Promoting excellence in
religion and education
Courses
DMin in Religion and Education
The DMin in Religion and Education offers a flexible and creative programme in continuing professional development for clergy, laypeople, and teachers. The programme promotes evidence-based reflective practice.
Participants come to Gladstone's Library, Hawarden, for three residential sessions each year. Year one requires two 6,000 word research-based assignments (and leads to a postgraduate certificate). Year two requires two further 6,000 word research-based assignments (and leads to a postgraduate diploma). Year three requires a research-based 18,000 word dissertation (and leads to the MA). Years four, five and six require a 45,000 word research-based dissertation (and leads to a DMin).
Throughout the programme candidates are invited to identify problems relevant to their own experiences, exploring ministry, education, or religion. Each problem is then addressed by identifying an appropriate research method. Particular emphasis is placed on empirical methods.
Currently the residential
seminars are clustered around major themes, including Rural Ministry,
Church Schools, and Contemporary Spirituality and Implicit Religion.
The DMin in Religion and Education is developed and supported by the St Mary’s Centre in collaboration with Glyndŵr University.
Studies in Rural Ministry
The Centre for Studies in Rural Ministry offers a route through the DMin in association with the Arthur Rank Centre. The programme is led by Canon Jeremy Martineau.
Recent projects under investigation by candidates include:
- The contribution of the village school to community vibrancy.
- Who visits the church tents at the agricultural show?
- The effectiveness of team working in clusters of churches.
- The differences in pastoral practice between Anglican and Methodist clergy.
- The relevance of village appraisals.
- The ministry of a Christian charity shop.
Work undertaken in the programme has been published in Country Way and in Rural Theology and is helping to develop research-based reflective practice in the rural church.
Opportunity, encouragement and support are given to research issues of importance to the ministry and mission of the church in rural areas, and thereby both to enhance the quality of the ministry of the researcher, but also to influence church policy in these areas.
Studies in Church Schools
The stream in Church School Studies offers a route through the DMin in
association with the Church in Wales. The programme is led by Dr
David Lankshear.
Recent projects under investigation include:
- Pupils’ attitudes to school worship.
- The vocation to teach.
- Christian leadership in primary schools.
Studies in Contemporary Spirituality and Implicit Religion
The stream in Contemporary Spirituality and Implicit Religion offers a route through the DMin in association with the Centre for the Study of Implicit Religion and Contemporary Spirituality. The programme is led by Canon Professor Edward Bailey.
Topics may include questions of obvious ecclesiastical interest, such as the motivation for seeking infant baptism, or the worldview of those who propose/oppose such gender-related changes as women bishops or same-sex weddings.
Other topics are likely to be concerned with such questions as:
- What are the motivations and aspirations of the people in your area?
- What do people long for? What is their image of bliss?
- What are the unshakeable convictions (the “sticking points”) of people in your parish? And congregation? (Do they differ?)
In other words, what are the spirits that move people? How do they relate to the Spirit? And, how might the Church respond, in order to bless (or exorcise) them?
For further information on the DMin Programme please contact Mr Gareth Longden, Administrator at the St Mary's Centre.