The Open Episcopal Church


A member of the International Council of Community Churches & the World Council of Churches

TRAINING

Procedures and Modules for Training OEC ordinands.

 

Diocesan Bishops are asked to select, with the ordinand, which modules they should study and an individual training programme is written and agreed. A flexible time scale is also agreed for the completion of the individuals training.

The trainer in distance learning sends a written report to the Diocesan Bishop on the completion of each module, which is discussed with the student.

 

Weekend courses combining practical sessions and discussions could be available if there were groups who wished to participate.  These could take place in the dioceses to limit the costs involved.

Skype may also be utilized for discussions.

 

1. Church History

 

a) Early Church: Creeds, Councils, Controversies and Eucharistic liturgies.

b) The place of the BVM and women in the Early Church.

c) The Division between Churches in the east and the west: monasticism

d) The Papacy and the Roman Catholic Church.

e) The Rhineland mystics:  Mechtild, Hildegard, Roesbruoek, Eckhart et al.

f)  The English mystics: Julian, Hilton, Roll, The Cloud of Unknowing, Lull et al.

g) The Medieval Church in England.  Tyndale: the Bible in the Vernacular.

h)  The Reformation: protestant and catholic martyrs.  The various Prayer Books.  The epiclesis: transubstantiation, consubstantiation and the Lords Supper arguments.

i) The Stripping of the Altars and Iconoclasm.

j) The Great Ejection and non-juror Bishops.

l) The Church in Scotland

m) The Church in Wales

n) The early non-conformists in the Quaker, Baptist and Congregational traditions.

o) The work of John and Charles Wesley, George Whitfield and the Methodist revival.

p) The anglo-catholic movement: Pusey, Newman, Jowett et al.

q) Bishop Matthew and the ancient Archiepiscopal See of Utrecht.  Apostolic Succession in the Old Catholic Church.

r) The history of the Open Episcopal Church: its catholicity and its Canon Law.

 

2) Theological Studies

 

a) God: The Holy Trinity

b) The Three Persons: other names for God

c) The Blessed Virgin Mary

d) Sin, faith and salvation

e) Grace and Works

f) The Church

g) Gifts of the Spirit

h) The Minor Orders

i) The Diaconate

j) The Mystery of Priesthood

k) Bishops and Archbishops

l)  The Sacramental Church

m) The Doctrine of the Real Presenceof Christ in the Eucharist

n) Christian Ethics

 

3) Biblical Studies

 

a) The Canon of Scripture and its origins

b) Biblical Criticism

c) An Introduction to the Old Testament

d) An Introduction to the New Testament

e) The Apocrypha

f) The Apocryphal Gospels

g) Introduction to New Testament Greek

h) Introduction to Biblical Hebrew

 

 4) inter-faith Studies

 

a) Judaism

b) Islam

c) Buddhism

d) Shintoism

e) Humanism

f) Hinduism

g) New Age theology        

h) Druidism      

                

5) Pastoralia

 

a) Counselling bereaved families.

b) Spiritual Direction

c) Working with Children and Vulnerable Adults: guidelines for good practice.

d) Teaching and Talking with Children: Godly Play.

e) Baptismal rites.

f) Funeral rites.

g) Offering the Eucharist        

h) Homiletics

i) Resolving conflicts

j) Working as a facilitator

k) Discerning and enabling others gifts

l) House blessings

m) Marriages and the blessing of Civil Partnerships

n) Anointing and the Laying of Hands for Healing

o) Sacramental Confession/Ministry of Reconciliation

p) Growing into maturity through prayer, the offices, retreats and direction.

q) Deliverance ministry        

r) Retail ministry

s) Sermons

t) Bible classes

u) Liturgy and the Daily Office