Course Schedule

This course, offered by LIAT, provides a survey of the Old Testament, focusing on the texts in their historical and literary contexts. Students will learn to read the texts from various perspectives and evaluate the notion of the literature as sacred texts both for ancient readers as well as contemporary faith communities. Evaluation will be based on participation in interactive discussions, content quizzes, written assignments and examinations. This course meets in a blended format.
Note: This course offered by LIAT begins Thursday, September 12th and meets weekly for 12 weeks. Meeting time: 6:30PM – 8:00PM.

New Testament for Bachelor’s Equivalency Program (English)
Note: This LIAT course begins Monday, September 9th and meets weekly for 12 weeks. Meeting time: 6:30PM – 8:00PM.

This course will focus on biblical exegesis (interpretation) as a preliminary step toward creating the sermon.
Note: This course is offered by LIAT (Leadership Institute at Allen Temple) Beginning September 9th for 5 weeks. Mondays from 5:30PM – 8:30PM.

This course, offered by LIAT, will introduce you to the basic themes of Christian Theology and offer an overview of the concepts and key developments of Christian thought. We will examine key terms and ideas that have moved from early periods into modern theology. We will review the sources and methods of theology and their influences on our personal theological thought process. We will also explore several major Christian theological doctrines with an emphasis on redefining our personal theology on God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This is the first of a two-part introduction to theology. This class will be taught using the Zoom platform. Instructor The Honorable Diana Becton
Note: This LIAT course begins Thursday, September 12th and meets weekly for 12 weeks. Meeting time: 8:15PM – 9:45PM.

An introduction to the theory and praxis of contemporary pedagogies & religious curricula. This course is on how to plan, organize, and implement a church education ministry for seniors, adults, youth, and/or children in a theological context. We will discuss the goals and creation of a spiritual development program, including educational design and ongoing assessment. Students will take turns leading, teaching, and evaluating existing programs, including the use of videos, art, music, and theological reflection, as well as other best practices.

This course will be taught by one of the premier preachers in the Bay Area.
Note: This LIAT course begins Monday, October 15th and meets weekly for 5 weeks. Meeting time: 5:30PM – 8:30PM.

This course, offered by LIAT, explores the intersection of liberation theology and homiletics, focusing on the role of preaching in promoting social justice, liberation, and equity. Students will examine the primary themes of liberation theology, as well as its biblical antecedents. The Creation Story will be explored as a laboratory text for preaching on liberation, as well as the preaching of Jesus. Instructor Rev. Dr. Alvin Bernstein.
Note: This LIAT course begins Tuesday, December 3rd and meets weekly for 5 weeks. Meeting time: 5:30PM – 8:30PM.

This course, offered by LIAT, is designed with modern times, current events, and the present situation of our world in view. It presupposes the probability of preaching truth to power and applying the gospel (good news) in a way that is clear, arresting, and captivates this modern day generation. Students will be equipped and prepared to preach and proclaim to a modern generation based upon spiritual truth, biblical theology, hermeneutics, and homiletics. Students will be empowered to develop sermons and preach with various tools in light of the gospel and employ fruitfully in today’s modern world. Theorems behind preaching, delivery, and subject matter will be presented in a way that the student will be able to appeal in present day. Instructor Rev. Dr. Ovester Armstrong Jr., DM
Note: This LIAT course begins Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and meets weekly for 5 weeks. Meeting time: 5:30PM – 8:30PM.

This introductory course explores the interplay of religion and culture, emphasizing the American context. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing religion as a socio-cultural phenomenon and a belief system. Taking advantage of the current moment in American electoral politics, we will examine various attempts to shape the body politic informed by competing ideologies ranging from Liberation Theologies to White Christian Nationalism.

In this Pastoral Care course offered by LIAT, students acquire the skills to exercise active listening, empathy, and compassion with special attention to the needs of the Latino culture. This class offers a holistic understanding of our relationship with others. It includes a review of theological positions regarding pastoral care.
Note: This LIAT course begins Monday, September 9th and meets weekly for 12 weeks. Meeting time: 8:15PM – 9:45PM.

