Two of Sydney diocese's key educational bodies are joining forces to give teachers a better understanding of God's word.
The Anglican Education Commission (AEC) and the Moore College Department of External Studies have combined to help teachers and coordinators in Anglican schools to acquire a greater familiarity and comprehension of the Bible.
The Diploma of Biblical Studies will be offered through intensives, rather than weekly evening lectures, starting in July.
"Being able to pursue the Diploma through intensives in July and January vacation will be very attractive to scores of teachers," says AEC Executive Director Dr Bryan Cowling.
Ten units will be covered, giving teachers the Diploma at a pass level.
If participants wish to complete the Diploma of Biblical Studies at honours level they will need to complete 16 subjects of which the final six must be completed through Moore College evening lectures.
The evening lectures are held in six churches throughout the diocese.
Teaching the teachers
Mr Cowling says these studies will help teachers become better equipped to do education Christianly, especially in teaching Christian Studies to primary and secondary students.
"How important it is that such teachers are equipped to answer their students' questions biblically?" Dr Cowling asks rhetorically.
"It is no longer possible to rely on what one was taught at Sunday school or in youth group."
The new Diploma program being developed by Moore College and the Commission will include a new Christian Studies Methods Unit designed especially for classroom practitioners.
In due course, this methods unit will become an accredited optional component within future teacher training programs.
"One of the exciting things about this new arrangement is that the diploma will include a unit on the Methods of Teaching Christian Studies, the only unit of its kind in New South Wales," says the Director of the Moore College Department of External Studies, the Rev Gary Nelson.
"We consider this to be a very exciting initiative designed to bring the teaching of Christian Studies up to the same professional standard as other subjects taught in our schools."
Dr Cowling says he is pleased with the practical nature of the course.
"Because of its focus on teaching, each of the existing units in the Diploma taught in the intensives will have a special emphasis on application to the classroom," he says.
The first intensive commences July 7, for which registrations close May 8. Phone (02) 9577 9911.
