COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY & CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
Belmont University COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY & CHRISTIAN MINISTRY The College of Theology & Christian Ministry seeks to be a premier academic community that nurtures a living faith in God, reflects critically on its discipline and develops skills for Christian ministry. We also distinguish ourselves through our emphases on contemplative spirituality and social justice, dedicated to helping students discover who they are and what they are called to do in this world. At Belmont, we encourage our students to find their place in a larger community of service.
All of us at the College of Theology & Christian Ministry are on a journey of faith and I invite you to join us. We are Christians who come from many different families of faith like Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic and Nondenominational congregations. We are all on a journey together seeking to be obedient to God’s claim upon our lives. As an ecumenical Christian university, we create spaces for people to come together to read Scripture, ask big questions and listen closely. We see the Bible differently through our own eyes, we ask questions out of our own life experiences and we listen to each other to learn from each other. You will find a place among us, and we will make a place for you. We are also a place where men and women understand their sense of calling differently. We have students who imagine themselves as pastors, worship pastors or youth pastors. Some see themselves as teachers, musicians, entrepreneurs or community organizers. We have exciting conversations because we are trying to sort out our faith together as we follow God’s call upon our lives. With nine programs of study designed to help undergraduate students prepare for the unique calling God has placed upon them and with a unique counseling program for graduate students preparing to help others, we work carefully to provide a place where you not only discover your sense of purpose, but where you can prepare for it. Explore our programs and get to know us. Allow us to get to know you. Let’s see if we can go on a journey of faith together! Many blessings to you in all things,
Dr. Darrell Gwaltney Dean and H. Franklin Paschall Chair of Biblical Studies and Preaching
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ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY & CHRISTIAN MINISTRY The College of Theology & Christian Ministry provides student-centered, academically-challenging religion classes to the diverse student body of Belmont University and a foundation of religious studies for students preparing for a wide variety of vocations. Recent graduates now serve as pastors, worship leaders, youth ministers and missionaries. Our alumni also serve as social entrepreneurs, graduate students in English and Philosophy, doctors, lawyers, artists, authors and songwriters with credits on network shows. They serve in other countries, perform in venues large and small and prepare for ministry in major seminaries around the world. Students who choose to major with a degree from the College of Theology & Christian Ministry from Belmont serve God and the church in many different ways. You can, too! The College has nine different paths of study, 20 full-time faculty and more than 160 students working together to discover who we are to be as followers of God in Jesus Christ. Come join the journey with us. God may send you anywhere from here!
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THE BELMONT DIFFERENCE Scripture and Theology To provide all Belmont students with a solid foundation in biblical and theological studies.
Specific Preparation To present opportunities for learning in religious studies, religion and philosophy, biblical languages, biblical studies, worship leadership, religion and the arts, church leadership and administration, Christian leadership and faith and social justice.
Practical Ministry To offer professional education courses in practical ministry and continuing education opportunities to ministers and laity.
Impact the World To integrate contemplative spirituality and social justice in and out of the classroom.
Mission teams traveled
101,706
MILES for service last year
Belmont recognized as an
“ I NS T I T U T ION committed to
DIVE R SI T Y � Belmont holds voluntary
CHAPEL SE RVICE S 3 times a week
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STUDENT EXPERIENCES
“The CTCM faculty are absolutely inspiring. They care for students not only on an intellectual level but also on a spiritual one. The course load and personal touch in the CTCM forms students to be stronger intellectually and also, more mindful pastorally and theologically.”
Taylor Brown CHURCH LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION MAJOR
“So far, my experience in the College of Theology has been one that has been characterized by rich, challenging and rewarding academic endeavors, as well as a welcoming sense of familial community. I love the way that the CTCM aims to make each one of its students feel like they are loved, valued and part of a family.”
Jackson Wallace BIBLICAL STUDIES MAJOR
“My experience in the College of Theology & Christian Ministry has been absolutely remarkable. With help from my professors and advisor, I am beginning to discover where my greatest joy meets the world’s greatest needs—and because of the CTCM I feel equipped and encouraged to dedicate my career and my life to a greater purpose.”
Elisabeth Bordulis FAITH AND SOCIAL JUSTICE MAJOR WITH AN EMPHASIS IN POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT
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ALUMNI REFLECTIONS
“Belmont CTCM taught me to explore my own vocation, calling and inner spiritual life. The valuable life lessons I learned here helped shape the person I am today.”
