Full course description
Evangelization and Ministry Across Cultures
Sunday, October 13, 2024 - Saturday, November 16, 2024
Instructor
Dr. Janet Diaz
Director of Pastoral Formation, Holy Family Parish, Novi & Part-Time Faculty Member, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Teaching Assistant
Melissa Pordon
Course Description
Evangelization and Ministry Across Cultures equips ministers to both evangelize and provide pastoral ministry within the growing diversity of the U.S. Catholic Church. The course begins by examining Scriptural and magisterial teaching on the meaning of culture and its essential importance in the life of each human being. The course then moves into practical principles for applying these foundations in ministry, helping ministers to develop concrete skills for working within intercultural settings. Also, the modules present insights about the major cultural groups present in the U.S. Catholic Church today. All learning in the course is ultimately directed to enhancing our ability to evangelize, specifically to present the gospel message effectively to those of cultures other than our own.
This course is not intended to be academically strenuous but to provide a shallow-entry point for those who have busy lives and need flexibility. This course is designed for personal enrichment and does not count towards any academic credit at Sacred Heart Major Seminary or for any certification in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Contact
For questions about course content contact the instructor/teaching assistants using the Inbox on the red menu bar on the left side of your online course page.
For technical support see the Tech Support guide in the Welcome module of the course.
Textbooks
Required Readings:
No required texts for this course
Schedule of Topics:
- Introductory Module: Available beginning September 20, 2024
- Module 1: What Is Culture and Why Is It Important? (October 13 - October 19)
- Module 2: Theological Foundations from Church Sources (October 20 - October 26)
- Module 3: Practical Teaching about Culture and Evangelization (October 27 - November 2)
- Module 4: Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes for Intercultural Competence - (November 3 - November 9)
- Module 5: Lessons for Multicultural Ministry - (November 10 - November 16)
Weekly Activities:
The following learning activities are available to students each week. There are no specific requirements for participating in the course. However, those who complete all the videos and self-tests will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
- Weekly video lectures
- Weekly recommended readings and links to additional learning resources
- Weekly self-test to see what you’ve learned
- Open online discussion for participants to share with each other what they are learning and encourage each other
The time commitment is flexible for this course. There is one weekly video lecture (~20 min). Participants who are interested in completing all recommended readings and course tasks can expect to spend around 2-3 hours/week on the course. However, levels of participation and engagement are up to the discretion of the individual.
All Equip Courses Include These Features:
- A dedicated online learning support coordinator to offer prompt assistance
- 24/7 access to the digital learning environment
- Engagement as a community of connected learners who share a common faith
- Extended access to course content after the course end date
- Learning environment support provided by Canvas (our learning management platform)
- Technical assistance provided by Sacred Heart’s IT staff
- A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who complete the course learning activities
Technical Requirements: