Overview
Explores the origins, definitions, and treatments of trauma, and its impact on the body, on relationships, and on spirituality. Studies congregational and community care relating to trauma.
This course familiarises students with origins, definitions, and treatment of trauma from multiple disciplines. Trauma’s impact on the body, soul, relationships, and spirituality will be highlighted, along with congregational and community care. The course explores individual mental health concerns in the contexts of family of origin, intergenerational trauma born by repeated oppression and injustice, and community-wide traumas. Students will learn key principles of trauma-informed pastoral care in multi-ethnic contexts and discuss and develop their own ethical standards for trauma care.
About this paper
| Paper title | Special Topic: Trauma-Informed Ministry |
|---|---|
| Subject | Ministry |
| EFTS | 0.1667 |
| Points | 20 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2026 (Distance learning) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,393.95 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Restriction
- PAST 307
- Limited to
- BA(Hons), PGDipArts, PGCertChap, PGDipChap, MChap, BTheol(Hons), PGDipTheol, MTheol, PGDipMin, MMin, PGDipFBLM, MFBLM
- Eligibility
Any student can study Theology, whether they are of the Christian faith, another faith or of no religious faith at all. Theology is an examination of the scriptures, history, content and relevance of the Christian faith, but it presupposes or requires no Christian commitment from students. All it requires is an inquiring mind and an interest in those skills that can be gained through the study of any subject in the Humanities.
- Contact
- More information link
- Teaching staff
Dr Karen McClintock
- Paper Structure
Module 1: What is Trauma?
Module 2: Offering Trauma-Informed Care – Principles and Prejudices
Module 3: Building Confidence and Competence
Module 4 Theological questions as “quests”
Module 5 Healing Modalities
- Teaching Arrangements
This Distance Learning paper is taught through a five-day residential block course in Dunedin. Students are required to attend this block course. The block course will start at 1pm on Monday 27 January and conclude at 1pm on Friday 31 January 2025. Classes will be held on the University of Otago Campus, Dunedin.
- Textbooks
McClintock, Karen A. Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: How to Respond When Things Fall Apart. Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2022.
- Course outline
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Scholarship, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students taking this paper at the 400 level will have:
- Written a personal ethic that matches standards of practice within trauma-informed care
- Studied signs and symptoms of trauma and secondary trauma and identified trauma-vulnerability in themselves and others
- Recognised the specific needs of diverse constituents with multiple-traumatic losses
- Reviewed commonly made mistakes in trauma care and learned to avoid them
- Learned how to make space for spiritual questions
- Explored the healing stages of trauma and learned multiple ways to promote recovery
- Wrestled with atonement theology and the question of redemption for traumatically wounded people
- Analysed a current or past faith-based community to learn its trauma history and its strengths for trauma resiliency
- Assessment details
A 2,500 word essay, A 2-4 page assignment and a 3,000 word essay.
Timetable
Overview
Exploration of the application of biblical exegesis to the ministerial tasks of preaching and pastoral care.
This paper will explore the ways in which scholarly exegesis of the Bible provides a foundation for the tasks of Christian ministry including especially the nurturing of spiritual growth, preaching, and pastoral care. It will further explore how to translate the fruits of biblical exegesis into effective preaching and bring biblical texts to bear upon the ministerial tasks of pastoral care and the nurturing of spiritual growth.
About this paper
| Paper title | Special Topic: The Luminous Word: Exegesis for Preaching and Pastoral Ministry (Advanced) |
|---|---|
| Subject | Ministry |
| EFTS | 0.1667 |
| Points | 20 points |
| Teaching period | 1st Non standard period (1 February 2027 - 23 June 2027) (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- One 300 or 400 level paper in BIBS, PAST, or MINS
- Restriction
- PAST 307
- Limited to
- BA(Hons), PGDipArts, PGCertChap, PGDipChap, MChap, BTheol(Hons), PGDipTheol, MTheol, PGDipMin, MMin, PGDipFBLM, MFBLM
- Eligibility
Any student can study Theology, whether they are of the Christian faith, another faith or of no religious faith at all. Theology is an examination of the scriptures, history, content and relevance of the Christian faith, but it presupposes or requires no Christian commitment from students. All it requires is an inquiring mind and an interest in those skills that can be gained through the study of any subject in the Humanities.
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the Theology Programme's website.
- Teaching staff
Professor Ellen Davis
- Teaching Arrangements
This paper is taught through a five-day residential block course at the University of Otago, in Dunedin from 1-5 February 2027. Students are required to attend this block course.
All teaching will be done during this week and students will be given dates in the following semester in which to complete their assessments.
In teaching the course Professor Davis will be joined by several guest presenters.
- Textbooks
To be read in advance:
Ellen Davis, Preaching the Luminous Word: Biblical Sermons and Homiletical Essays (Eerdmans, 2016).
Michael Rhodes, Just Discipleship: Biblical Justice in an Unjust World (IVP Academic, 2023).
- Course outline
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Scholarship, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Through the various writing assignments and group presentations, students are expected to strive toward the following goals:
- critical engagement with biblical texts, scholarly arguments, and aspects of contemporary Christian culture;
- exegetical competency with a variety of biblical texts and genres, and to draw persuasive connections between biblical texts and contemporary situations;
- increased appreciation of the whole canon of Scripture as a resource for Christian ministry.