The Religion Major | Degree Requirements | Course Descriptions
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Programs Offered
Lay Ministries, Religion, Theology, and Philosophy, Biblical Literature, Youth and Christian Education, Christian Ministry, Youth Ministry, Urban Ministries, Missions

Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Arts in Religion, Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Literature, Christian Ministry Major, Youth Ministry Major, Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Sociology (Urban Ministries), Associate of Arts in Lay Ministries, Associate of Arts in Youth and Christian Education, Missions Minor

Religion Department Objectives

1. To foster an atmosphere that encourages the development of a Christian world view and provides the opportunity to test it against alternative views.
2. To acquaint the student with the history, literature, and theology of the Bible as the Word of God and to give instruction in its proper use.
3. To introduce the student to the richness of the Christian Tradition.
4. To delineate the parameters of Wesleyan Holiness theology.
5. To achieve an understanding of the great philosophers, the questions they raise, and the answers they propose.
6. To encourage the development of reflective, compassionate, and mature personhood, drawing upon the resources of the Christian witness to God’s grace.
7. To cultivate the skills necessary for effective ministry.
8. To lay a foundation for further specialization in seminary or university study.

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Degree Requirements

Religion Major
Majors are required to take the Liberal Arts Core (including: TH300 Christian Tradition and CP295 Philosophical Quest). Language studies are required. (Students are strongly recommended to take either Greek or Hebrew; however, any language will fulfill this requirement.) Degree requirements include:

3 Courses in Bible:
1 Elective in Old Testament
1 Elective in New Testament
1 Additional Elective in Bible
2 Courses in Philosophy:
Choose between: PH381 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy OR PH382 Modern and Postmodern Philosophy
1 Elective in Philosophy
4 Courses in Theology and Church History:
1 Elective in Church History
1 Elective in Theology
1 Additional Elective in Theology or Church History.
Choose between: TH446 Life and Teachings of Wesley OR TH472 Doctrines of Holiness
TH495 Senior Seminar

Urban Ministry Track: Dual Major in Religion and Sociology
This track is designed for those students who are planning careers in Urban Ministry and/or graduate work in the area of religion and/or sociology. This program helps prepare the student for a career in Urban Ministry, for graduate work at a seminary, or for graduate work in the field of sociology. This program is most appropriate for those who are interested in becoming Urban Ministers, missionaries, or sociologists of religion.

Requirements include:

Religion Major
Sociology Core (see Sociology Major in catalog); the following additional courses required:
SO242 Sociology of Religion
SO341 Urban Sociology OR
SO315 Urban Experience

Practicum in Urban Ministry (Four 3-hour courses designed to provide students with a specific, supervised, integrative, and significant opportunity to apply theological knowledge in a ministry setting, e.g. the local church.) One of these courses will be taken in conjunction with SO485 Sociology Practicum.

Religion Minor
Students in any major may minor in Religion by completing five courses in the Religion department with a BL, TH, or PM prefix numbered 301 or above.

Biblical Literature Major
Majors are required to take the Liberal Arts Core. Language studies of either Greek or Hebrew are required.

Degree requirements include:
7 Courses in Bible:
BL323 Synoptic Gospels OR
BL327 Pauline Epistles is required
BL310 Pentateuch is required
BL490 Seminar in Biblical Studies
4 Electives in Biblical Studies*
PH381 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
TH430 Early Church History
TH495 Senior Seminar
*One elective in Biblical Studies may be replaced by a related course in another discipline with the approval of the Division Chair.

Biblical Literature Minor
Students in any major may minor in Biblical Literature by completing 5 courses with a BL prefix numbered 301 or above. One other related course without a BL prefix may be substituted with the approval of the Division Chair.

Theology and Philosophy Major
Majors are required to take the Liberal Arts Core (including TH300 Christian Tradition and CP295 Philosophical Quest). Language studies are required. (Students are strongly encouraged to take Greek or Hebrew, but any language will fulfill this requirement.)

Degree requirements include:

TH472 Doctrine of Holiness OR
TH446 Life and Thought of John Wesley is required
PH450 Philosophy of Religion
PH381 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy OR
PH382 Modern and Postmodern Philosophy is required
5 Electives in Theology or Philosophy*
One elective in Church History is required.
One elective in Biblical Studies is required.
TH495 Senior Seminar
*One elective in theology or philosophy may be replaced by a related course in another discipline with the approval of the Division Chair. Related courses already approved include: PS472 Psychology of Religion, SO242 Sociology of Religion, HI481 Philosophy of History, and GS420 Issues in Science and Religion.

Theology Minor
Students in any major may minor in Theology by completing 5 courses with a TH prefix numbered 301 or above. One other related course without a TH prefix may be substituted with the approval of the Division Chair.

Christian Ministry Major**
Majors are required to take the Liberal Arts Core (including: TH300 Christian Tradition and CP295 Philosophical Quest). Language studies are required. (Students are strongly encouraged to take Greek or Hebrew, but any language will fulfill this requirement.)

Degree requirements include:

4 Courses in Biblical Studies:
1 Elective in Old Testament
1 Elective in New Testament
2 Additional Electives in Biblical Studies
3 Courses in Philosophy:
Choose between: PH381 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy OR PH382 Modern and Postmodern Philosophy
2 Electives in Philosophy
8 Courses in Theology and Church History:
TH450 Christian Worship is required
4 Electives in Theology*
1 Elective in Church History
1 Additional Elective in Theology or Church History.
Choose between: TH446 Life and Teachings of Wesley OR TH472 Doctrines of Holiness
4 Courses in Pastoral Ministry
PM452 The Practice of Christian Ministry is required
PM461 The Making of Sermons is required
2 Electives in Pastoral Ministry*
TH495 Senior Seminar

Practicum in Christian Ministry (Four 3-hour courses designed to provide students with a specific, supervised, integrative, and significant opportunity to apply theological knowledge in a ministry setting, e.g. the local church.)

