top of page
BTI Consortium | Last Updated August 15, 2025 - 11:00AM
PRACTICAL & PASTORAL THEOLOGY
School
Boston University School of Theology
STHTY 829
Public Speaking for Chaplaincy
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This 1-credit course explores essential public speaking skills applicable across diverse chaplaincy settings, from delivering professional presentations to officiating at larger-scale community gatherings. Students will gain a practical 'Chaplain's Toolkit' to develop confidence in crafting impactful messages, overcoming 'stage fright,' and speaking with authenticity and ease. Through practical exercises and drawing on their own lived experiences, with a focus on their 'Role of Self in Public Speaking,' students will walk away with spoken communication abilities applicable for a wide array of chaplaincy settings, as well as leadership roles beyond chaplaincy.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Rev. Julie Avis Rogers
See notes
See notes
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
1
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
Friday, September 26, 4-9pm; Saturday, September 27, 8-5pm
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPT7315-01
Mitigating Trauma
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Traumatization occurs at the interrelated social, psychic, and physiological boundaries of life and death. This course offers an introduction to trauma healing and prevention for contexts of pastoral and spiritual care. It surveys approaches to trauma developed in peacebuilding, public health, and psychology, as well as the emerging subfield of trauma theology. Assignments include a book review, a presentation, and a research paper. This is a discussion-based (not lecture-based) class. Close reading is required.
Professor
Class Day & Time
DuBois, Heather
R
03:45PM-06:15PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7278-01
Socio-spiritual Care
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
The dynamics of human living, including experiences of God, are multidimensional: intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, structural, cultural, and global. Given these interrelated interior and exterior dynamics, what are the sources, mediums, aims, and risks of care? This course responds to this question using the literatures of spirituality studies, peace studies, practical theology, and pastoral care.
Professor
Class Day & Time
DuBois, Heather
W
01:00PM-03:50PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMST7057-01
Theological Foundations in Practical Perspective
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Taught from a pastoral perspective, this course offers an overview of contemporary Christian theology, introducing basic theological themes reflected in Co-Workers e.g. the cultural context in which we do theology, God, being human, Jesus, reign of God, Church. It considers theological methods and investigates the sources that contribute constructions of theological positions.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Griffith, Colleen M
W
10:00AM-12:50PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
CO611
Theories of Personality
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Students will gain an understanding of and will critique of the historical and contemporary theories of personality development from a biblical and theological perspective. In this course, students develop a deep understanding of their own personality and how it interrelates with other personalities in the counseling session. Students also reflect on personality as a mediator between psychopathology and well-being and how models of abnormal personality apply to clinical situations and translate into practical therapeutic interventions.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Domigan, Paul
W
1:30-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
SYNC
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
NA
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
MC/PC608
Pastoral Care in the Urban Church
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This seminar will seek to help the urban pastor to discern�some of the chronic problems and conflicts confronted by youth, adults, and senior citizens as they�struggle for survival amid tension, frustration, and change in the daily, inner city experience of living and�how to deal creatively and constructively with such problems.�
Professor
Class Day & Time
Celestin, Carlot
T
6-9pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
SYNC
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
NA
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
MC701
Pastoral Ministry
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This course examines the call, identity, office, character, relationships, authority, and spiritual formation and maturation of the Christian pastor. These aspects of pastoral ministry are viewed from biblical and theological perspectives. Historical and cultural dimensions will also be considered. Items presented include the following: Calling, Identity, Roles and Expectations of the Pastor; Church Culture and its relation to the Larger Culture; Worship and Liturgy; Baptism (children and adults) and Child Dedication; Communion; Weddings; Funerals and Grief Work; Pastoral Care; Church Finances; Clergy Ethics; Sexual Ethics and Behavior; Legal Matters, Staff Relationships; Conflict Management; Leadership Development and Resilience.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Ribeiro Lin, Davi
R
9am-12pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
NA
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3188
Spirituality and Technology
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This course will provide students with an introduction to the frontier world of engineered spirituality. In this world, advances in technology are used for new forms of spiritual exploration, extending the range of cognitive enhancement, consciousness hacking, and achieving altered and mystical states of awareness that are otherwise hard to access by ordinary means. Populated by a range and variety of digital prostheses that extends the mind-body-machine couplings in directions that are surprising and novel - wearables that track brain activity to assist in achieving advanced meditative states, using neurofeedback mechanisms to sync the emotional states of different people, curated psychedelic tourism that adjusts the design of the environment to induce a mystical experience, AI digital twins that track your biomarkers, stress levels and google calendars to help one create a sense of peak performance via a sense of primal detachment � this world of spirit tech does the most to reveal the future shapes of spirituality, and perhaps even religion. With the massive rise of people who identify as nones and �spiritual but not religious� as well as the overwhelming malaise amongst younger people, engineered spirituality might become widespread sooner than we realize. This course will provide students with front-row seating to this nascent new world through a combination of a conceptual reading of some primary analytical and philosophical texts to understand this world of spirit tech as well as a series of case studies from the biotech, longevity, and wellbeing industry that aim to concretely realize some of these ideas.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Bagaria
T
12:00pm-01:59pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
PAST 6011 A
Theology of Pastoral Care I Field E
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Field Education
Professor
Class Day & Time
Stavroula Gurguliatos
arr.
