STMA 5880 - United Methodist Polity

3 credit hours
Students will obtain working knowledge of the Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, including becoming familiar with the nature of connectionalism and itinerancy, understanding the annual conference as the basic body in the Church, the covenantal relationships among clergy, and acquiring a theological and ecclesiological grasp of the organizational structures of the church. The course will seek to inculcate certain connectional principles into the consciousness of students so they will know the answer to basic polity questions without having to “look them up.” It will explore the “skein of accountabilities” at every level of church organization. The course will incorporate the history of the UMC as it relates to the development of polity. Students will acquire a knowledge and appreciation of the way in which ministry is practiced in the ethos of United Methodism and be knowledgeable enough to articulate criticism if they feel that particular structures or provisions are theologically unsound or detract from the mission of the Church. They will come to understand that structure is not simply inert or neutral, but may profoundly affect the mission itself.

Terms Typically Offered: as needed