Theology Major (M)
The Theology Department identifies its purpose in terms of Concordia’s statement of purpose, especially the following statements with spiritual focus:
“The total program is centered in the Christian philosophy with a confessional Lutheran emphasis…. Concordia University seeks to develop mature Christians in whom knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures, the inspired, inerrant Word of God and the source and norm of Christian truth, are united with personal faith in Jesus as God and Savior. Concordia’s spiritual resources are directed to the development of Christian faith and practice of Christian virtues so that the student can form value judgments and arrive at ethical principles required for purposeful living. Concordia’s programs … nurture religious commitment, provide insights for Christian action in the world, and … provide an opportunity for intelligent selection of vocations for service to God, church and society…. Concordia … is interested in exerting a Christian influence on the community, nation, and world.” (Departmental Statement of Purpose, August 30, 2002)
The B.A. in Theology at CUW is designed for those who plan to enter fulltime ministry. With a Pre-Seminary concentration that prepares students for the academic rigor of graduate school and a Director of Church Ministries concentration that prepares students for the practical work of assisting a pastor in a congregation, the B.A. in Theology is great for all students considering a career in church work. All students will be grounded in study of Holy Scripture, Christian doctrine, church history, and mission, learning how to speak the Gospel in the world today. As a Christ-centered university of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, CUW offers robust theological programs in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth of Holy Scripture are at the center. Our theology faculty is made up of pastors who are experts in the field and are dedicated to guiding, encouraging, and challenging students as they prepare to become future ministers of the Gospel.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will develop an understanding of the origin of the Bible, recognize the unique qualities of God’s Word, and appreciate the varied yet unified content of the Old and New Testaments, and use sound principles in interpreting Scripture.
- Students will develop an appreciation for how God has worked in history, recognize key figures and movements in the life of the Church, and identify the state of theology today.
- Students will recognize the Bible as the authoritative source for knowledge of God and humankind, articulate key doctrines of the Christian faith, especially the gospel of Jesus Christ, and apply the teachings of Scripture to the life of the individual.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 45 | |
| Major Requirements 1 | 36 | |
| Electives | 45 | |
Minor Requirements: | ||
Pre-Seminary Program: Required Minor (minimum 18 credits) | ||
Director of Church Ministries (DCM) Program: Church Ministries Minor and Non-Profit Management Minor | ||
| Total Hours | 126 | |
- 1
This major/minor is not permitted to share (overlap) any credits with the core curriculum, with a major, with a minor, or with a certificate per departmental policy unless otherwise specified in the curriculum.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
or COMM 2100 | Interpersonal Communication | |
| Introduction to Writing | ||
| Old Testament | ||
| Biblical Theology | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| REL 2020 | New Testament | 3 |
| Old Testament Course | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Genesis | ||
| Wisdom of Israel | ||
| Dead Sea Scrolls | ||
| Prophets of Israel | ||
| Psalms | ||
| Holy Land | ||
| New Testament Course | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Life of Christ | ||
| The Gospel of Mark | ||
| Johannine Literature | ||
| Pauline Literature | ||
| Revelation and End Times | ||
| Life of Paul | ||
| Gospel of Luke | ||
| Historical Theology Course | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| A Survey of Christian Thought | ||
| Spirituality of the Middle Ages | ||
| Christian Origins | ||
| Theology in the Age of Lutheran Orthodoxy (1546-1700) | ||
| Life and Thought of Luther | ||
| Luther in Context | ||
| Philosophy/Theology Course | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Elementary Logic | ||
| Moral Philosophy | ||
| Christian Apologetics | ||
| C.S. Lewis: His Life and Christian Philosophy | ||
| Bioethical Dilemmas in Contemporary Society | ||
For DCM students: Any REL course above REL 2030 not already taken | ||
| Writing/Rhetoric Course | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Art of the Personal Essay (recommended for DCM students) | ||
| Advanced Public Speaking (recommended for Pre-Seminary students) | ||
| Classical & Modern Rhetoric | ||
| REL 4000 | Lutheran Confessions | 3 |
| REL 4010 | Lutheran Worship: Theology and Practice | 3 |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
Select One Concentration:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Seminary Program | ||
| REL 3120 | Office of the Professional Church Worker | 3 |
| Dogmatic Theology Course | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Law and Gospel in the Life of the Church | ||
| The Person and Work of Christ | ||
| God, Man, and Creation | ||
| Holy Things and Holy People | ||
| Topics in Theology | ||
| REL 4900 | Senior Seminar I | 3 |
| REL 4910 | Senior Seminar II | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Director of Church Ministries (DCM) Program | ||
| REL 2500 | Great Commission Evangelism | 3 |
| or REL 2550 | Friendship Evangelism | |
| REL 2590 | Religious Education of Youth and Adults | 3 |
| REL 3120 | Office of the Professional Church Worker | 3 |
| REL 4200 | Church Ministries Internship | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Program Admission - Pre-Seminary
The pre-seminary program provides academic preparation in the liberal arts for professional study for full-time pastoral ministry in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Following the earning of the baccalaureate degree, the pre-seminary student continues his program of study at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, or Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.