This course will focus on the systematic study of human society and the power to (1.) guide behavior in patterned ways (2.) help shape public policy and (3.) promote social change. An overview of sociological theories and investigative methods will lay the groundwork for a better understanding of everyday life. Some topics to be addressed include culture, socialization, deviance, and the intersectionality of race, gender, class, and age. The remaining focus will highlight the power of society to (1.) shape our major social institutions and (2.) impact our role in collective behavior and social movements.

The heightened Israeli/Palestinian conflict has been in the news since Hamas attacked a Israeli quibbutz on October 7, 2023. This class will review the history of zionism from biblical times to the current moment with an emphasis on the global Christian response(s).

This advanced seminar will explore how culture, power, and justice affect the ways we read the Bible will draw on global readings of the Bible as well as intentionally contextual readings from the United States, including womanist, feminist, Asian-American, Latina, Black and other hermeneutical approaches. To deepen our understanding of how all interpretation is contextual, we will also consider readings from the dominant androcentric, North Atlantic strands of history of interpretation and engage ethnography of reading. We will consider and perform biblical interpretation as ethical activity. Evaluation will be based on seminar participation and leadership, two critical interpretive papers and a final essay constructing a personal hermeneutic. This class is open to M.Div. and other masters degree students, can be leveled up for D.Min. and Ph.D. students.

This course serves as an introductory exploration into theology and ethics, a mandatory course for MCL students. Throughout the semester, we will delve into five distinct topics—immigration, feminicide, racism, secularization, and AI—examining them on both global and local scales and exploring their intersection with religion to foster theological reflection. Classes will incorporate lectures, presentations, and discussions to engage with these complex issues.

This seminar explores the concept of the Church through the lens of liturgical ecclesiology. It delves into the Church’s dual identity: its spiritual reality as a living sacrifice (drawing on Romans 12:1) and its institutional reality as a means of grace. By examining the elements and arrangements of the weekly Sunday service, the seminar will investigate how liturgical practices of means of grace function to shape and fulfill the Church’s spiritual reality of living sacrifice for the congregation. Students will actively participate in class discussions, deliver presentations, and write research papers on various aspects of worship.

Credit hours for preparation for Dissertation.

This core Doctor of Ministry course has been created specifically to train DMin students in creating viable research methods for their DMin projects that will generate reliable qualitative data. Evaluation based on seminar participation, research training exercises, a book review, and a first draft of the D.Min. research proposal. Course will meet throughout the semester in remote synchronous format using Zoom and include asynchronous elements on Moodle. Typically taken six moths after DM-6078 Becoming Culturally Responsive: Part I.

To be(come) Culturally Responsive requires mentors and partners. Each student in the newly revised Competency Based Doctor of Ministry program will journey alongside a thematic cohort with several DMin students and mentors. A student’s mentor team can be geographically centered or spread across the globe. The remote realities that have become the new normal in our world create possibilities for communication and gatherings from anyplace at any time. Year 1 of Berkeley School of Theology’s Culturally Responsive Competency Based DMin will address several themes. Each student will select one of the seven themes to emphasize and build his/her mentor team accordingly.

For Dmin students only, upon completion of coursework until completion of dissertation.

Students must have an approved internship to engage in supervised ministry placement for MDIV and MCL degree requirements. Format of class gatherings include: (1) joint orientation to interface with mentor supervisors, (2) group sharing on placement experiences, (3) discussion about faculty selected readings and topics, as well as (4) review of particular assignments (learning covenant / reflection papers / timely completion of evaluation forms) pertinent to the internship. Pre-set sessions will meet on Mondays 3:40-5:00 via Zoom (subject to change w/ students’ input)

Note Registration Restrictions: Auditors Excluded

This course will address theories and practices for effective leadership in an intercultural context. We will consider biblical examples of leadership, The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership by Kouzes and Posner, along with cultural intelligence as building blocks towards developing intercultural leadership. Special attention will be paid to biblical and contemporary examples of leadership practices that are aimed at reconciling cultural dilemmas. Students will be encouraged to reflect on how they have been influenced by significant leaders while creating a plan for their own intercultural leadership development.