arr.
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
0
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
PAST 6601 H1
Grief, Death, and Dying
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
One cannot overstate the significance of death, and preparing for death, in understanding life and, particularly, life in Christ. Pastors and ministers are certain to be called upon to minister to those facing death and those grieving the loss of a loved one. In this course, students will develop a pastoral approach to the dying and those experiencing grief through a survey the existing literature on grief and bereavement in the context of the Orthodox theology of life after death. Students will explore the art and skill of ministering to the dying and the bereaved and develop their understanding of a theological framework for caring for the dying and the bereaved. Necessarily, this topic will touch upon our own personal experiences of loss and death, and students will be invited to explore how their own beliefs and experiences can inform and enhance their pastoral approach.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dr. Philip Mamalakis
R
2:10pm-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7093-01
Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling: A Narrative Approach
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
In this foundational course, we develop an understanding of critical dimensions of competent and compassionate pastoral care and counseling today. Drawing substantially on a narrative approach to care, we explore pastoral care and counseling from contemporary pastoral-theological, social-scientific, and cultural perspectives. Particular topics addressed are family systems theory; implicit bias and racism; domestic violence; suicide; power and boundaries; resilience and self-care; and skills for pastoral care.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Kelley, Melissa M
F
01:00PM-04:00PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMPS7182-01
Pastoral Care in/with Communities of Faith: Creating Networks of Care
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Life is in inherently relational, multidimensional, interconnected, and located within larger systems and structures � i.e. communities. Thus, our practices of pastoral care and counseling must likewise attend to the multidimensional and systemic nature of relationality. This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore personal, pastoral, and communal processes of creating networks of care in communities of faith and para-church organizations. Both pastoral and lay leaders will learn how to engage and utilize systems theory, conflict theory, therapeutic skills and processes, and theological and spiritual resources to navigate conflict, foster dialogue, and build constructive solutions and possibilities in community as part of an overarching practice of pastoral care. Particular attention will be given to one’s self-in-relationship and the capacity to remain a non-anxious, non-reactive constructive presence.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Roozeboom, William D
see notes
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
ASYNC
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
Asynchronous
School
Boston College School of Theology & Ministry
TMHC7022-01
Spiritual Autobiography: Journeys into the Self and God
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This course examines the spiritual autobiographies of well-known individuals such as Augustine of Hippo, Thrse of Lisieux, Howard Thurman, Dorothy Day, Walter Ciszek, S.J., Nancy Mairs, and James Cone. In addition to reading classic texts by profound and influential religious seekers, the class will explore how religious experiences, understandings of the self, God and the supernatural are shaped by diverse historical contexts. Lectures and discussion.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Mooney, Catherine
W
04:00PM-06:20PM
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Boston University School of Theology
STHTY 842
Pastoral Psychology of Healing
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Every person, in her or his personal relationships and professional activities, is guided by a complex, often tacit, theory of healing, comprised of judgments about illness/suffering (what's wrong?); health/well-being (what's possible? what's ideal?); the trajectory from one to the other (how do we get there?); and factors that enhance as well as inhibit movement along that trajectory (what should we do?). Examining and comparing a range of theories of healing--in psychology, medicine, Christian traditions, world religions, and non-Western cultures--equips us critically to reflect upon, amend, if not reconstruct our respective theories of healing.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Schlauch, Chris
M
2:30pm-5:15pm
Grading Option
Letter
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
CO709
Counseling in Addictive Behaviors
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This course will cover prevention and intervention with addictive behaviors.� The course will address etiology, assessment and models of treatment. Students will explore a theology of addiction and a Christian response to prevention and intervention.
