Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
THMM501 Exploring Parish Culture OR THCP513 - Exploring Parish Culture
Incompatible
THCP524 Power, Authority and Leadership in Ministry
Teaching organisation
This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment. The unit will include online activities with face to face sessions, either weekly or over dedicated intensives, so as to facilitate the participation and interaction of students from a range of ecclesial ministries.
Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit forms part of the suite of ministry units that prepare participants for the exercise of authority through leadership in a variety of ecclesial ministries, such as diaconate, priesthood, pastoral associate, and leadership roles in the Catholic Health and Education Sectors. Exploring ecclesiological perspectives on the church as ordered communion, and appropriating theological enquiry and insights from the social sciences, participants will study the elements, frameworks and potential abuses of power in the exercise of pastoral leadership. As such, this unit will require participants to wrestle with the dynamics of power and authority as personal, relational and ecclesial realities as they prepare for their specific pastoral ministries. Overall, the unit introduces participants to an awareness of the central issues associated with the exercise of pastoral authority in ecclesial communion, in order to engage in responsible, creative and ethical leadership.
The unit is offered by the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy and in partnership with the relevant Diocese, Parish, Ecclesial Community, or Institution for whom the participant is preparing for ministry.
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.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Identify recurring patterns of relating to authority figures across their lifetimes, evaluating the consequences of such relating |
| LO2 | Articulate and substantiate (from theological, ecclesiological and leadership-studies perspectives) the essential elements of ministerial leadership |
| LO3 | Design personal action plans for developing their leadership qualities and skills, paying particular attention to engaging and cultivating others within an intentional missional environment |
Content
Topics will include:
• Ecclesiology of Communion in the light of Vatican II
• Theological foundations and development of the conceptual frameworks of power, authority and pastoral leadership;
• The relational basis of the exercise of pastoral authority in an ecclesial communion;
• Styles and characteristics of contemporary ministerial leadership in ecclesial settings;
• Reflective practice on principles and intentionality underlying ministerial authority;
• Tools for reflective practice in relation to transparency, accountability and supervision in pastoral leadership;
• The development of a personal ministerial approach or understanding of ecclesial ministry.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment. The unit will include online activities with face to face sessions, either weekly or over dedicated intensives, so as to facilitate the participation and interaction of students from a range of ecclesial ministries.
Adult learning theory frames this unit’s exploration of the collaborative ministry between pastoral ministers, members of faith communities and clergy in the exploration of their placement cultures. In particular, transformative learning theory informs the unit’s approach to learning about ecclesial cultures as an attitude or orientation to ministry, while guiding the development of appropriate pastoral ministry tools for pastoral planning.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to: essays, reports, examinations, student presentations, case studies and online interactive student performance tasks.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Reflective Journal entry on contextually situated experiences of authority and leadership. Each entry should include practical actions or emerging directions relating to the participant’s learning needs in the subject. | 40% | LO1 |
Research Essay The research essay is the foundation and written accompaniment for the Creative Reflection of assessment piece 3. (2000 words) | 30% | LO2 |
Creative Task Presentation on a credo of leadership as mission that integrates relevant content and learning in the course and the unit itself. Based on the content developed in assessment task 2, the presentation will give expression to one or more core insights from the participants own learning and integration across course content. There is the option for a team approach to this presentation. If this option is chosen, each individual will include a critical reflection on the experience of working in a team, with a particular interest in how power and authority manifested in the development and operation of the team in the process of their shared project. | 30% | LO3 |
Representative texts and references
Brett, M. Decolonizing God Sheffield: Phoenic Press, 2008.
Chittister, J. Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom, Pennsylvania: Benetvision, 2003.
Doohan, Leonard, Spiritual Leadership: The Quest for Integrity. New York, NY: Paulist. 2007
Foucault, M. “The Eye of Power” in Power/Knowledge, ed. Colin Gordon. New York: Harvester Press, 1972.
Gaillardetz, Richard R. By What Authority? A Primer on Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Sense of the Faithful. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003.
Hackman, M. and C. Johnson. Leadership: A Communication Perspective. Long Grove: Waveland Press, 2009.
Heifetz, R. and M. Linsky. Leadership on the Line. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Janeway, E. Powers of the Weak. New York: Alfred Knopf, 1980.
Nouwen, Henri J. M. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. New York: Crossroad Publishing, 1989
Russell, L. Household of Freedom. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1987.
Pickard, S. In-Between God Hindmarsh: Australian Theological Press, 2011.