Amy Violette RELIGIOUS STUDIES MAJOR, 2008 Pastor, entrepreneur, adjunct professor and stunt double
“Belmont was the foundational step for me to see my vocation as a pastor, prophet and public theologian.”
Larry Terrell Crudup RELIGION AND ARTS MAJOR, 2010 Senior Pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church of Oklahoma City
“Before coming to Belmont, I didn’t know it was possible for God to call me into pastoral ministry. But God had! The professors and students supported me, showed me how to read Scripture and opened my heart to issues of justice, spiritual formation, doctrine and so much more.”
Chansin Esparza BIBLICAL STUDIES MAJOR, 2008 Associate Pastor, Life in the City Church, Austin, Texas
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AREAS OF STUDY AND MAJORS Worship Leadership This major provides students the opportunity to focus on worship leadership and provide theological grounding and practical experience for those who will oversee and participate in a wide variety of worship ministries in the church. Concentrations: Audio Engineering, Theatre, Design Communication, Music and Video Production
PROFESSOR HIGHLIGHT
Dr. Steve Guthrie PROFESSOR, THEOLOGY AND WORSHIP LEADERSHIP “Our students are thinking about how the church’s worship can bring hope and healing to the broken places in our world.”
Religion and the Arts This major prepares the student to be an effective interpreter of Christianity in contemporary culture. An interdisciplinary degree that allows the student to combine the study of religion with the study of music, art or theatre, it creates opportunities for students to prepare for ministry in a wide variety of fields where faith intersects with culture. Minors: English Literature, Writing, Music (audition required), Art History, Design Communications, Studio Art, Photography, Painting,
Dance, Theatre and Music Business
PROFESSOR HIGHLIGHT
Dr. Donovan McAbee ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, RELIGION AND THE ARTS “At Belmont, I’m given the joy and privilege to step into the classroom with bright, energetic and creative students. In the classes I teach here in the College of Theology & Christian Ministry, we explore the intersections of theology and the arts. Whether in my Theology and Literature course—“The Christ-Haunted South”—or in my Writing for Spirituality course, I empower students to unearth the theological insights of literature and of their own lived experience.” 6
Faith and Social Justice This major prepares students to make an impact in a wide variety of fields that call for leadership with integrity and value. The major provides the student with academic and practical experiences in ethics formation and application. Tracks: Advocacy and Activism, Policy and Development and Missions and Ministry
PROFESSOR HIGHLIGHT
Dr. Andy Watts PROFESSOR, RELIGION AND CHRISTIAN ETHICS “Justice is love with legs, to quote a prominent theologian, and in the Faith and Social Justice major I get to walk with bright and dedicated students connecting theology with other disciplines as they seek the flourishing of all neighbors in need, near and far...how marvelous!”
Christian Leadership This major prepares students who plan to serve in some leadership capacity in a church setting or some other Christian organization. The degree focuses on biblical studies and leadership issues and skills in organizations. It is an ideal degree for someone called to serve in ministry.
PROFESSOR HIGHLIGHT
Dr. Amanda Miller ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, BIBLICAL STUDIES “Our Christian Leadership students are exploring how scholarly disciplines like biblical studies and theology enrich and inform the ministry of faith communities to participate in God’s work in the world today.”
Other Majors Biblical Languages, Biblical Studies, Church Leadership and Administration, Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies
13 : 1 STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO
HIGHLY QUALIFIED full-time and adjunct
FA C U L T Y
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MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING GRADUATE PROGRAM The Master of Arts degree in Mental Health Counseling through the College of Theology & Christian Ministry at Belmont University is unique among contemporary counseling programs in that it embodies Christian and pastoral theological understandings of the care of human beings in addressing the depth and complexity of human suffering. The program seeks to guide the forming of professionals who will act with integrity in the world as agents of the ministries of healing and transformation serving individuals, couples, families or larger groups. The program seeks to accomplish this goal through the integration of the wisdom, insight and values of the Church’s care of souls tradition with the knowledge, skills and resources of contemporary scientific counseling. What sets Belmont’s Mental Health Counseling program apart from other counselor education programs is this integration of Christian resources and scientific perspectives on human nature and development, suffering and psychopathology, treatment and the alleviation of suffering, guiding values and ideals for the living of life. The Mental Health Counseling Program is the only graduate degree program in the College of Theology & Christian Ministry at Belmont University. The program was established to prepare professional counselors at the master’s (MAMHC) level. The program offers three specialty tracks: Clinical Pastoral Therapy, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling. The Marriage, Couples and Family Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling tracks are preparing for accreditation consideration by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
RANKED
NO. 5
in the Regional Universities South category by U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
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MHC STUDENT EXPERIENCES “After finishing my undergraduate degree in Christian Leadership at Belmont’s College of Theology & Christian Ministry, I knew that Belmont was a place full of people who invested in me just as much as I invested in them. The faculty and staff helped me grow personally, professionally and spiritually. I am beyond grateful for my time spent there. A year after graduating, I knew with certainty that I wanted to go into the mental health field; because of my experience as an undergrad, I also knew with certainty that Belmont’s program would get me where I wanted to go in developing my dream as a licensed Mental Health Counselor.”
