Western Theological Seminary participates in SCUPE, the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education, located in Chicago (www.scupe.com). SCUPE offers specialized intensive courses and internships in urban ministry. The classes are held in Chicago.
To take a course, students register with Western Theological Seminary, pay the course fee here, and send SCUPE a completed single course registration form. Information on schedules and registration for these courses is available from Western's Registrar. Any courses taken through SCUPE transfer to Western Theological Seminary as elective credits.
Current courses offered this year are listed here on SCUPE's website.
- Examples:
- SCUPE M305: Dimensions and Dynamics of Urban Ministry: The Gospel in the City
- This course, organized as a sequence of days concentrating on particular neighborhoods and the ministries at work within them, demonstrates a variety of approaches to gospel in the city. These conversations with Urban ministers provide a comprehensive view of SCUPE's approach to Urban Work. 3 credits
- SCUPE B-Th302: Urban Principalities and the Spirit of the City
- Examines the spiritual realities foundational to understanding and transforming the social, economic, and political structures of our urban world. 3 credits
- SCUPE M304: Christology and Culture
- Studies the diversity of cultural images and models used to elaborate the meaning of Jesus throughout history and its significance for urban ministry. 3 credits
- SCUPE S-H303: Public Issues in Urban Ministry
- Examines the critical issues affecting the quality of life for those living in major metropolitan areas. An in-depth examination of the contributions of faith communities to social analysis, public theology, and transformation in relation to issues such as welfare reform, racism, poverty, violence, gentrification and the like. What is the believer's role as a leader in transformational ministry? 3 credits
- SCUPE S-H305: Restoring Urban Communities
- Examines the relationship between biblical faith and community development through site visits to exceptional Chicago development models. 3 credits
- SCUPE Supervised Ministry Practicum
- Focuses on personal formation for ministry by integrating work in the ministry setting with SCUPE's academic curriculum. Credit varies by seminary.
- SCUPE M302: Cross Cultural Ministry Intensive
- Using the city as a multicultural global laboratory, this two-week intensive provides a practical theology for ministry in a multicultural context, engages biblical study of the early church's struggle with cultural barriers, encourages respect and appreciation of world-views and value systems different from one's own, offers anti-racism training, and exposes students directly to a wide variety of ministries in diverse cultural settings. 3 credits
- The Art of Prophetic Preaching in the Urban Context
- Preaching the Word with urban social insight and prophetic imagination allows playful energy that can delight and shock the listener out of stuck thinking as it kindles and strengthens hope. 3 credits
- Pastoral Care in the Latino Church
- Explores four key dimensions of pastoral care in the Latino community, addressing specific challenges as well as the general issues of family and marriage.