Fall Course Schedule
The annual Perkins Summit for Faith and Learning offers a wide range of theological mini-courses for laypersons, community leaders and clergy. Somewhere between seminary and Sunday School, Summit leverages the rich learning community of Perkins School of Theology to provide a unique, self-paced experience in theological education—for the church and world. Come for a half-day or spend the whole two days with us. Participants are free to design a customized Summit plan!
Friday evening courses
- Identify and distinguish four expressions of power—power-over, power-to, power-with, and power-within—and analyze how these forms of power operate in everyday relationships, congregational life, community engagement, and broader social systems
甓岆牓瓿 頌橃澊 雮橅儉雮橂姅 雱 臧歆 氚╈嫕—歆氚绊晿瓿 韱奠牅頃橂姅 頌(power-over), 頄夒彊頃橁碃 氤頇旊ゼ 毵岆摛鞏 雮措姅 頌(power-to), 頃粯 順戨牓頃橁碃 鞐半寑頃橂姅 頌(power-with), 雮措┐鞚 臁挫梽瓿 鞛愳嫚臧愳棎靹 雮橃槫電 頌(power-within)—鞚 鞚错暣頃橁碃 甑硠頃橂┌, 鞚措煬頃 頌橂摛鞚 鞚检儊鞚 甏瓿, 甑愴殞 瓿惦彊觳挫潣 靷, 歆鞐偓須 彀胳棳, 攴鸽Μ瓿 雿 雱撿潃 靷殞甑“ 鞎堨棎靹 鞏措柣瓴 鞛戨彊頃橂姅歆毳 攵勳劃頃 靾 鞛堨姷雼堧嫟 - Articulate a Christian understanding of power that challenges dominant, coercive, and oppressive uses of power and presents Christlike power as relational, empowering, self-giving, and transformative
歆氚办爜鞚搓碃 臧曥晻鞝侅澊氅 鞏奠晻鞝侅澑 甓岆牓 靷毄鞐 霃勳爠頃橁碃, 甏瓿勲ゼ 靹胳毎氅, 靷瀸霌れ潣 鞐焿鞚 韨れ毎瓿, 鞛愳嫚鞚 雮挫柎欤茧┌, 靷蛾臣 瓿惦彊觳措ゼ 氤頇旍嫓韨る姅 攴鸽Μ鞀る弰雼れ毚 頌橃潉 鞝滌嫓頃橂姅 旮半弲甑愳爜 甏鞝愳潉 靹る獏頃 靾 鞛堨姷雼堧嫟 - Apply power analysis and a Christian understanding of power to a specific ministry or mission context in order to strengthen the church’s missional agency, cultivate shared leadership, empower marginalized communities, and participate more faithfully in God’s mission
頌橁臣 甓岆牓鞐 雽頃 攵勳劃瓿 旮半弲甑愳爜 鞚错暣毳 鞛愳嫚鞚 甑泊鞝侅澑 氇╉殞 霕愲姅 靹犼祼 順勳灔鞐 鞝侅毄頃溂搿滌崹, 甑愴殞鞚 靹犼祼鞝 欤检泊靹标臣 鞁れ矞 鞐焿鞚 臧曧檾頃橁碃, 順戨牓鞝 毽崝鞁潉 靹胳毎氅, 欤茧硛頇旊悳 瓿惦彊觳挫潣 氇╈唽毽檧 鞐焿鞚 雴掛澊瓿, 頃橂倶雼橃潣 靹犼祼鞐 雿旍毐 於╈嫟頃橁矊 彀胳棳頃 靾 鞛堨姷雼堧嫟
What is AI?
- Basic Concepts
- Basic Functioning
- Chatbots, Reasoning Models, and Agents
- Takeaway
Issues in the use of AI in Christian Ministry
- What can it be used for?
- What should it be used for?
AI in society as it affects Christian Ministry
What if every breath could become a reminder of God’s continual presence and grace? This course explores how God’s creating and sustaining work is revealed through the gift of breath. By bringing together scripture, Wesleyan theology, and the science of breathing, participants are invited to consider how the gift of breath sustains the body’s systems, supports physiological balance, and points toward God’s ongoing sustaining presence.
Saturday morning courses
- Articulate biblical, ethical, and theological positions to support social engagement as a vital aspect of local congregations
- Identify several models for Christian public engagement as part of the church’s ministry
- Identify and distinguish four expressions of power—power-over, power-to, power-with, and power-within—and analyze how these forms of power operate in everyday relationships, congregational life, community engagement, and broader social systems
- Articulate a Christian understanding of power that challenges dominant, coercive, and oppressive uses of power and presents Christlike power as relational, empowering, self-giving, and transformative
- Apply power analysis and a Christian understanding of power to a specific ministry or mission context in order to strengthen the church’s missional agency, cultivate shared leadership, empower marginalized communities, and participate more faithfully in God’s mission
- Define and explain core Christian spirituality concepts like contemplative prayer practices (spiritual disciplines) and the role of the Holy Spirit (discernment).
Los estudiantes definirán y explicarán conceptos fundamentales de la espiritualidad cristiana, como las prácticas de oración contemplativa (disciplinas espirituales) y el papel del Espíritu Santo (discernimiento).
- Express a personal commitment to spiritual growth, recognizing the importance of a Christlike deep prayer life (silence, stillness, solitude).
Los estudiantes expresarán un compromiso personal con el crecimiento espiritual, reconociendo la importancia de una vida de oración profunda y semejante a la de Cristo (silencio, quietud y soledad).
- Apply at least one of the spiritual disciplines learned in class consistently in their daily lives.
Los estudiantes aplicarán de manera constante en su vida diaria al menos una de las disciplinas espirituales aprendidas en clase.
- Identify and describe the biblical foundations for spiritual growth, including key passages from the Gospels.
Los estudiantes identificarán y describirán los fundamentos bíblicos del crecimiento espiritual, incluyendo pasajes clave de los Evangelios.
Saturday afternoon courses
101 Intro course is not required
- AI tools for ministry and how to use them
- Identifying appropriate places for AI to be introduced into the functions of the pastoral ministry
- AI tools to fit these functions
- Hands on creation of an AI Agent as assistant (bring your laptop and we'll work through creation of your own AI agent)
- Articulate biblical, ethical, and theological positions to support social engagement as a vital aspect of local congregations.
Los estudiantes podrán articular posturas bíblicas, éticas y teológicas para fundamentar el compromiso social como un aspecto vital de las congregaciones locales.
- Identify several models for Christian public engagement as part of the church’s ministry.
Los estudiantes podrán identificar diversos modelos de participación pública cristiana como parte del ministerio de la iglesia.
- Cultivate Personal Meaning and Self-Awareness
Identify and articulate their own spiritual values, beliefs, and sources of meaning, and connect these to the course content and their lived experiences.
- Practice Contemplative Presence and Stillness
Engage in at least one daily contemplative practice (e.g., meditation, journaling, deep listening) to learn to experience the presence of the Divine presence of God, practice deep discernment and enhance self-awareness.
- Explore Sacred and Spiritual Traditions
Study and experience a variety of spiritual practices from diverse traditions (e.g., centering prayer, lectio/divina, labyrinths, journaling) to understand their origins, purposes, and personal relevance.
- Integrate Spiritual Practice into Daily Life
Design and sustain a personal spiritual practice that they can incorporate into their daily routines (rule of life).