Professor
Class Day & Time
John, Jenny & DeSouza, Valter
F Sat
Fri 6:30-9:30pm; Sat 8:30am-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
SYNC
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
Sept. 26-27, Oct. 24-25, Nov. 21-22
School
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary-Hamilton
MC/SE602
Church & Community: Intro to Public Ministry Church
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This course introduces��students to important strategies for social ministry, such as, congregation based community organizing,�community development, and others, designed to facilitate a holistic social ministry and prophetic role in�the community and exploring as avenues towards gospel faith_fulness and shalom in the city. The�biblical/theological bases for social responsibility are explored. � � ��� � � � � �
Professor
Class Day & Time
Wright, Annette
Sat
8:30am-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
SYNC
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
Sept. 27, Oct. 25, Nov. 22
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 2966
Change, Adversity and Spiritual Resilience
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Change and adversity can impact one's spiritual life in challenging ways. Spiritual loss, trauma and resistance to change during such times can hinder one's potential for spiritual growth or a deepening of faith. By drawing on Buddhist teachings on mindfulness, impermanence, the nature of mind, and considering recent advances in positive psychology, this seminar will explore how spiritual counselors or others in caregiving roles can apply these perspectives in theory and practice to interfaith counseling settings, as well as how mindfulness practice can help foster spiritual resilience in those experiencing life change, adversity or spiritual crisis.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Berlin
W
03:00pm-05:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
This is a limited enrollment course and requires instructor permission. Interested students can email the instructor prior to the first class meeting, to assess their interest and be placed on a preliminary class list. In the event that the course is over-enrolled, prospective students will be asked to write a paragraph during the first class meeting to indicate their degree program, school, year, and rationale for taking the class. Selected students will then be invited to enroll in the course via email by the end of that first day.
School
Harvard Divinity School
HDS 3280
Spiritual Care for Nones
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
This course is designed for people training to be chaplains in situations in which they might serve nonreligious folks. We will be discussing what chaplaincy and/or ministry is when practiced outside of traditional religion. We will also be learning practical skills in order to build out your spiritual care toolkit for serving religious nones.For the bulk of the course we will be using novels to suss out what we think chaplaincy for non-religious people can mean and what it can look like. We will also use these texts in order to practice using secular texts as if they were sacred ones; one of the spiritual tools we will be practicing.In this course we all talk about storytelling, nail-painting, tarot and tea reading, eye contact, listening to music and other activities as sacred. Students should leave this class with an idea of what their chaplaincy is and with a firm idea of several tools that they can use in order to do that work.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Zoltan
TBD
TBD
Grading Option
Letter, P/F
Credits
4
Professor Approval Req'd?
Y
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
PAST 6011 H1
Theology Of Pastoral Care I
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
As one part of your journey here at Holy Cross, this course, the Theology of Pastoral Care I, is intended to help you integrate and apply the knowledge you have acquired in other classes into your own life and in pastoral care situations. As a Field Education Course for hospital ministry, you will be placed in a local hospital for the semester. Specifically, we will explore hospital ministry as one aspect of pastoral care, as we develop a theology of pastoral care. The intent of this class is not to provide you with the right answers for pastoral situations. Rather, this course is designed, with the readings, class discussions, theological reflection groups, and assignments to develop your knowledge and skills related to hospital ministry as well as your personal identity as an Orthodox Christian seminarian and future minister or priest. Course is cross-listed as FLED 6101.
Professor
Class Day & Time
TO BE ANNOUNCED
TR
9:10am-10:30am
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
School
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
PAST 6662 H1
Pastoral Care & Mental Health
BTI Category
Semester
Practical/Pastoral Theology
FA25
Issues of mental illness and health continue to challenge pastors and ministers as they seek to guide their parishes and communities. Recent events related to the pandemic have increased the rates of mental illness in our communities, heightened the need for pastors to possess a basic level of competency related to understanding mental health and illness. Mental illness and health, how we define it, how we identify it, and how we address it calls into question how we understand God, human nature, the person, free will/personal agency, and the relationship that these issues, theologically, have with the broad field of mental health, commonly referred to as psychology. This class will explore these issues as they apply to the most prevalent issues of mental health that a pastor/priest/minister will encounter in the parish. Special emphasis will be placed on the relationship between theology and psychology and the role of the pastor/priest/minister in ministering to people struggling with issues of mental health in the parish.
Professor
Class Day & Time
Dr. Philip Mamalakis
W
2:10pm-4:30pm
Grading Option
Letter, P/F, Audit
Credits
3
Professor Approval Req'd?
N
Online?
N
Prerequisites?
N
Notes
N/A
bottom of page