Summer 2024
May 13 - August 30
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This seminar introduces seminary students to graduate-level research and writing skills with specific attention to academic writing, theological research, citations, and elements of writing style. The seminar introduces the nature of theological reflection and “thinking theologically” concerning various topics and issues they encounter in academic study and ministry. This course will also cover a basic introduction to Populi including how to use your school email account, access files, submit assignments etc.. This course is a prerequisite for all certificates and degrees.
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This course surveys the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church and community from the seventh through the twentieth centuries. Several themes are privileged throughout the course: Christian-Muslim interactions, shifting communal identities, liturgical developments, and the importance of Coptic-Arabic literature. While the emphasis is on the history and historiography of the Coptic Church (the See of Alexandria), the course will also discuss the major political and theological developments and personalities of the Christian east in general. This course is a core requirement for the MTS program and the Early Christian Studies Certificate.
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This is a survey of the structure and content of the biblical books of the Old Testament, and associated literature. Additional topics covered include the manuscripts of the Holy Bible, development of the Old Testament Canon, different patristic methodologies for interpreting the Old Testament as well as modern interpretive approaches. This course fulfills a core requirement for the MTS program and the Orthodox Scripture Certificate.
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This course is an introduction to the New Testament, the Orthodox understanding of the New Testament and its interpretation, as well as an introduction to the field of modern biblical studies. Together we will survey the history, culture, geography, literary aspects, authorship, theology and important themes of the New Testament and its books. We will also explore the formation of the New Testament canon, manuscripts and issues of translation. We will study the persons, interpretive style and techniques of important early patristic interpreters as well as the theories and methods employed in modern biblical studies. This course fulfills a core requirement for the MTS program and the Orthodox Scripture Certificate.
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INTENSIVE COURSE JUNE 1-14, 6:00-9:00pm HYBRID (STUDENTS WELCOME TO COME TO CLASS IN PERSON at ACTS CAMPUS) This course studies the Rites of Christian Initiation and their Eucharistic culmination in the early Churches of the Christian East. Special attention will be given to Egypt in the development and theology of Christian initiation in context with other traditions (Syria, North Africa, and Rome) along with the Anaphoral papyri, fragments, and full prayers which constitute the richness of the Egyptian Coptic liturgical tradition.This course fulfills a core requirement for the MTS program (LITG 5040: Introduction to Liturgical Studies) or a Church History elective or a general elective .
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This course includes an examination of the use of philosophical arguments in defense of an Orthodox Christian worldview. It aims to equip students with a foundational knowledge of Christian Apologetics in order to respond to current challenges to our precious faith, with intellectual rigor and grace. Topics to be considered include: the nature of truth, religious epistemology, classical arguments for the existence of God, the relationship of God’s omniscience and human freedom, divine attributes, the problem of evil, moral relativity, etc. Students will learn the critical thinking skills necessary in order to respond to current challenges to our precious faith, with intellectual rigor and grace. This course fulfills a general elective requirement.
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This Course is designed to help students understand different approaches to Church ministry and administration, and to use and develop planning and management tools. It will also identify, analyze, and present solutions and alternatives for several human resource related issues in a congregational and nonprofit setting. Students will discover and research appropriate stewardship models from a management perspective and give practical tools that will help congregations evaluate its current health and strategies for growth. Overall administrative and management principles and practices for churches and ministries will be examined from leadership, human resources, stewardship, and growth and management perspectives. This course fulfills a general elective requirement.
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This course introduces students to the basics of reading Coptic (Bohairic dialect). No prior knowledge of the ancient Egyptian language or Greek is required. The course will include grammar, morphology, syntax, and hundreds of vocabulary words. Following this course, students should be able to read passages in the New Testament. This course fulfills a core requirement for the MTS program.
Distributive Learning and Course Modalities All of our courses are formatted in a distributive learning, which is an educational and formational model that allows a member of a learning community (students, faculty, and staff) to access content and community life while being located in different, non-centralized locations. Elements may occur synchronously (at the same time from either the same or different places/spaces), asynchronously (at different times from the same place or different places/spaces), or in a blended format. See the course syllabus for more information.
ACTS uses the following terms to better express how the course will occur:
Synchronously (SYN)– a course where instruction takes place with student and instructor physically present or online at the same time. Attendance and participation are typically taken for these courses from the live sessions.
Asynchronously (ASL)- Asynchronous Learning model is a pre-constructed model where students watch pre-recorded material during the week and on their own time schedule such that they meet the weekly requirements in the syllabus. Instructors provide materials, lectures, tests, and assignments throughout the course.
Intensive Courses – a course where classes gather face-to-face over a short period of time, either live online or in person usually for 1 or 2 weeks, but other formats have been done. Almost all instruction is classroom-based, engaged in these intensive periods, this is a synchronous course.
Hybrid Courses – a course that meet 3 to 7 times live-online or live-on-campus , on different days, plus online asynchronous learning.
Seminars (SEM) -- Seminars do NOT fulfill any requirements for the MTS or ThM degrees. These supplemental seminars are open to all who are interested, regardless of typical registration requirements (undergraduate degree GRE test scores, language requirements, etc.