MPP Courses

The Church of the Nazarene is a "Wesleyan-holiness" church. By this designation, we affirm that the theology of John Wesley undergirds and informs both our theological conclusions and our theological method. Wesleyanism's "warm heart" is the heart of Nazarene ministry, making this course crucial to theological education of the ministers of the Church of the Nazarene, and thus crucial to the denomination as a whole

This course addresses the inseparable connection between the theology of the Church of the Nazarene and the theology (content and method) of John Wesley. It will address each systematic category in turn, noting both Wesley's fidelity to tradition and his own constructive, creative thought. Special emphasis will be given to soteriological themes and their practical implications. The student will be able to display both knowledge of the content of this course, as well as personal and professional skills that arise out of the theology and spiritual formation in the Wesleyan tradition.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this course the student should be able to:

1. Interpret John Wesley's thought and discover ways in which it can inform 21st-century theological agenda for the Church of the Nazarene
2. Effectively apply the methods of Wesley for pursuing personal and social holiness
3. Apply appropriate Wesleyan theological principles to cultures other than one's own
4. Incorporate the Wesleyan approaches to personal spiritual formation for one's own enrichment
5. Understand the life of John Wesley in historical context
6. Understand Wesley's theological methodology (function of the Wesleyan quadrilateral)
7. Understand and articulate a Wesleyan view of the triune God and the primacy of the doctrine of soteriology
8. Apply a Wesleyan worldview to one's life, ministry, relationships, and vocation

The following are Competencies for Ministry as outlined in the Sourcebook on Ordination USA that will be addressed in this course:

1. CN8 Ability to demonstrate an understanding of theological reflection, including its sources, its historical development, and its Wesleyan contemporary expressions.
2. CN9 Ability to articulate the doctrine of holiness from a Wesleyan perspective.
3. CH1 Ability to apply theological and philosophical ethics to nurture faithful living in the Christian community.
4. CH2 Ability to discern and make ethical decisions in the midst of a complex and/or paradoxical context within a Wesleyan framework.
5. CH4 Ability to pursue holy character (Christlikeness) by practicing faith formation and the classic Christian disciplines as means of grace.

It is recommended that the following modules be taken before taking this module: Telling the Old Testament Story of God, Telling the New Testament Story of God, Communicating with Spoken and Written Language, and Exploring Christian Ministry.