Joaquim Azevedo, Chair; William Kilgore, Jorge Rico, Ingo Sorke
Adjunct: Russ Laughlin, Theodore Stewart, Lloyd Willis
Religious Education at Southwestern Adventist University facilitates the understanding, appreciation, and application of:
Specifically, our theological training emphasizes a Christ-centered and Bible-based education on campus, in the classroom, and in the community, balancing theory and practice and harmonizing the dynamics of the local church and global mission within a specifically Seventh-day Adventist context. We integrate a multifaceted matrix of Inspiration - Implication - Implementation - Involvement.
Besides providing courses designed to develop religious insights and skills in all students of the University, the department offers several programs to meet specific needs:
The department welcomes persons who sense a call to full-time ministry, and who are moved to offer their lives in this avenue to God and humanity. The faculty assists applicants who wish to evaluate and deepen their experience as well as to explore the expanding opportunities for service. The department will not recommend to the ministry any student who has not completed the course of study as outlined or who has a GPA that is less than 2.5, which is the minimum requirement for entrance to the SDA Theological Seminary. It is the student's personal responsibility to plan a course of study that includes all requirements for degree sought.
Completion of the major in Theology meets the guidelines stipulated by the Adventist Church and the minimal requirements for admission to the Seminary and entrance into the ministry.
Information not shown.The Southwestern Adventist University Distance Education Program and the Department of Religion offers a Certificate in Church Ministry to prepare better lay leaders for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is a unique church ministry program which combines basic theological education with church history and applied ministerial methods and practices. The curriculum of the certificate consists of courses totaling 15 semester hours of college credit. These credits may be transferred to any other accredited college or university and may be applied toward a degree at Southwestern Adventist University. The curriculum is also designed to help church lay leaders increase their knowledge and skills and be better equipped to work in various positions of lay leadership.
The Certificate in Church Ministry does not prepare candidates for full-time employment in pastoral ministry nor does it constitute an alternative theology degree. Anyone choosing full-time ministry as a goal for life must enroll in a four-year BA Theology program. Although the program will be entirely offered on-line, a number of courses can also be taken as traditional classes on the campus of Southwestern Adventist University in the current semester format. The courses in the certificate program are offered in either English or Spanish. The Spanish version, however, is only available on-line.
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