M.A. Spiritual Formation Emphasis

• Mission and Role
• Outcomes - Core
• Outcomes - Spiritual Formation
• Objectives
• Emphasis Overview
• Admission Requirements
• Graduation Requirements
• Emphasis Requirements
• Curriculum

Mission and Role

The mission of the M.A. program of Talbot School of Theology is the development of disciples of Jesus Christ who will be able to teach their respective disciplines.

As an outgrowth of Talbot School of Theology's role to provide discerning evangelical biblical/theological scholarship and instruction, the M.A. program exists to provide opportunities for specialized focus on disciplines that are crucial to fulfill Talbot's mission. We want to give students who choose one of these discipline areas a foundation upon which they can teach or go on for advanced study. These disciplines include the very basic study of the Bible itself through attention to the Old and New Testaments, theological reflection, and the role of philosophy in articulating and defending a Christian worldview and providing a Christian perspective on current moral issues.

Core Outcomes

As a result of this program, the student will:

A. Personal

1. Be able to understand and apply God's written word to the development of a distinctly Christian worldview that is lived out in daily life and ministry.
2. Have a growing personal knowledge in light of biblical study, resulting in an increasingly intimate knowledge of and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Have a worldview shaped by biblical study and a sense of historical location within the Christian church by which to evaluate current trends in the world and in the church. This worldview should grow and develop in conjunction with continuing biblical, historical, and theological study.
4. Be able to research and interpret the meaning of a passage according to its context, taking into consideration:
   1. Its historical and cultural context as determined through archaeological, historical, and cultural (including linguistic) research.
   2. Its broader biblical context as determined through comparison with the content and themes of related biblical books.
   3. Its theological context as determined through comparison with systematic theology (which is derived from the biblical text).

B. Ministry

1. Be able to teach the results of a researched biblical text in modern contexts such as:
   • In the church. A Sunday school class, a lay training institute, or a church based Bible training program.
   • On the campus. A college-campus based Bible study, seminar, or Bible instruction program.
   • In a community Bible study setting. A men's or women's large group Bible Study context, such as "Workmen of the Word."
   • At work. A workplace Bible Study.
   • On the mission field. A missions setting.
2. Be able to explain to others interpretative differences in the most widely used Bible translations and paraphrases.
3. Be able to provide a reasoned and informed perspective on critical issues related to the Bible, such as issues prominent in critical scholarship and especially those that attract media attention.
4. Be involved in mentoring relationships with others to show them how to develop their intimate knowledge of and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Outcomes - Spiritual Formation

1. Appreciate and deeply grow in the reality that true Christian spirituality is grounded in the double knowledge and encounter of God and self. Students will understand through experience and theory that growth in Christ is based upon an encounter with God and oneself in the Truth.
2. Understand the Word of God and its role as a primary datum for true Christian spirituality. Students will come to have a sufficient grasp and commitment to the Word of God as a primary source of truth for their understanding of spiritual formation and spiritual direction (through courses in theology, biblical studies and spiritual formation).
3. Integrate truth from the data of extra-biblical sources of wisdom and true Christian spirituality. Students will also come to appreciate the relevant information from the history of the church, spiritual classics, personal experience, the humanities, and the social sciences relevant to spiritual growth.
4. Discern what is of truth or falsehood in light of various contemporary competing spiritualities. Students will be able to discern truth and error and what is helpful and unhelpful in true Christian spiritual growth in light of various competing contemporary spiritualities.
5. Foster honest self-assessment and humility. Students will gain an honest understanding of themselves in the presence of God and truth through various experiential prayer projects, meditation on the Word, retreats, spiritual direction, and a small exposure to therapy.
6. Develop deeper understanding of the sinful dynamics at work in one's life and others. Students will become more aware of the sinful dynamics that govern their lives and those they will be ministering to as well as a deeper appreciation of the origin of those dynamics from interaction with the Scriptures, psychological theory, philosophy, prayer projects, and personal experience in therapy, retreats, and spiritual direction.
7. Cultivate deeper intimacy with Christ in prayer. Students will personally nurture intimacy in their relationship to Christ in their meditation on the Word, experiential prayer projects, retreats, and personal experience in spiritual direction.
8. Grow in personal commitment to obedience and character of Christ. Students will cultivate growth in character as well as behavior consistent with the faith in their interaction with their spiritual directors, in projects of personal prayer and meditation on the Word, retreats, and therapy.
9. Expose oneself to ministries of spiritual formation in the local church in courses and experience. Students will be exposed to the various ways spiritual formation may be part of the ministries of a local church in preaching, adult education, and mentoring (through exposure in courses and experiences in retreats and spiritual direction).
10. Explore one's calling to further education or training for ministry. Students will be given the opportunity to explore in prayer, courses, the community of the program, retreats, and spiritual direction their own personal calling to the ministry, whether they should go on for more training in ministry and whether they should pursue further education in related academic areas.
11. Do master's level research in spiritual formation. Students (except in unique cases) will write a master's level thesis in the area of spiritual formation that, in part, will help them to determine their adequacy and desire for further education.

