An exploration and analysis of the history, polity and characteristic beliefs of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).   The course will include the origins, development, growth and current status of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and its related groups around the world; discussions of the characteristic beliefs and practices which make the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) a unique part of the universal church while celebrating the Disciples’ ecumenical pilgrimage; and an awareness of how the polity of the Disciples of Christ works.

Instructor:    Rev. Dr. Ken Watson a Missouri native, was born in Joplin and grew up in Warrensburg.  He is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who has taught courses for Mid-America Center for Ministry since 1981, primarily a course in Disciple History and Polity. He piloted the first online course for the school in 2010. Dr. Watson retired in 2007 after 43 years in ministry. At his retirement, he was serving as Associate Minister of First Christian Church in Columbia, Missouri. During his 13 years of service there, he developed one of the first Computer Labs for Christian Education and provided leadership in education, outreach and mission, membership development, and worship.

Dr. Watson holds a B.A. in Psychology from Central Missouri State College (now University of Central Missouri), a D. Min. from Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, and a M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He served pastorates in Missouri, Kentucky and Iowa before moving to Columbia, Missouri in 1978.  From 1984-1994 he served as Associate Regional Minister for the Christian Church of Mid-America with primary responsibilities in leader development, Christian education, and overseas ministry relationships as well as providing staff oversight for the Regional Commission on Ministry. He and his wife will be moving to the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina in the Spring of 2015 to be near their daughters.

Dates:   October 13 to December 8, 2015;   April 26 to June 20, 2016 or October 11 to December 6, 2016  (each a separate course)

Cost:      $445.00

Texts:   

• The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation by D. Duane Cummins,  St. Louis, Chalice Press, 2009.
• The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement by Douglas A. Foster, et. al., eds. Grand Rapids, Michigan, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004.
• Reclaiming Our Identity, Reforming Our Practice by Michael Kinnamon and Jan Linn. Disciples: . St. Louis, Missouri, Chalice Press, 2009.
• Room at the Table: Struggle for Unity and Equality in Disciples History, Paperback, September 1, 2009, by Rev. Sandhya Rani Jha

Syllabus: History and Polity of the DOC syllabi

Registration Form:History and Polity Flyer

Online Registration: Register Here!