse (multi-cultural, multi-generational, multi-faith) communities from a Christian perspective.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Use empirical and literary means to identify major societal needs in affecting their churches and communities.
• Demonstrate understanding of the Christian faith in the context of religious pluralism and developing contextually relevant ministry and mission strategies.
• Develop, articulate, and defend strategies for transformation to promote holistic human flourishing, as biblically and Christo centrally understood.
• Demonstrate the ability to make constructive interventions at an appropriate level within a field of Christian ministry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Preach expositorily and narrate sermons that merge the horizons of text and context in biblically faithful yet contextually relevant ways.
• Write argumentative essays and research papers critically and persuasively analyse significant questions.
• Write forum posts, blog posts, and short articles that effectively communicate the findings of rigorous research to non-specialist readers.
• Present and defend research findings to peers and scholars, both in written and oral forms.
• Participate confidently in discussion and study of issues and problems across the range of theological fields and reporting their findings clearly in written and oral forms.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Demonstrate responsibility and accountability in professional practice for your work within specified ethical standards in field research.
• Articulate analytical, critical, independent, and creative theological thinking and communication.
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge in theology to engage current research and practices in Christian ministry.
• Use theological knowledge and skills to identify, conceptualise, and implement methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging problems in the church and the community.
• Employ research and problem-solving skills to address complex problems in ministerial practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Demonstrate the ability to contribute critically to the development of ethical standards in a Christian ministry context.
• Show self-awareness and personal maturity about the Christian faith in context.
• Play an ethical and constructive role in a faith community and the community at large.

Integrated Assessment

The qualification is a professional Master's qualification that aims to empower learners to interpret both the texts of their Christian tradition and the contexts in which they live and serve so that they may serve and lead in ways that are faithful to their Christian beliefs and beneficial to their churches and communities.

These objectives require that learning and assessment be integrated, making use of a variety of formative and summative assessment methods to determine the extent to which learners have acquired foundational, reflective, and applied competencies. The qualification consists of some learning elements that are relatively more theoretical in nature and others that are relatively more practical.

The theoretically-oriented modules focus on the study of relevant literature, both Scripture and scholarly texts. These modules use:

• Review quizzes,
• Forum discussions,
• Argumentative essays, and examinations (written and oral) as assessment methods,
• The examination serves as the final summative assessment.

The more practically-oriented components of the qualification, such as the preaching modules, the ministry practicums (the experiential-learning component), and the capstone project do not lend themselves to assessment by written examinations. Assessment of these uses performance reports, supervisor reports, self-evaluations, project-based reports, portfolios of evidence, and in the case of the research project, an externally-examined thesis.