THCP304 - Christian Community Engagement

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

(UNCC100 Self and Community: Exploring the Anatomy of Modern Society OR PHCC102 Being Human OR PHCC104 Ethics and the Good Life ) AND THCT100 What Christians Believe AND THBS100 Introduction to the Bible

Teaching organisation

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes a minimum of 70 hours placement, together with up to 10 hours in class with a School of Theology appointed mentor and other students enrolled in the unit. The remaining time will include preparing a learning contract, writing a reflection paper on the placement and giving an oral report to the class.

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit, normally taken after 160 cp of a student's enrolment in the Bachelor of Theology, meets the University's Core Curriculum "community engagement" requirements. In this unit, after appropriate consultation, students involve themselves in a particular area of Christian activity or concern (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, groups involved in spirituality, liturgy, social justice, the arts, care for youth, the elderly, the suffering or disadvantaged). This engagement is both practical and reflective, in accord with the demands of a pastoral theological methodology. The practical experience of the focus of Christian concern is balanced with study and reflection in the light of theoretical perspectives. The aim of the unit is for students to apply a critical understanding of the relevance and implications of Christian belief and practice to the life of the church and diverse contexts.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Content

Topics and activities will include: 

• Reflection and discernment on the desired area of engagement, and the aims and limits of the project; 
• Articulation and theological reflection on the mission ethos of a specific Christian community and its contribution to the Church and/or society at large; 
• Application to the group/community/institution with an expression of the student’s specific interests; 
• Involvement in the activity of the group/community/institution; 
• Building safe and supportive environments for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults 
• Methods of practical theology, especially critical correlation and praxis methodologies; 
• Undertaking theological reflection and keeping a record of the experience. 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes a minimum of 70 hours placement, together with up to 10 hours in class with a School of Theology appointed mentor and other students enrolled in the unit. The remaining time will include preparing a learning contract, writing a reflection paper on the placement and giving an oral report to the class.  

The unit is normally offered in multi-mode, with online classes and community engagement. Students learn through formally structured and sequenced learning activities that support the achievement of the learning outcomes. Students are asked to critically reflect, analyse, and integrate new information with existing knowledge, draw meaningful new connections, and then apply what they have learned. Collaborative and peer learning is also emphasised.  

The online classes will enable students to acquire an understanding and appreciation of Christian community engagement. Students will be guided in developing the skills of theological reflection on their practical experience.  

THCP304 emphasises students as active, adult learners. Students are recognised as adult learners who engage best when what they are learning is relevant to them and gives them the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning. In many ways, the student is the one who drives the learning forward, and their active participation in this unit is essential. Learning is designed to be an engaging and supportive experience, which helps students to develop critical thinking and reflection skills. 

Procedures for Approval of Placements 

All placements must be approved in advance by the relevant officer in the School of Theology. 

All Australian Catholic University requirements for community engagement placements must be met.

The experience may be completed on an extended basis (for example, one day per week for a period of ten weeks) or on an intensive basis (for example, two weeks full time).  

It is the student’s responsibility to propose the location of the placement, to negotiate with the proposed supervisor in situ, and to seek approval of the placement and supervisor by the appropriate officer in the School of Theology. This includes approval of the learning contract. 

The School appointed Mentor (Lecturer-in-Charge) may approve placements and supervisors within the student’s own city or regional community.  

With the approval of the Head of School, and if appropriately supported by a relevant organisation, the placement may occur as part of a short-term, formally organised program in an overseas or interstate context.  

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to complete this unit successfully, students must receive a ‘satisfactory’ grading on their placement, and complete two assessment tasks. This is an ungraded unit (pass/fail).The hurdle task asks students to set up a community engagement placement and to receive satisfactory reports on their engagement from both the Unit Mentor / Lecturer in Charge and the placement supervisor (LO1).  

Task 1 involves keeping a Pastoral Reflection Journal, following the pastoral methodology studied in class and in readings. (LO2)

Task 2 requires students to make an oral presentation in class to assess how a method of theological reflection can enhance reflection on the experience of community engagement (LO3).  

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Arbuckle, G. Crafting Catholic Identity in Postmodern Australia. Canberra: Catholic Health Australia, 2007. 

Barton, D. and K. Tusting, eds. Beyond Communities of Practice: Language, Power and Social Context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 

Council of Australian Governments, National Principles for Childsafe Organisations. Australian Human Rights Commission 2018. https://childsafe.humanrights.gov.au/national-principles 

Graham, E., H. Walton, and F. Ward. Theological Reflection: Sources. London: SCM, 2007. 

Grieves, V. Aboriginal Spirituality: Aboriginal Philosophy: The Basis of Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing, Discussion Paper No. 9. Darwin: Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, 2009. 

Kinast, Robert L. What are they saying about Theological Reflection? New York/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2000. 

O'Connell Killen, P. and J. De Beer. The Art of Theological Reflection. New York: Crossroad, 2002.  

Lawler, M. What Is and What Ought To Be: The Dialectic of Experience, Theology and Church. New York: Continuum, 2005. 

Woodward, J., and S. Pattinson, eds. The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral Theology. Oxford: Blackwell, 2000. 

Wortley, R., & Smallbone, S. (2006). Applying Situational Principles to Sexual Offenses Against Children. In R. Wortley, & S. Smallbone (Eds.). Situational prevention of child sexual abuse. Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press.