As the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion further take hold in the Church in the United States, there will be a greater need for competent intercultural leaders. As with many other examples of effective leadership, leaders of diversity-oriented ministries must practice, preach, and live what they believe about diversity, equity, and inclusion of all kinds of people in keeping with the mission of Christ. The good news about intercultural leadership competencies is that they, through missiological praxis—reflection, self-awareness, shared learning experiences, application, and reflection–are accessible. Therefore, the Leading Diversity-Oriented Ministries Program aims to broaden and strengthen the intercultural competencies of church planters, pastoral leaders, ministry leaders, and higher education professionals. The program has the following objectives: (1) increase participants’ leadership capital; (2) equip them with knowledge, skills, tools, and experience; and (3) build capacity for their ministries to be diversity-oriented.

This course will help students maximize the use of technology in their ministry. Students will critically assess where their ministry is in the digital world, strengthen the technological tools they are using already, and then discover new tools for ministry. This course examines the place of technology in ministry. Students will have hands-on learning experience on various methods to use technology and how it can contribute to the effectiveness for ministry.

This introductory preaching course is designed to enable the students to learn the theoretical and practical elements of contemporary preaching
from diverse traditions and contexts. There will be lectures, presentations, and weekly writings and discussions around topics related to today’s
diverse understanding of preaching and students will preach three sermons for the class.

This course will focus on sermon preparation and delivery. Students will prepare sermon outlines, write sermons on one page which includes a clear thesis and argument(s), a compelling introduction and conclusion. As the instructor, I will help students with developing interesting topics that helps listeners appreciate the context and content of a biblical text. Sermons will delivered (by zoom) to peer course mates. Although part one is helpful, Students who not had part one may enroll.

Note Registration Restrictions: Faculty Consent Required. Maximum enrollment: 12

This course is an advanced seminar on contemporary preaching theories for Masters and Doctoral students. Starting with the historical and
cultural background of the New Homiletic, a revolution in homiletic which began in the 1960s in North America, this course surveys
theological, cultural, and practical issues around the New Homiletic and their related theories in today’ s world. Students will make
presentations, write research papers, and preach sermons; they will also take a part in class discussion around selected authors or topics each week. A prerequisite: an introductory or basic preaching course. Basic or Introduction to Preaching Course required.

Note Registration Restrictions: Auditors with Faculty Permission

Creative Church & Community, Spirituality & Resilience, Justice & Reconciliation, Border-Crossing. These are all topics that will be addressed through the lenses of Bible, Theology, Ethics, History, and Praxis as a means of introducing and preparing the online student to /for the work of theological study and reflection. In part 1 of this two-part, year-long, MTS core online introduction the student will engage key terms, concepts, and methodologies; in part 2 (spring semester) the student will make application of all of the above to a topic of their own choosing. [This is the only core course for the BST MTS=Master’s in Theological Studies & entering DMIN students]

Creative Church & Community, Spirituality & Resilience, Justice & Reconciliation, Border-Crossing. These are all topics that will be addressed through the lenses of Bible, Theology, Ethics, History, and Praxis as a means of introducing and preparing the online student to /for the work of theological study and reflection. In part 1 of this two-part, year-long, MTS core online introduction the student will engage key terms, concepts, and methodologies; in part 2 (spring semester) the student will make application of all of the above to a topic of their own choosing. [This is the only core course for the BST MTS=Master’s in Theological Studies & entering DMIN students]

El Libro de Job es uno de los libros más interesantes y complejos del Antiguo Testamento. Escrito hace miles de años, el tema central sigue siendo presente: El sufrimiento. El personaje de Job y sus amigos debaten sobre el sufrimiento y como entender la relación entre sufrimiento y Dios. En este curso exploraremos el libro de Job en su contexto y en el contexto presente: ¿Tiene el libro de Job algo que decir sobre el sufrimiento actual? ¿Tiene el libro de Job una repuesta acerca del sufrimiento? ¿Qué pasa cuando a alguien “bueno” la pasan cosas malas? Todas estas preguntas recibirán nuestra atención a lo largo del curso.