*Up to one course in Theology and two courses in Pastoral Ministry (3 total) may be replaced with courses from other disciplines, including business administration, communication arts, music, psychology, and sociology. All substitutions must be approved by the Division Chair.
**An ordination track for this major is currently under revision. If you are interested in meeting education requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene, please let your advisor and the Division Chair know your plans.

Christian Ministry Minor
TH450 Christian Worship
One Elective in Theology
BL323 Synoptic Gospels OR BL327 Pauline Epistles
PM452 The Practice of Christian Ministry
One Elective in Pastoral Ministry
Practicum in Christian Ministry (Four 3-hour courses designed to provide students with a specific, supervised, integrative, and significant opportunity to apply theological knowledge in a ministry setting, e.g. the local church.)

Youth Ministry Major**
Majors are required to take the Liberal Arts Core (including: TH300 Christian Tradition and CP295 Philosophical Quest). Language studies are required. (Students are strongly encouraged to take Greek or Hebrew, but any language will fulfill this requirement.) PS341b Adolescent Development is also required.

Degree requirements include:

4 Courses in Biblical Studies:
1 Elective in Old Testament
1 Elective in New Testament
2 Additional Electives in Biblical Studies
3 Courses in Philosophy:
Choose between: PH381 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy OR
PH382 Modern and Postmodern Philosophy
2 Electives in Philosophy
7 Courses in Theology and Church History:
4 Electives in Theology*
1 Elective in Church History
1 Additional Elective in Theology or Church History.
Choose between: TH446 Life and Teachings of Wesley OR
TH472 Doctrines of Holiness
3 Courses in Pastoral Ministry
PM452 The Practice of Christian Ministry is required
2 Electives in Pastoral Ministry*
2 Courses in Christian Education
CE222 Philosophy and Methods of Youth Ministry is required
CE401 Issues in Youth Ministry is required
TH495 Senior Seminar
Practicum in Youth Ministry (Four 3-hour courses designed to provide students with a specific, supervised, integrative, and significant opportunity to apply theological knowledge in a ministry setting, e.g. the local church.)

*Up to one course in Theology and two courses in Pastoral Ministry (3 total) may be replaced with courses from other disciplines, including business administration, communication arts, music, psychology, and sociology. All substitutions must be approved by the Division Chair.
**An ordination track for this major is currently under revision. If you are interested in meeting education requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene, please let your advisor and the Division Chair know your plans.

Youth Ministry Minor
CE222 Philosophy and Methods of Youth Ministry
CE401 Issues of Youth Ministry
One Elective in Theology
BL323 Synoptic Gospels OR
BL327 Pauline Epistles
PM452 The Practice of Christian Ministry
PS341b Adolescent Development
Practicum in Youth Ministry (Four 3-hour courses designed to provide students with a specific, supervised, integrative, and significant opportunity to apply theological knowledge in a ministry setting, e.g. the local church.)

Christian Missions Minor
Students in any major may minor in Christian Missions by completing the following requirements.

MI110 Introduction to Missions
4 Electives in Missions*
*IN210 People and Cultures of the World, SO315 Urban Experience, OR SO341 Urban Sociology may replace one elective in Missions.
Spiritual Formation Minor Students in any major may minor in Spiritual Formation by completing the following requirements.
SF110 Introduction to Spiritual Formation
PS472 Psychology of Religion
3 Electives in Spiritual Formation

Associate of Arts in Lay Ministries*
First Year
EN103 Critical Writing
CO120 Introduction to Speech Communication
EN104 Rhetoric
PS110 Introduction to Psychology
BL110 Biblical History and Literature
CP210 Western Heritage
Variable Physical Education (1 credit hour)
Variable Electives (12 credit hours)

Second Year
TH212 Christian Missions and Evangelism (2 credit hours)
PS240 Lifespan Development
CP295 The Philosophical Quest
BL341 Interpreting the Old Testament I
OR
BL343 Interpreting the New Testament I
Variable Two Christian education courses (8 credit hours)
Variable Electives (10 credit hours)
*The Associate of Arts degrees in the Department of Religion are currently undergoing a revision. Please see the Division Chair for the current requirements of this degree.

Associate of Arts in Youth and Christian Education *

First Year
EN103 Critical Writing
CO120 Introduction to Speech Communication
EN104 Rhetoric
PS110 Introduction to Psychology
PS240 Lifespan Development
BL110 Biblical History and Literature
CP210 Western Heritage
TH300 The Christian Tradition
Variable Physical Education (2 credit hours)
Variable Electives (4 credit hours)

Second Year
PM452 The Practice of Christian Ministry
BL343 Interpreting the New Testament I
BL344 Interpreting the New Testament II
CP295 The Philosophical Quest
CE222 Philosophy and Methods of Youth Ministry
CE460 Field Work in Christian Education
Variable Electives (12 credit hours) Youth Ministry Skills, Educational Psychology, OR Education Technology
*The Associate of Arts degrees in the Department of Religion are currently undergoing a revision. Please see the Division Chair for the current requirements of this degree.

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Religion Department
Eastern Nazarene College | 23 East Elm Avenue
Quincy, Massachusetts 02170