Academic Courses Open to Visitors

The Seminary welcomes visitors into some courses offered each quarter. We hope these will be opportunities for community members to interact with students and faculty of the Seminary, learn along with them, and enjoy a unique educational opportunity.

There are no prerequisites to attend or requirements to complete. No transcript is offered with visitor status. If you would like to take a course for credit as an Unclassified student please contact Seminary Admissions or download and complete the Short-term Application Form and send it, complete with transcripts of all academic work done to-date, to the attention of the Director of Admissions, Calvin Theological Seminary, 3233 Burton SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Classes are chosen based on the topic, the meeting time, and the availability of space.

The cost to participate as a visitor is $75. Payment by credit card is available through on-line registration. Payment by check (in US funds) must be mailed within two weeks of registration payable to Calvin Theological Seminary. Please mail to:

Continuing Education
Calvin Theological Seminary
3233 Burton St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

On-going Opportunity

On-line Biblical Hebrew (101)

This course is a self-paced, modularized, online opportunity for learning or refreshing one's knowledge of biblical Hebrew, beginning with the abc's (or aleph, beth, gimmels) and progressing all the way to reading proficiency in the Hebrew Old Testament.

The 55 modules include animation, audio, and interactive components. Students quiz themselves after completing each module and, based on their performance, will either be advanced to the next module of study or be directed to specific places in the current module where further review is necessary. This configuration allows participants to learn at their own speed, in their own way, and at locations convenient to them.

The textbook upon which the course is based, and which will be required for those who take the course, is Thomas O. Lambdin's Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971).

The cost to participate as a visitor is $100. This course is available beginning April 1, 2005.

Register


Jump to: Fall 2008


Fall 2008 - Courses Open to Visitors

The quarter begins on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. The last day of class is Wednesday, November 12, 2008.

Lyle Bierma
Thursdays 1:00-3:45pm
491
Heidelberg Catechism
A study of the historical background and theology of the Heidelberg Catechism.
 
Cal VanReken
Wednesdays, 1:00-3:45 pm
541
The Theology of C.S. Lewis
A study of some works of C. S. Lewis in which he communicates and defends Christianity.
 
John Rottman
Thursdays 1:00-3:45pm
663
Preaching the Parables of Jesus
A course in communicating the parabolic teaching of Jesus in sermonic form, including a study of representative sermons and the homiletical principles involved.
 
Howard Vanderwell
Tuesdays, 6:30-9:15 pm
685
Planning and Leading Congregational Worship
A study of resources, skills, and strategies for planning and leading public worship services. Particular attention will be given to the interpretative reading of Scripture, congregational prayer, training lay worship leaders, and celebrations of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
 
Ron Nydam
Tuesdays, 1:00-3:45 pm
727
Human Suffering and Pastoral Care
This course explores the nature of human suffering as it relates to the purposes of pastoral care. Writings such as those of Nicholas Wolterstorff, Jurgen Moltmann, Walter Brueggeman, Dorothee Soelle, and Henri Nouwen will be reviewed as part of this study. The questions of the meaning and purpose of response to human suffering will be discussed from the perspective of the pastoral care provider. Each student will develop his or her own theory of human suffering in preparation for ministry to those who suffer.