Church and Mission in the West

Church and Mission in the West, masterprogramme of Theology (60 EC)

Introduction

The West in general and Europe in particular are seen by many as the church’s most important missional frontier today. While this context presents massive challenges to Christian organization and mission, it offers splendid opportunities at the same time. Church decline and new initiatives are going hand in hand. What does it mean to communicate the gospel? To give spiritual guidance? Or to show missional entrepreneurship in a world like this? Which new ways of spirituality present themselves? How can Christians re-source themselves from the Scriptures in a post-Christendom age? Learn about it in our master Church and Mission in the West.

If you are challenged by such questions, this Master course is an excellent way to become more engaged in the church’s mission and to deepen your calling.

Unique

The Master Church and Mission in the West (MA CMW) is a fully accredited academic Master, and unique in its mission: the academic formation of reflective practitioners in church and mission in the West. It is based on a decade of experience with training reflective practitioners in the fields of missiology and practical theology. The MA CMW is situated at a theological university with a long tradition, rooted in the Reformed heritage yet ecumenical in its outlook.

Students from different countries, both within and outside Europe, and from different Christian traditions find here a wonderful academic environment that is characterized by small-scale community, deep engagement with the sources of the Christian tradition, high scholarly standards, and close links with the churches and other societal partners. Professors and other teachers are all experienced in the practices of church and mission and some of them belong to the top of their field in academic research.

The master is connected to the Centre for Church and Mission in the West (www.churchandmission.nl). A research platform where scholars from different universities work together in high-ranked research into practices of church and mission in the secularized areas of the world. In is possible for students in the MA CMW to become involved in this research, and contribute to relevant research.

Reflective practitioners

Church and Mission in the West aims at the formation of reflective practitioners in church and mission. Students are trained in becoming conversant with relevant academic literature (practical theology and missiology), doing various sorts of relevant research in the field, and reflect on their own development. While most graduates find jobs in mission projects, church plants, established churches, or in parachurch organizations, it is also possible to prepare for an academic career by working on a PhD plan.

Structure and Organization

The Master CMW is a specialization-track in the ‘Master of Theology General’ programme. It consists of 5 general modules: Common Course (5 EC), Methodology (1 EC), Studium Generale (0,5 EC), Elective module (6EC) and an MA thesis (17,5 EC). The CMW specialization-variant has 5 specialized modules (6 EC each).

 (Note that EC = European Credit. 1 EC = 28 study hours).

 Each module is structured more or less in the same way, as follows:

• Class sessions
• Personal study
• Doing research
• Professional reflection

Each module is concluded by an assignment containing a report of the literature, an essay, and a research report. Guidance and coaching are available at all times. Also, every student will receive a reader with extensive instructions and guidelines for each stage of the course.

The academic year at TU Utrecht is divided in four sections (‘blocks’) each consisting of a bit less than three months (10 weeks). The MA CMW can be done fulltime (one year, weekly study-load 40 hours) or part-time (two years, weekly study-load 20 hours). Fulltime students will follow two modules per quadrimester (‘block’), parttimers will do one per ‘block’. As a typical module will contain about 4-5 class sessions (each 4 hours), a fulltime student is expected to be present ca. 8-10 days per ‘block’ and a parttime student 4-5 days.

Practical matters

As many of our students come from other parts of the country, class times are scheduled accordingly. Each class session begins 10:30h and ends 14:00h, which will leave you ample time to travel to and fro. More info: studieadvies@tukampen.nl.