Objectives

The Master of Arts degree, with emphases in Bible Exposition, Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Philosophy of Religion & Ethics, Spiritual Formation and Biblical / Theological Studies-Diversified (non-language), has been developed for those whose calling to Christian service is to positions of leadership for which the Master of Divinity or other professional degrees are not normally required. It is structured to provide:

1. An understanding of Scriptures for students anticipating Christian ministries that would include church administrators, parachurch organization leadership, counselors, "tent-making" occupations in other cultures, lay leaders in the local church and others.
2. A biblical background for those who are preparing for teaching in non-theological fields.
3. An academic background for those who find the Master of Arts degree ample for a teaching position either at home or in a foreign country.
4. A program of study for missionaries who have only a brief furlough time in which to pursue formal study of the Scriptures.
5. Sustainable skills in specific ministries further developing your abilities and spiritual gifts and strengthening your areas of weakness.

Emphasis Overview

This emphasis program is designed as a personal growth and academic degree. It is an intensive, integrative program within the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot School of Theology, designed to equip men and women for the ministry of discipleship and spiritual formation in general, in the local church, and for further academic training in spiritual formation. The program is designed entirely around promoting growth in the believer's inner life of faith and prayer with God in the context of a shared community and developed knowledge-base in the Word.

Because the program is experiential and theoretical in nature with respect to spiritual growth and the dynamic processes involved, the M.A. Emphasis in Spiritual Formation draws upon an interdisciplinary faculty from both Talbot and Rosemead School of Psychology.

It includes both in-depth theoretical and integrative coursework, employing the creation disciplines such as theology, philosophy, psychology and education as well as experiential-relational soul work in classes and co-curricular requirements to aid in understanding the spiritual life mentoring.

Note also that this more academic MA with an emphasis in Spiritual Formation is to be distinguished from the more professional M.A. in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, the latter being fashioned more along the lines of an Apprentice Training Model which includes training, supervision and service components in spiritual direction and mentoring.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree. Each should be a graduate from an accredited college with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

Three essays in addition to those required by the Talbot application are required to be submitted with the supplemental cover sheet.

1. General Essay

   General essay at least 1000 words addressing (a) your understanding of spiritual formation and soul care and (b) why you wish to pursue graduate studies. Include in your essay potential ministerial goals, personal interests, etc.

2. Personal Essay

   Personal Essay briefly express how you envision this program practically affecting your personal life while going through the program (time commitments, family, job and financial needs, etc.).

3. Personal Biography

   Personal Biography at least 1000 words, particularly focusing on the significant spiritual developments of your life, how they have shaped you as a person, and where you are now in your spiritual development.

Submit an additional full-page letter of reference where the person freely discusses why you would be appropriate for the Institute for Spiritual Formation program. This letter should be completed by one of the above references and attached to the reference form.

For special admission deadlines and requirements, contact Graduate Admissions. Due to the unique nature of this program, all applicants will be personally interviewed.

Graduation Requirements

1. Satisfactorily complete 64-66 semester units as outlined in the curriculum charts below.

2. Submit an acceptable thesis, chosen in consultation with the major advisor, or at the option of the major advisor and in lieu of the thesis, complete two additional units of electives. Students who write a thesis will have a total requirement of 64 units and those who take two additional units in lieu of a thesis will have a total requirement of 66 units.

   Students in Spiritual Formation emphasis submit an acceptable Spiritual Formation Master's Project-Thesis, which includes 3 units for writing and one unit for personal growth exploration. The Project-Thesis must involve both a theoretical and practical-experiential dimension in consultation with thesis advisor.

3. At least 24 units must be taken at this seminary. For Spiritual Formation emphasis, at least 51 units must be taken at this seminary.
4. Obtain a 3.0 average with no grade below a "C-" in all courses to be credited toward graduation.
5. Complete the entire program in no more than five years.

Students are placed on academic probation if their grade point average for any semester falls below 3.0 and will remain on probation as long as the single semester or cumulative grade point average remains below 3.0. Probation students are granted one semester in which to bring their academic work up to the required level (3.0) for continuance in the seminary. A student cannot graduate while on probation.

Emphases Requirements

Program Structure

The academic programs leading to the degree Master of Arts with emphases in Bible Exposition, Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Philosophy of Religion & Ethics, Spiritual Formation and Biblical / Theological Studies-Diversified are comprised of 64-66 units structured in common to include:

1. Biblical and theological foundations
2. Academic specialization in one of four disciplines requiring biblical language studies, or general studies in which biblical languages are not required
3. Additional elective courses determined by the student in consultation with the advisor.

Reduction

Applicants who have taken undergraduate courses in biblical or theological studies may request a program reduction based on collegiate work. See Admissions Requirements for details.

Curriculum

First Year

Second Year

Co-Curricular Requirements

1. Personal Spiritual Direction (TTSF 585)
2. Didactic Therapy
3. Faculty-Student Retreat
4. Personal Retreats