Kellie Prophet-Kroening STUDENT; CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING
“As an ordained religious leader seeking licensure (LMFT), this program has not only fortified my clinical lens, it has done so in an environment that holds human suffering and spiritual resources in tandem. For me that says, the hope of my spiritual practices and the clients are welcomed dimensions of therapeutic process—healing.”
Dwight Hughes STUDENT; MARRIAGE, COUPLES AND FAMILY COUNSELING
“The Mental Health Counseling program has been such a valuable learning experience where I have learned in the classroom and through my fellow classmates. I have been able to apply those skills the very next day in my work with students at Belmont. I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to learn from wonderful faculty members who are extremely supportive and eager for you to learn.”
Kim Powell STUDENT; MARRIAGE, COUPLES AND FAMILY COUNSELING 9
FACILITIES Janet Ayers Academic Center Opened in the Fall of 2014, the Janet Ayers Academic Center is a 186,000 square foot structure located on the corner of Wedgewood and 15th Avenues. From the five-level underground parking garage to the picturesque views of Nashville’s skyline from the top floor, the building stands as a cornerstone for the University that seeks to serve both its growing student body and its dynamic hometown. The largest campus building to date, the Ayers Academic Center is also top in its class in terms of environmental sustainability. It’s the first University building in the state of Tennessee to be LEED-certified at the platinum level, the highest status, which means its construction and operation save money and resources while also having a positive impact on the health of occupants and promoting renewable, clean energy. Inside, the Ayers Academic Center houses more than 50 majors in three colleges—the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, the College of Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Theology & Christian Ministry. Every undergraduate student takes courses in the building as part of the University’s general education curriculum, and with dozens of classrooms and group study spaces, the building is designed for daily interdisciplinary collaborations. The facility also contains 20 science labs outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including spectrometers, a microwave reaction chamber, a cold room and incubators for biological studies along with laser and acoustics labs. A student-centered service area on the first floor allows for personal assistance via numerous learning labs and a centrally located Service Learning and International Education office. Also on the first floor, the campus community can enjoy meals and snacks from Sandella’s Flatbread Cafe and a We Proudly Brew Starbucks outlet.
The Chapel In addition, the Ayers Academic Center is also the home of Belmont’s beautiful 300-seat chapel, which hosts numerous worship services and special events throughout the year. Placing the Chapel in the heart of Belmont’s largest academic building is an architectural embodiment of the University’s mission to be a Christian community of learning and service. Chapel services—which are held three times a week during the academic year—frequently feature student-led worship music and nationally acclaimed scholars who address a myriad of topics through the lens of faith. 10
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Theologoi Theologoi (Theology Chats) is our weekly College roundtable bringing students and faculty together over coffee and pastries to work out their thoughts on enduring and contemporary issues in theology and ministry, tackling everything from why we pray to the art of worship and ministries of social justice.
Faith and Culture Symposium Our annual symposium works to sustain an ongoing conversation relating to faith and culture. By inviting speakers who shape and participate in the national conversation on religion and public life, the University-wide conversation is carried forward and informed by academic and congregational dynamics. Symposium speakers represent this integration as their own devotional and worship practices have shaped them to see more clearly things about ourselves and our world in need of healing. Their work holds up to us a kind of mirror to help us see as well. This theme also raises questions about what a contemplative presence in the world looks like and how we can bring such a posture into spaces of brokenness to make a difference with compassionate and just action, bearing witness to Christ and God’s loving presence around and within us.
