Register now for our two online non-credit continuing education courses. Professor Leanna Fuller will teach the first, Leadership through Conflict, April 4-29, 2016. Ezekiel: Prophet of the Presence and Absence of God, will be taught by Professor Steven Tuell and runs May 2-27, 2016.
The class materials will be available 24/7. This asynchronous format allows those enrolled to access material for the course when it is personally convenient. Registration fee is $75 per course and 1.5 CEUs are available.
Leadership through Conflict
April 4-29, 2016
In this online class, we will explore the dynamics of leadership in settings of conflict, particularly that of the local congregation. The course will introduce conflict and change as key areas that must be addressed by leaders in any institutional context. Conflict and change will be presented not as “problems” to be solved, but rather as normal parts of organizational life that, if handled well, provide opportunities for personal and communal growth. Time will be spent exploring current conflict theories; however, the emphasis of the class will be on the identity and awareness of the leader when serving in conflicted environments.
Ezekiel: Prophet of the Presence and Absence of God
May 2-27, 2016
Ezekiel is strange book, about a strange prophet: a bizarre figure who shaves his head with a sword, refuses to mourn the death of his wife, and sees visions of wheels, fire, and impossible four-faced creatures. Yet, on the other hand, Ezekiel is also a book of piercing beauty: Jesus’ image of the Good Shepherd, and John’s vision of the river of life and the new Jerusalem, have their roots in this odd, ancient book. Indeed, Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, and its promise for Israel’s resurrection, has become the root metaphor for Jewish and Christian conceptions of the afterlife. In this class, we will explore the message of this prophet, who on the one hand pronounced that God had removed Godself from Jerusalem, and on the other declared God's presence among the exiles. We will discuss both the historical and social setting out of which Ezekiel's message first emerged, and the process by which book which bears his name came to be. In the end, we will consider the theological impact of this book, and its continuing relevance for Christian readers today.