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Course of Studies
for
Bachelor of Religious Education
Diaconate Canonicals

Holy Trinity College
and
Seminary
6110 Florida Avenue
New Port Richey, Florida 34653

,

STUDIES FOR DIACONATE

HOLY SCRIPTURE
I. KNOWLEDGE OF CONTENTS OF EACH BOOK
1. Historical books of the Old and New Testaments by outline.
2. Prophecies and Epistles by theme and argument.
3. Poetic books by chief idea.
4. Ability to place important events and characters in all of above.
II. BIBLICAL HISTORY
1. General outline of whole period of Hebrew history of the time of Christ.
2. The life of our Lord by outline - based on all four Gospel accounts to include:
A. Chronological events.
B. Chief Parables and teachings.
C. Miracles
3. History of Apostolic Church in New Testament times. A. Early beginnings
B. Missionary Journeys
C. Growth and spread of the Church
NOTE: The examination will be based on contents of the Holy Scriptures, and there is no substitute for frequent and repeated reading.

DOCTRINE
I. CHRISTIAN IDEAS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
1. The Christian Covenant
a. Status conferred in Baptism
b. Promise made
c. Renunciations required in Baptism
2. The Christian Moral Principle
a. The Ten Commandments
b. Their Christian Application
c. Summary of the Law
3. Christian Beliefs:
a. About God
b. About Christ
c. About the Holy Ghost
4. Christian Teachings about Prayer
a. Grace through prayer
b. The Lord's Prayer as a model

II. The Church (Explain meaning of each.)
1. Church Membership
2. The Nature of the Church
a. The body of Christ
b. One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic
3. Responsibilities and Privileges of Membership
a. Bounden duty
b. Confirmation enabling obedience
c. Privilege of becoming a Member

III. THE SACRAMENTS
1. The Sacraments Ordained by Jesus
a. Number
b. What a sacrament consists of
(1) Meaning
(2) Parts
c. Holy Baptism
(1) Parts and benefits
(2) Requirements
(3) Subjects - Infant Baptism and its reason
d. The Lord's Supper
(1) Reason for institution
(2) Sign and the thing signified
(3) Benefits
(4) Requirements
2. Other Sacramental Rites

IV. THE MINISTRY
1. Origin and Number of Orders
2. Functions of the Orders

MINISTRATION
I. OFFICE AND WORK OF A DEACON
1. Under whose authority does he minister?
2. What are the limitations of his office?
II. THE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC WORSHIP
1. Mechanics of the Work
2. Use of voice: Pronunciation, enunciation

III. ADMINISTRATION OF:
1. Holy Baptism
2. Burial Office
3. Deacon's duties in Holy Communion (Eucharist, Lord's Supper)

IV. SERMON COMPOSITION
1. Use of Sources
2 Application of principles

HISTORY
(Specific but not detailed knowledge is required about the topics listed.)

GENERAL CHURCH HISTORY

I. ANTE-NICENE AGE TO 325
1. Early Theological Developments
a. Apostolic Fathers
b. Apologists
c.. Early Creeds
d. Ante-Nicene Fathers
2. Persecutions
a. Early
b. Later
c. The Edicts of Constantine
3. Church Life and Worship
a. Monasticism
b. Heresies
c. Schisms

II. Post-NICENE AGE TO 476
1. Theological
a. The first four Councils
(1) Identify
(2) Issues causing
(3) Leading men
(4) Principal decisions b. Post-Nicene Fathers
(1) Eastern interests and tendencies
(2) Augustine and Pelagius
2. Church Life
a. Relations with Empire
b. Rise of the Papacy

III. EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD TO 1046
1. Church life
a. Development of the Papacy
b. Monasticism
c. Christianizing of German tribes
d. Mohammedianism
2. Theological Developments
a. Growing estrangement between East and West
b. Councils, Controversies

IV. THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD TO 1303
1. Church Life
a. Hildebrand
b. The Holy Roman Empire; relation to Papacy
c. Preaching Friars
d. Crusades
e. Architecture
2. Medieval Thought
a. Heresies
b. Medieval theology and philosophy
c. The Universities

