THE KELLY MILLER SMITH INSTITUTE CERTIFICATE IN BLACK CHURCH STUDIES PROGRAM |
The Black church has served as a lifesaving and life-giving vehicle for the African American community. A shelter from the troubling waters of oppression and a lighthouse of justice in the midst of stormy seas, the church remains a powerful institution with an extraordinary legacy.
The Kelly Miller Smith Institute recognizes that heritage and provides opportunities to work with the Black church community in the sponsoring of study forums, clergy and laity study conferences and retreats for the purpose of examining the critical social ministry needs of the African American community. It is our aim to provide settings in which the leading African American theological thinkers can hear from and can be engaged critically by those who lead the congregations, both lay and clergy. Through the Black Church Study program, the Institute seeks to generate a dialogue that will yield a new African American praxis, one that will enliven the church for Christian social ministry.
Program Description
The Certificate in Black Church Studies program makes available to pastors, lay leaders, and Vanderbilt Divinity School students an opportunity to broaden their understanding of the nature of theology and ministry in the Black Church. The central focus of the program is to bridge the church and theological academy as the church designs and implements social action ministry for congregational and community transformation.
Persons enrolled in the program will give attention to 1) biblical materials focusing on justice and prophetic ministry, 2) theological problems arising out of the African American experience, 3) contemporary ethical dilemmas faced by Black persons in church and community, and 4) practical experience in designing and implementing social crisis ministry.
Program Requirements
Persons who complete a series of continuing education seminars will receive a Certificate in Black Church Studies from Vanderbilt Divinity School's Kelly Miller Smith Institute on the Black Church. The certificate program offers a two-year series of seminars on the Black Church and its liberation ministry tradition. The program seminars will include a range of topics related to: Liberation Theologies and Social Ministry, Biblical Studies, Black Preaching, Christian Education for Black Churches, Economic Empowerment, At-Risk Youth Ministry, and Church-Based Health Promotion. The Black Church Studies certificate program requires the completion of 24 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for non-VDS students. Registered non-VDS students earn 3 credit hours per seminar.
Vanderbilt Divinity students enrolled in the program will be required to participate in four seminars and to complete a concentration of 18 hours or related course work. Of this number 9 hours must be chosen from the courses listed in the Vanderbilt Divinity School catalog under African America, Race, and Class Studies . An additional 3 hours must be in a bible course that explores some subject related to the program and 3 hours of credit in a field education setting appropriate to the focus of the program. The field education credit must be worked out with the field education faculty in consultation with the director of the KMSI program.
For VDS students, the certificate program culminates in the presentation of a written assignment in an open forum. The student must submit a proposal to the director. The student may submit one’s senior project or master’s thesis in order to fulfill this requirement. Students who wish to enter the certificate program normally will have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and the support of their faculty advisor. An application may be made at any time following the first semester of study.
Program Admission for non-VDS students
• Completed application form
• $25 non-refundable application fee
• Brief spiritual autobiography
• Letter of recommendation
• Small photograph
• Proof of high school diploma or GEDTuition is $365 per academic year.
Seminar Schedule
Fall 2007
October 1-2, 2007
American Baptist College
KMSI/American Baptist College
Pastoral Leadership Institute
“Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Project “October 6, 2007
Vanderbilt Divinity School
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
KMSI Saturday Intensive
Herbert Marbury, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible, Vanderbilt Divinity School
“Prophetic Spirituality in the Hebrew Bible”
Spring 2008
March 31- April 1, 2008
Brite Divinity School
National Black Church Studies ConsultationFebruary 2, 2008
Vanderbilt Divinity School
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
KMSI Saturday Intensive
Brad Braxton, Associate Professor of Homiletics and New Testament, Vanderbilt Divinity School
“Pastoral Preaching: Healing a Broken World”March 25-28, 2008
Garnett-Nabrit Lecture Series
Place: American Baptist College
Time: Schedule ForthcomingApril 2-4, 2008
Vanderbilt Divinity School
African American Homiletics Symposium
“African American Prophetic Preaching Tradition”Summer 2008
July 21-23, 2008
American Baptist College
KMSI/American Baptist College
Black Church Sacred Music Institute
“Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Project”
Last Updated: August 20, 2007
Copyright Divinity School, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240