This department, while building on the work done in other departments, introduces students to the practical aspects of the work of the ministry and the life of the local church. The emphasis falls upon the principles and the practice of preaching, pastoral work, and administration.
AT11 – Reformed Spirituality (2 Credit Hours)
No Prerequisites
Instructor: Dr. Ryan M. McGraw
Description: A prelude to Prolegomena, which, in classic Reformed theology, treats the character of the true theologian as integral to the study of true theology. This course aims to develop godly character and personal piety in theological students. It progresses from foundational principles of biblical godliness, to personal spiritual qualities and disciplines, to family piety, to cultivating the character needed to study theology proper.
AT12 – Introduction to Biblical Counseling (2 Credit Hours)
No Prerequisites
Instructor: Dr. Kevin Backus
Description: A foundational framework for the practice of pastoral counseling in the local church, defining the process of discipleship, its key participants, and its key elements. This framework is then applied to issues that arise in the lives of individuals and families in congregations. The Ten Commandments are shown to be God’s diagnostic tool to define human suffering in contrast to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) approach. The practice of this biblical pastoral counseling is set in the context of secular approaches and other attempts by Christians to deal with pastoral concerns.
AT20 – Introduction to Homiletics (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: AT21 | Open to Divinity Students Only
Instructor: Pastor Breno Macedo
Description: An introduction to the biblical, Reformed view of preaching. The course focuses on the primacy of preaching, sermon preparation and delivery, the art of exposition and application, and some necessary emphases (and the avoidance of common pitfalls) in preaching.
AT21 – Hermeneutics (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: AP11, AP14, ST11
Instructor: Dr. L. Anthony Curto
Description: A study of the nature of Scripture, the principles of exegesis, and the proper interpretation of the Bible for preaching.
AT23 – Marriage & Family Counseling (2 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: AP11, AP14, AT11, AT12, ST11
Instructor: Dr. Kevin Backus
Description: Building upon the foundation laid by Introduction to Biblical Counseling (AT12), this course addresses common concerns in marriage and family counseling: pre-marital counseling, marriage counseling, death/bereavement counseling, divorce prevention and counseling, infidelity, conflict resolution, and parenting.
AT30 – Reformed Worship (2 Credit hours)
Prerequisite: AT20
Instructor: Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr.
Description: Equips students to articulate what is biblical in Reformed worship, to develop its principles from Scripture, to critique modern attacks on the Regulative Principle of Worship, to trace its development in history, and to apply the principles of worship to the preparation and leading of worship.
AT31 – Homiletics Practicum I (2 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: AT20 | Open to Divinity Students Only
Instructor: Dr. Ryan M. McGraw
Description: The homiletics practica are modeled after the Puritan “prophesyings.” Though sermons are critiqued, it is understood that students are preaching for the edification of the professors and fellow students. Each student is required to preach three sermons in class, one on each major genre of the Old Testament books (history, wisdom literature, and prophets). An evaluation of the sermon follows, in which the emphasis is on constructive critique. Three contact hours; pass/fail.
AT32 – Homiletics Practicum II (2 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: AT31 | Open to Divinity Students Only
Instructor: Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr.
Description: Practicum students continue to refine their preaching ability as they study to prepare and preach consecutive expository sermons from the Gospel of Mark. The students preach at least three times for critique. Three contact hours; pass/fail.
AT40 – Reformed Pastor (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: AT30 | Open to Divinity & MMRE/MMD Students Only
Instructor: Dr. Ian Hamilton
Description: A study of the day-to-day ministerial responsibilities of a local pastor, covering his role as shepherd, teacher, counselor, overseer, administrator, scholar, and friend.
AT41 – Evangelism & Missions (4 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: ST11
Instructor: Dr. L. Anthony Curto
Description: A survey of the biblical basis for evangelism; examination of unbiblical forms of personal evangelism; readings and lectures with a view to helping each student develop his gifts for personal evangelism. Includes a survey of the history and biblical basis for missions.
AT42 – Christian Education (2 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: ST11
Instructor: Dr. L. Anthony Curto
Description: A study of the philosophy and practice of Christian education, based on a biblical and theological foundation with careful attention to the importance of Christian nurture in the home, pedagogics, catechetics, curriculum theory, age group characteristics, methods, organization, and recruiting and training church members. Includes an examination of some current materials available and a discussion of how faithful they are to a Reformed conception of Christian education.
AT50 – Preparation for Licensure Examination (2 Credit Hours)
No Prerequisites
Instructor: Faculty
Description: Through this summer elective, faculty members prepare Divinity students to be licensed before they begin their last year of seminary instruction. When licensed by his presbytery, the student receives a passing grade, meeting the course requirements.
AT51 – Sermon Analysis (2 Credit Hours)
No Prerequisites
Instructor: Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr.
Description: An analysis of the sermons of well-known preachers, considering their exegesis, homiletical method and structure, clarity, usefulness of the expositions, the experimental nature of the sermons, the approaches to application, and delivery.