V. PRE-REFORMATION PERIOD TO 1517
1. State of the Church
a. Decline of the Papacy
b. Papal Exactions
2. Trends threatening the Papal System
a. The revival of learning and art
b. Growth of nationalism
c. The reforming efforts
(1) Wyclife and Huse
(2) The Reforming Councils

VI. THE REFORMATION PERIOD TO 1648
1. Luther and the German Reformation
2. The Reformation in lands beyond Germany
a. Types of settlement
b. Individuals
3. The Counter-Reformation
4. Continental struggles, to the Peace of Westphalia

VII. THE MODERN AGE
1. Development of Modern Humanism
a. Ultramontanism
b. Immaculate Conception
c. Papal Infallibility
d. The Uniat Churches
e. Fall of Papal States; Disestablishment in Europe
` 2. The Old Catholics
3. Modern Continental Protestantism

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND HISTORY

I. THE PRE=SAXON PERIOD
1. How Christianity got to the British Isles
2. Spread to Ireland, Scotland and Wales
3. Relations with Rome

II. The ANGLO-SAXON CHURCH TO 1066
1. The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
2. The Celtic Mission
3. The Roman Mission
4. Friction: The Council of Whitby
5. Consolidation; learning life
6. Relations with Rome

III. THE ANGLO-NORMAN CHURCH TO 1529

1. Church and State under the Norman Kings
2. Relations with the Papacy

a. Investitures
b. Provisors; Praemunire
3. Attempts at Reform
a. Wycliffe and the Lollards
b. The Oxford Reformers

IV. THE REFORMATION PERIOD TO 1603
1. The Reformation under Henry VIII and Edward VI
2. The reaction under Mary
3. Settlement under Elizabeth

V. FROM THE SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT
1. Puritans and Romanists
2. The Commonwealth and Restoration
3. The Non-Jurors
4. Wesley and the Methodists {Evangelicals}
5. The Tractarian Movement
6. The English Church of today
(1). Social Consciousness
(2). Schools of thought
(3). The Lambeth Conference

THE CHURCH IN AMERICA

I. EARLY SETTLEMENTS
1. Virginia
2. New England
3. The Middle Colonies
II. THE COLONIAL CHURCH TO THE REVOLUTION
1. The S.P.G.
2. Converts, Cutler, etc.
3. Early struggles for the Episcopate
4. The Church and the Great Awakening
III. FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR
1. Effect of the Revolution on the Church
2. Obtaining of Episcopate and Constitution
3. The Missionary Movement
a. Awakening
b. Work of individuals
c. The Muhlenburg Memorial
d. Effects of the Oxford Movement

III. FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT
1. Effects of the Civil War on the Anglican Communion in America
2. The Ritual Controversary
3. The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral
4. Growth since the Civil War
5. Problems Leading to formation of the Southern Episcopal Church
6. 1977 Meeting in St Louis and it's effect upon the Episcopal Church
7. Other Continuing Churches (Problems and Solutions)

CHRISTIAN MISSIONS

I. HISTORY OF MISSIONS
1. Genesis of the Missionary idea
a. Outstanding Missionaries of the Apostolic Church
b. Missionaries of the Ancient Church
C. Some Missionaries of the Ancient Celtic and English Churches
2. Organized Missionary Efforts
a. Monastic Efforts b. The rise of organized societies; individuals responsiblity
c. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Societys
d. Outreaches and Mission Work within the Church
II. AMERICAN MISSIONS
1. The Church Mission a. The Church and it's Missions
b. Who are the members.
c. Scriptural authority for Mission Work
2. The History of American Foreign Work
a. The first foreign field
b. The spread of the work

III. MISSIONS TODAY
1. The Fields
a. The Parish
b. The Nation
c. The World 2. The Methods
a. Evangelical
b. Social
c. Obligations

CANON LAW

I. THE IMPORTANCE AND AUTHORITY OF CANON LAW
1. What is Canon Law
2. How does it work in your particular Church

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

I. THE TEACHING MINISTRY
1. Sermons and Offices of Instruction
2. Pastoral Visitation
3. Church Schools
4. Parochial Organizations
5. Church Papers

II. TEACHING METHODS
1. Source and Materials
2. Principles
3. Technique
4. Leadership Training
5. Successful Experiments

III. PERSONAL PLANS FOR SERVICE

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