Christian Methodist Episcopal Church New York-Washington Region Committee on Ministerial Examination Curriculum

Reverend Jermaine Marshall, Chair Bishop James B. Walker, Presiding Prelate

Four Areas of Curriculum Emphasis: Biblical Knowledge and Interpretation, Denominational History and Polity, Wesleyan Theology, and Ministry in Praxis (Liturgy, Church Administration, Pastoral Care, Pastoral Leadership, Christian Education, Evangelism, Missions, and Preaching)

Biblical Knowledge and Interpretation: Designed to equip probationers with scriptural knowledge and tools needed for proper scriptural interpretation. Probationers are prepared to foster discipleship within the local congregation through preaching and teaching.

Denominational History and Polity: Designed to help the probationer understand the structure and governance of the CME Church on the local, district, regional, and connectional levels based on an in-depth study of the book of Discipline and gain an appreciation for the heritage of the CME Church through a study of the denomination’s history. Probationers are prepared to lead the local congregation with adherence to the denomination’s processes and hierarchical structure.

Wesleyan Theology: Designed to help the probationer understand the doctrines of the Christian faith from the Wesleyan perspective through a study of the Articles of Religion, Means of Grace, and sacred documents reflecting the Methodist theological heritage. Probationers are prepared to teach the congregation the significance of Baptism and Holy Communion in Methodist liturgical praxis and foster congregational understanding of John Wesley’s beliefs related to grace, justification, regeneration, sanctification, Christian perfection, etc.

Ministry in Praxis: Designed to equip the probationer with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively lead the congregation in worship, administration, pastoral shepherding, pastoral leadership, Christian education, evangelism, missions, and social justice.

Books for Curriculum Learning Objectives

100- Books required for the duration of trial relationship

NRSV Version of the Holy Bible Discipline of the CME Church CME Book of Ritual History of the CME Church (Othal H. Lakey) A Bishop Chats with a New Pastor (Marshall Gilmore) The Local Church: It’s Pastors, Officers and Their Ministries (Marshall Gilmore) Course of Study for Local Preachers and Probationers (Marshall Gilmore)

101- First Year

Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (Marcus J. Borg) Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry (William Willimon) How to Think Theologically- 2nd Edition (Howard W. Stone & James O. Duke)

102- Second Year

African American Pastoral Care Revised Edition (Edward P. Wimberly) African American Christian Worship Second Edition (Melva Costen) The Places You Go: Caring for Your Congregation Monday through Saturday (Urias Beverly) The Journey and Promise of African American Preaching (Kenyatta Gilbert)

103- Third Year

Liberating Our Dignity, Saving Our Souls: A New Theory of African American Formation (Lee H. Butler) The Scripture Way of Salvation: The Heart of John Wesley’s Theology (Kenneth Collins) Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation (Cain Hope Felder, editor)

104- Fourth Year

New Wine, New Wineskins: How African American Congregations Can Reach New Generations (F. Douglas Powe) Christian Education in the African American Church: A Guide for Teaching Truth (Lora-Ellen McKinney) Church Administration in the Black Perspective (Floyd Massey and Samuel B. McKinney) We Have Been Believers: An African American Systematic Theology- 2nd Edition (James H. Evans Jr.)

Curriculum Learning Objectives

101- First Year

Purpose: To acquaint the probationer who has been admitted on Trial with a general overview of the Christian faith, and the early history and polity of the CME Church.

101.1 To understand the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Writings of the Hebrew Bible. 101.2 To understand the Gospels, Pauline epistles, Pastoral Epistles, General Epistles, and the book of Revelation of the New Testament. 101.3 To understand the prophetic, priestly, and ethical roles and functions of the pastor. 101.4 To understand the role of scripture, tradition, reason, and experience as sources of theological praxis. 101.5 To understand the difference between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. 101.6 To understand the difference between embedded theology and deliberative theology. 101.8 To understand the role and function of the local preacher, local deacon, local elder, traveling preacher, traveling deacon, traveling elder, pastor, presiding elder, and bishop. 101.9 To understand the role and function of the church conference, official board, quarterly conference, annual conference, and general conference. 101.10 To understand the early history of the CME Church (events and personalities of the Methodist movement leading to the formation of the CME Church, founders, place of origin, first five episcopal leaders)

102- Second Year

Purpose: To prepare the ordained Deacon for responsibility for pastoral leadership as preacher, liturgist, and administer of the sacraments.

102.1 To understand the dynamics of pastoral care in the African American context. 102.2 To understand the dynamics of worship in the African American context. 102.3 To understand the dynamics of sermon preparation and preaching in the African American context. 102.4 To understand the liturgical calendar of the Christian year. 102.5 To understand the liturgical colors for each season of the liturgical year of the Christian Church. 102.6 To understand the General Rules. 102.7 To understand the sacraments of the Protestant Christian faith. 102.8 To understand the role and function of stewards, stewardesses, and trustees. 102.9 To understand the Means of Grace.

103- Third Year

Purpose: To guide the Preacher on Trial, who is eligible for Elder ordination, into a fundamental understanding of essential Christian doctrines from the Wesleyan faith perspective and sound biblical interpretation within the Black Church tradition.

103.1 To understand African American spirituality. 103.2 To understand the doctrine of God, humanity, Christology, and pneumatology in Wesleyan theology. 103.3 To understand prevenient grace, justification, regeneration, sanctification, and Christian perfection in Wesleyan soteriology. 103.4 To understand the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion from the Wesleyan perspective. 103.5 To understand the implications of biblical interpretation in the African American context. 103.6 To understand the Articles of Religion. 103.7 To understand the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the CME Church.

104- Fourth Year

Purpose: To provide a Traveling Preacher, eligible for ordination as an Elder and Admission into Full Connection with helpful insights into the work of ministry, especially in the disciplines of Christian education, pastoral care, church administration and pastoral leadership.

104.1 To understand the dynamics of evangelism in the African American community. 104.2 To understand the dynamics of local, domestic, and foreign missions. 104.3 To understand the dynamics of Christian education in the African American Church. 104.4 To understand the Social Creed of the CME Church. 104.5 To understand the dynamics of the local church budget and finances. 104.6 To understand the dynamics of church administration in the African American Church. 104.7 To understand the role and function of connectional leaders and connectional ministries. 104.8 To understand systematic theological praxis from the perspective of black theology.