Compass Points Vocation Retreat Belmont’s College of Theology & Christian Ministry offers a three-night, four-day retreat for incoming freshmen religion majors or any incoming freshman considering majoring or minoring in religion. Have you been wondering about the direction your life has taken so far and will take in college and beyond? Wanting to ask some “big life questions” while having fun and making friends for the journey ahead? Are you seeking some guidance as you begin to explore your calling and gifts? Guided by the CTCM community, you will have opportunity to gain a deeper awareness and appreciation of your own personal gifts and life story. Through experiences such as journal exercises, community service and time outdoors in God’s creation, you will explore ways to discern your vocation and bring you deeper into a life of faith.
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STUDY ABROAD Belmont in the Biblical World: Each May, Belmont takes a group of students to travel through the Biblical World. The group travels
through Israel, Turkey, Jordan and Greece, participating in pilgrimages to sacred sites while engaging in conversation about the political, social, economic and cultural climate of the region. Belmont in Africa: Since 2007, Belmont has taken an annual trip to South Africa, Botswana, and Tanzania. On the service learning study
abroad trip, students partner with several local NGOs to work with individuals who have been affected by the AIDS epidemic. Students meet the needs of the community through service work, while being immersed in the local political, economic and cultural climates. Belmont in Pine Ridge: It is not necessary to leave the United States in order to be immersed in a different culture. Through our annual
Belmont in Pine Ridge study away trip, students immerse themselves in the culture of the Lakota Sioux and Arapaho at the Pine Ridge, South Dakota and Wind River, Wyoming, reservations. Our students explore practices of reconciliation and justice through the lens of a Native American Christian context. Belmont in Europe: Trips to Europe have recently focused on Italy and Germany where we have explored the role of the Reformation on
our faith today. We have traveled to Rome, Assisi, Florence, Wittenburg and Berlin. Belmont in Madrid: In the Maymester Study Abroad trip to Andalusia, Spain students travel to Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, Granada
and Seville. Through the College of Theology & Christian Ministry, students may take the course Ethics and World Religions to gain a foundational understanding of Abrahamic faith traditions and explore the ethics of convivencia (living together) and manifestations of hospitality among Jews, Christians and Muslims in historical Spain. The period known as convivencia that lasted up until the Catholic Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand expelled the Jews from Spain in the late 15th century and the Muslims from Spain in the early 16th century, is often exclusively interpreted as a harmonious living together. However, convivencia was a time peppered by incidents that indicate a toleration marked by tension. Semester in St. Andrews: If you are interested in a longer study abroad experience, Belmont has a partnership with the University of
St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland. The University of St. Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest university in the English speaking world. It was founded in 1413 and over the past six centuries has established a reputation as one of Europe’s leading institutions. As a result of Belmont’s partnership with St. Andrews, Belmont students may directly enroll in St. Andrews and attend for one semester or the entire academic year. In addition to these trips sponsored by the College of Theology and Christian Ministry, Belmont has many more study abroad and away opportunities. www.belmont.edu/study-abroad 12
SEE for YOURSELF Belmont’s College of Theology & Christian Ministry is a place for students to continue their faith journey while exploring the ways their spirituality can intersect with the world around them. Schedule a visit to learn more about CTCM and all of the programs offered!
BE LMON T. E DU/ VI SI T
College of Theology & Christian Ministry 1900 Belmont Boulevard Nashville, TN 37212 615.460.5552 BELMONT.EDU/THEOLOGY ctcm@belmont.edu
@belmonttheology
@belmonttheology
/belmonttheology
Belmont University is a Christian community. The university faculty, administration and staff uphold Jesus as the Christ and as the measure for all things. As a community seeking to uphold Christian standards of morality, ethics and conduct, Belmont University holds high expectations of each person who chooses to join the community. Belmont University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, military service or sexual orientation. Under the law, the university may discriminate on the basis of religion in employment in order to fulfill its mission. Inquiries or complaints concerning the application of these policies to employees should be directed to the Director of Human Resources, Fidelity Hall Room 426, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212, humanresources@belmont.edu or 615.460.6456. Inquiries or complaints concerning the application of these policies to students should be directed to the Dean of Students, 2nd floor Beaman Student Life Center, deanofstudents@belmont.edu, 615.460.6407. CTCM-171387