The mission of pre-seminary education is to prepare students for theological studies and pastoral formation at a seminary of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. This preparation ordinarily encompasses biblical knowledge, biblical language competency, and understanding of Lutheran doctrine; competency in communication skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening; skills in critical thinking and philosophical inquiry, acquisition of a global perspective; the understanding of and appreciation for the Lutheran ethos, identity, and ethic helping the student to perceive, proclaim, teach, and live out the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the whole world.
Pre-seminary students are strongly encouraged to include two majors in their studies: theological languages and theology with the pre-seminary concentration. These majors are designed to prepare students for the seminary competency examinations in the Old Testament, New Testament, Christian Doctrine, Greek, and Hebrew. These majors also include broader liberal arts studies in German or Latin, communication, writing, social science, and philosophy, all of which are helpful for theological study on a graduate level. In special cases, students in the pre-seminary program may choose other majors and minors, but must always include at least a minor in theological languages.
Students must have a minimum of 126 credits in order to graduate as part of the pre-seminary program.
Application for Entry into the Pre-Seminary Program
Since the public ministry of Word and Sacrament is an office of the Church of Christ, it demands individuals exhibiting the highest level of talent, personal knowledge, aptitude, skill, and Christian character. For this reason the following criteria have been established for acceptance into the Pre-Seminary Program of Concordia University Wisconsin. Application is generally made in the second semester of the sophomore year.
- Successful completion of a minimum of 45 semester hours of credit.
- CGPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. (Probationary acceptance may be given to students with a CGPA of at least 2.0 if other requirements are met.)
- Evidence of proficiency in English and foreign languages appropriate to the pre-seminary program.
- Submission of a completed application form, available from the theology office.
- Completion of basic theology courses.
- Exhibition of exemplary Christian life-style.
- Interviews with and written recommendation of the pre-seminary director.
Acceptance Procedure
- Notification of acceptance into the program will be made by letter.
- Notification of non-acceptance or probationary acceptance of the applicant is made in a personal interview with the pre-seminary director. A formal letter of the decision is presented to the applicant during the interview.
- A copy of this letter is filed in the applicant’s folder in the theology office.
- A student who is refused acceptance into the pre-seminary program may re-apply up to two more times. Acceptance into the pre-seminary program is not a requirement for the successful completion of either major.
Program Continuation
To maintain ‘‘good standing’’ status in the pre-seminary program, a student must maintain a 2.5 CGPA.
Program Admission - Director of Church Ministries (DCM)
The Director of Church Ministries (DCM) program equips men and women to serve as a Director of Church Ministries (DCM) in congregations where the church worker solicits, trains and deploys lay people within the congregation to serve in a variety of service capacities. The Director of Church Ministries Program requires a theology major and two minors; the first a minor in church ministries and the second a minor in non-profit management. Within the church ministries minor the student chooses to specialize in one out of five possible ministry areas: evangelism, missions, parish teaching, youth ministry, and pre-deaconess/social ministry (for women who intend to enroll in the deaconess programs at either of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod seminaries). By careful use of electives students can add a second specialization.
Because of the nature of this work all Director of Church Ministries students must demonstrate good human relations skills and a life of Christian example. Graduates may be solemnly called to positions in congregations or recognized service organizations of the church, and may be eligible to be rostered in The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod with the designation “Minister of Religion Commissioned – Director of Church Ministries (DCM).” Concordia University Wisconsin is the only synod school at which this program is offered. Application involves steps in addition to application to the university.
Application involves steps in addition to application to the university. Applicants for the Director of Church Ministries Program should contact the Church Ministries office for application information.
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CCE 1010 | Christian Citizen | 3 |
| ENG 1040 | Introduction to Writing | 3 |
| REL 2030 | Biblical Theology | 3 |
| REL 2010 or REL 2020 |
Old Testament or New Testament |
3 |
| CORE COURSE | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| REL 2010 or REL 2020 |
Old Testament or New Testament |
3 |
| CCE 1030 | Western Thought & Worldview | 3 |
| CORE COURSE | 3 | |
| CORE COURSE | 3 | |
| CORE COURSE | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| OLD TESTAMENT ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| FAITH & LIFE ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| CCE 1020 | Western Culture & Worldview | 3 |
| CORE COURSE | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| HHP 1100 | Stewardship of the Body | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| NEW TESTAMENT ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| HISTORICAL THEOLOGY ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| CCE 1040 | Science & Humanity | 3 |
| LAB SCIENCE CORE | 4 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| REL 4010 | Lutheran Worship: Theology and Practice | 3 |
| REL 4000 | Lutheran Confessions | 3 |
| WRITING/RHETORIC ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| PHILOSOPHY OR THEOLOGY ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| HHP ACTIVITY COURSE | 1 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| CONCENTRATION COURSE | 3 | |
| CONCENTRATION COURSE | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| CONCENTRATION COURSE | 3 | |
| CONCENTRATION COURSE | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE OR MINOR | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 126 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.