Courses

• STH TA 710: Music in World Religions I
  Music is an integral part of the liturgies of almost every major religion. It is a traditional element of many rituals connected with the life cycle, and is often used as a way of mediating one?s relationship to God. This course seeks to put both religion and its music in cultural and historical context. It will use interdisciplinary methodologies including theological studies and musical analysis. It aims to provide a basic framework for understanding the issues surrounding the duties and practices, rituals, scriptures, articles of faith, holy days, prayers, and denominational differences for each religion in a way that is comprehensible to the non-musician. Music in World Religions I deals with the Abrahamic traditions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
• STH TA 711: Music of the World's Religions II: The Asian traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikkhism)
  Music is an integral part of the liturgies of almost every major religion. It is a traditional element of many rituals connected with the life cycle, and is often used as a way of mediating ones relationship to God. This course seeks to put both the religion and its music in cultural and historical context. It will be using interdisciplinary methodologies including theological studies and musical analysis. It aims to provide a basic framework for understanding the issues surrounding the duties and practices, rituals, scriptures, articles of faith, holy days, prayers and denominational differences for each religion in a way that is comprehensible to the non-musician. Musical training is preferred but not essential. (4cr) Meets Mondays 10AM to 1PM at STH (room B-22)
• STH TA 721: Seminary Singers
  Open to all students who are interested in singing. Participation in one weekly chapel service, all concerts, and tours. Credit given only on completion of the second consecutive semester's work.
• STH TA 801: Sacred Music Practicum
  Mandatory for all MSM students. Offered every other year in the spring (next in Spring 2012). Covers topics relating to the practical duties of a church musician such as: handbell choirs, children?s choirs, conflict resolution, professional concerns, organ pedagogy, the art of accompaniment, site visits, vocal technique, repertoire, resources, composing and arranging for the church, improvisation, organ building and maintenance, keyboard skills.
• STH TA 804: Seminar: Anthems for the Church Choir
  Historical survey of music repertory for American church choirs: study of performance of various periods and genres of music. Consent of instructor with special consideration given to MSM and SFA students.
• STH TA 805: Church Music for Non-Musicians
  This course is for those with little or no previous music training. It will teach music literacy, basic musicianship skills, rudimentary keyboard skills, introduction to singing the service, and musical leadership. It will include an examination of historic and contemporary theologies of church music; a survey of the musical forms used in worship by the Church (with an emphasis upon the selection and use of hymns and service music contained in denominational hymnals); musical resources for worship leaders; hiring and working with musicians; introducing new music and definitions of ‘quality’ in music. There will be guest lectures, demonstrations, and required attendance at a number of University or local sacred music concerts.
• STH TA 808: Chapel Choir
  Audition required. Schedule includes Sunday worship in Marsh Chapel and several major concerts.
• STH TA 810: Hymns and Their Music
  Study of the history of congregational song from biblical practice to the present day. Emphasis will be given to the development of theological, textual, and musical patterns, with special attention to incorporating both historic and emerging materials in worship. Strongly recommended for all MSM students; valuable for MDiv and ThD students with special interest in worship.
• STH TA 820: The Church and the Arts
  Aims to facilitate understanding of sacred art for its intrinsic worth and to assess how it may be used to enhance worship in the future. It will deal systematically with the theology of architectural space, church furnishing, vestments, stained glass, and decorative work. Students will be taught to look, interpret, and use the technical vocabulary of art and architecture and will develop skills for making value judgments about quality and content of art. Includes field trips to area churches and to the Museum of Fine Arts.
• STH TA 830: Passions & Requiems
  An examination of the legacy of music written for liturgical and non-liturgical use, using longer text, tracing the origins, formulary, and deelopment of the texts (including discussion of the authors). Case studies will form the basis of further inquiry. Cultural, social and historical context of the first performance will be discussed, along with an examination of the theology behind the text setting. There will be comparative analysis of other examples of the same genre, discussion of post-Reformation changes in text and approach, and national differences in style and technique.
• STH TC 703: Pastoral and Spiritual Formation, I
  Introduction to professional education for church vocation viewed in the context of the calling of every Christian to mission and ministry. Required of all candidates for the MDiv degree in the first semester of study.
• STH TC 715: Introduction to Preaching
  An introduction to the theology and practice of preaching within the context of the ministry. Students develop skills necessary for preparation, composition, delivery, and critique of sermons. Required of all M.Div. students.
• STH TC 723: United Methodist Church Discipline
  Polity, structure, procedures, and ritual of the United Methodist Church. Designed to meet one of the requirements for membership in a UMC Annual Conference.
• STH TC 801: Contextual Education I
  Graduate Prerequisites: STH TC 703 and STH TC 708.
  Supervised practice of ministry in parish internships, student parishes, and hospital chaplaincies combined with peer reflection-learning groups. MDIV CORE REQUIREMENT.
• STH TC 802: Contextual Education II
  Graduate Prerequisites: STH TC 801.
  Continues and presupposes STH TC 801 in the spring semester. See STH TC 801 for description. MDIV CORE REQUIREMENT
• STH TC 803: Field Education III
  Normally continues STH TC 802.
• STH TC 804: Field Education IV
  Normally continues STH TC 803.
• STH TC 806: Biography and Vocation
  This new 2-credit course (run on a pilot basis this spring) provides a structured small group experience for students who are in their final year of the MDiv or MTS program. The class will enable students to reflect on their faith and vocational journeys--leading up to but especially while at BUSTH-- and to discern in a supportive community the shape of the vocation to which they are transitioning. This would include attention not only to the what of their vocation but also the how--how they will embody a vocation, how they are navigating processes to move toward that vocation, how they and their families will make the transition, what they carry with them from their studies/experience at BUSTH, and what practices and communities will sustain them in that vocation. The class is intended to be an integrative space with targeted readings and reflections on vocation, discernment, spiritual autobiography, and self-care. Instructor(s): Dr. Carole Bohn/Staff Day/Time: Wednesdays, 1:30-3 PM For further information about the course, contact either Dr. Carole Bohn (cbohn@bu.edu) or Dr. Claire Wolfteich (cwolftei@bu.edu).
• STH TC 810: The Pastoral Life
  This class is intended to help seminarians entering pastoral ministry develop effective strategies that will allow them to fully enjoy the richness and beauty of their vocation.
• STH TC 811: Church Life and Administration
  Consideration of local church systems and contexts; management by motivating and training of church leaders; envisioning, planning, boundaries, finances, and time priorities for those planning to be pastors, associate pastors, Christian education directors, youth ministers, and others on church staffs.