Este curso de nivel básico es una introducción a la historia, las definiciones, los conceptos, la preparación y el uso de materiales y elementos constituyentes de la predicación y adoración cristianas. Se enfatizarán el análisis y conocimiento del contexto de la predicación y la adoración, una adecuada exégesis bíblica en la preparación del sermón y el uso efectivo de recursos relevantes al siglo 21 y a la comunidad latina cristiana en los Estados Unidos.

En este curso los estudiantes podrán adquirir herramientas para ejercer liderazgo pastoral en la iglesia y comunidad. El acercamiento al liderazgo utiliza como base la inteligencia emocional y el pensamiento sistémico. El curso consiste en un estudio de liderazgo contextual y un análisis de seis tipos de liderazgo efectivo.

This course will provide a basic introduction to the study and message of the Old Testament. The successful student will have 1) acquired a socio-cultural and theological overview of the Hebrew Bible with focus on basic content, critical issues and exegetical and hermeneutical methodologies; as well as 2) developed a self-awareness concerning their/her/his own social location and its relationship to the reading, thinking, and doing of biblical, historical, and theological work; as well as 3) applied methods, theologies, and interpretations to contemporary social justice concerns. This course is for masters-level students. This course will be hybrid format.

This course is dedicated to improving your confidence and skill in critical thinking and academic writing through presentations, discussions, practice, and critique. You’ll learn the difference between uncritical and critical thinking, how to distinguish between info, data, and assertion, how to identify bias, and how to test an argument and evaluate evidence. You’ll learn how to create, support, and conclude an effective argument (thesis), cite sources, and have a chance to practice the many kinds of academic writing which will be required of you in seminary: exegesis, theological essay, exploratory research, personal reflection, and reviews.

James Baldwin, one of the leading figures of the 20th century, bore passionate witness to the truth about poverty, racism, religion, homophobia, and the struggle for justice in America. Throughout this course, we will read and discuss selected novels, short stories, essays, and video clips from his talks, as well as the documentary “I Am Not Your Negro,” and the movie based on his novel If Beale
Street Could Talk. We will absorb the ether of Baldwin’s life—Pentecostalism and his beginnings as a boy preacher, the impact of
discrimination, an artist exiled in Paris, the Civil Rights Movement, and Baldwin’s return to America—and see how his searing depictions of the realities forged in slavery and misogyny, Jim Crow laws, and lynching provide an education for understanding their legacies, as well as the urgent need for love and liberation in today’s world. Students will address the complexity of personal questions

Restorative justice is an integral part of public theology embodied in the roles of ministry leaders to help our communities heal and thrive. Restorative justice, as a conceptual framework is rooted in ethical constructs of interactive accountability. How can the theoretical principles translate into re-envisioned praxis for public witness that extends beyond its criminal justice origins to include peace-building in public justice work? With guest speakers and interactive group work, students will probe issues and models to examine effective uses and potential for new paradigms.

Note Registration Restrictions: Auditors Excluded

The course emphasizes liberatory, and contemporary thought, through brief but in-depth encounters with historically pivotal or influential essays, texts, thinkers, and ideas. Students will learn to use and interpret basic theological concepts and models, using traditional vocabularies (doctrine of God, creation, theological anthropology, Christology, suffering and evil, soteriology, pneumatology, eschatology) by engaging a variety of theological texts critically and creatively. Students will be invited to participate as theologians while gaining a sense of how theology is a temporal, contextual, ongoing and imaginative endeavor, in which present articulations are flooded with, produced by, argue with, extend, contradict, and depart from inherited claims about the relations between God, Jesus/Christ, the Holy Spirit, humanity, life, and the universe(s). Course format: Lecture and discussion.