Religion at Houghton
Houghton offers a major and minor in Religion, the major containing an optional concentration in Pastoral Ministry. Eight full-time faculty members, all trained at the doctoral level, provide instruction in the areas of Religion and Bible.
The Religion Major, also known as the Comprehensive Religion Major, consists of 42-44 credit hours. In addition to 12 credit hours of Bible, the comprehensive major adds required courses in theology and church history, plus elective courses in areas that include missions, philosophy, ministry, and the social science of religion. The major provides liberal arts students with a maximum exposure to Biblical and theological studies and provides an excellent foundation for seminary or other graduate studies. It is also valuable for students going into missionary work. A minor in Religion is offered for those liberal arts students in other disciplines who desire to broaden their understanding of religious thought. The minor consists of 12-14 credit hours selected from the areas of philosophy and theology.
The Pastoral Ministry program combines the religion major with a 21-25-hour ministerial concentration. All of the requirements for ordination in The Wesleyan Church are incorporated into the curriculum. The concentration can also be tailored to meet ordination requirements for other denominations as well. The curriculum includes courses in Christian Education, New Testament Greek, Pastoral Theology, Preaching, and Evangelism and Social Action in the Urban Context. Students also complete an on-site Ministerial Internship under the joint supervision of a Houghton professor and a qualified host pastor.
Bible at Houghton
A 32-hour core gives training in biblical interpretation, the Pentateuch, Gospels, biblical theology, and twelve hours of electives. Students choose either the full language track (12 hours), with a year of one biblical language and a fundamentals course in the other language, or the non-language track (6 hours) which has Bible study & teaching methods and two short courses covering the basics of the biblical languages. The Bible major prepares people for ministry in parachurch or educational settings, for Bible translation work, for graduate school in seminary or scholarship in biblical studies, theology, and related disciplines. The Bible minor requires just twelve hours of Bible courses beyond BIBL 101, and makes a good complement to any major for those thinking of some kind of ministry, graduate work, or Bible translation; or those who just want to find further grounding in God’s word as preparation to carry out their own callings in the world as disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Bible minor requires just twelve hours of Bible courses beyond BIBL 101, and makes a good complement to any major for those thinking of some kind of ministry, graduate work, or Bible translation; or those who just want to find further grounding in God’s word as preparation to carry out their own callings in the world as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Ministry at Houghton
The Christian Formation Major, along with its Youth Ministries Concentration, includes a strong liberal arts foundation plus theoretical and applied studies in religious education, to assist the student in preparing for church or para-church vocations such as Christian education director, children, youth, or adult education director, or other related careers.
The Youth Ministries Concentration consists of 12 credit hours of coursework. See p. 71 in the catalog for courses.
The Religion Major with Ministerial Concentration is designed to prepare students for pastoral ministry service.
The Urban Ministry Minor consists of 16 hours of coursework focused on the urban experience, including courses such as Evangelism and Social Action in the Urban Context (taught in urban Buffalo) and The City in Biblical and Theological Perspective.
Christian Formation—or its equivalent, Christian Education—approaches Christian discipleship as an “educational” endeavor. A director or minister of Christian education in a local church oversees the church's educational ministries: Sunday school, children's church, weekday clubs, youth groups, vacation Bible school, day camps, retreats, camping ministries, summer ministries, and resource centers. Recruiting and training volunteers to assist in these programs is an important part of the educational minister's responsibility. The major requires a total of 49-54 credit hours, leading to the bachelor of science (B.S.) degree. Coursework is distributed over all age levels and includes courses in theology, psychology, family studies, and urban ministry. An internship experience in the field is also included. Students majoring in Educational Ministries are required to complete a 12-hour minor in Bible. The minor in Educational Ministries consists of 14-16 credit hours of coursework, arranged on a contract basis with individual students.
Missions at Houghton
Houghton offers a concentration in Missions within its Intercultural Studies program, as well as a separate minor in Missions. Visit the Missions page at the Intercultural Studies Department site for more information.
Theology at Houghton
Houghton offers a Minor in Theology, consisting of 12 credit hours of coursework in the Department of Religion and Philosophy. Two faculty members, both with a Ph.D. degree and both active scholars, specialize in theology and church history.
The study of theology enables one to appreciate both the unity and the diversity within the Christian community of faith. Included is the study of church history through an examination of its major figures, movements, beliefs, and practices—all aimed at understanding the saving activity of God in the world.
An upper-level course in Systematic Theology is required for the minor. Elective courses include Christian Apologetics, Wesleyan Tradition, History of Christianity, and The Reformation, as well as courses in the Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments. Study in theology and church history also forms an important part of the comprehensive Religion Major.
