Theological Education for Leadership (TEL)

TEL Learners

TEL learners come from many different faith communities and backgrounds, creating rich opportunities for in-depth dialogue. The minimum age for enrolling in TEL courses is 21.

Spiritual Seekers & Laity

Individual courses and certificate programs are open to all adults who seek to increase their knowledge of theological principles. You are invited to dip your toe into the water of spiritual education and formation, or immerse your whole self. Courses are affordable, compact, and expose you to a range of exciting progressive theological ideas. You may engage in a year of study to complete the CTEL certificate; take seven months to study Gender, Sexuality & the Bible, or simply take a seminar or course that interests you. A bachelor’s degree is not required.

TEL provides high quality adult education programming for individuals and groups from congregations. It also provides focused ministry formation for individuals seeking positions of congregational leadership.  Those who earn the CTEL certificate get exposure to a broad range of theology and ministry skills that can deepen biblical understanding, and build new skills.

Lay Ministers & Alternate Paths to Ministry

PSR is working with a number of denominations to provide learning experiences appropriate for ministry preparation. We are in collaboration with UMC’s California Nevada Conference CLayM lay ministry program and the Metropolitan Community Churches’ L.E.A.D. program.  Consult with your local denominational representatives to see how TEL can be a part of your formation.  See the TEL Certificates page for information about the CTEL and other ministry preparation programs.

Clergy

TEL offers CEUs for clergy and other professionals.The course offerings are fully accessible online, affordable and engaging for clegy looking to deepen their skills in targeted areas. The instructors are PSR and GTU professors and occasional guest instructors providing opportunities to discuss and explore current global topics.

Those Considering Seminary

Faith seekers and prospective ministers who are discerning their call to serve God in their churches or faith communities and want to explore theological studies will find riches in the program. In TEL you get to know and learn with PSR and Graduate Theological Union (GTU) faculty. Completion of the CTEL certificate entitles graduates already possessing an associate’s degree or above to apply three elective credits toward PSR graduate programs.

Congregational/Regional Groups

Learning in community is rich. We encourage groups to gather together to share a meal and engage with TEL courses and seminars. Perhaps part of the TEL program may serve your congregation’s adult education needs. Or perhaps there are a number of people in different churches in your area who want to move more deeply into progressive Christian ministry. The TEL Program Coordinator can help you form a group in your community.  Congregations are invited to consider becoming a TEL Host Site.

Host Sites

Becoming a TEL Host Site is more than simply providing space and access to a virtual classroom experience.  As a host site, your congregation can become a community center for gathering adult learners who want to deepen their theological and spiritual knowledge, and explore new avenues of learning and sharing a progressive perspective of Christian faith and practice. Our hope is that TEL host sites will build a community of learners within a regional cohort context.

TEL Host Site FAQ

CL: Certificate in Congregational Leadership for Emerging Leaders of Color

 Who is this for:

Congregational leaders of color between the ages of 18-40 interested in strengthening their leadership skills in service to their local congregations and communities.

Certificate impact:

1. Deepen theological understanding
2. Strengthen your leadership
3. Expand your Ministry

 Certificate goal:

“Deepen understanding of practical theology and how it shapes preaching, worship leadership, pastoral care and community organizing.“

Outcomes:

The CL is a certificate based on graduate level seminary instruction in a cohort of emerging congregational leaders of color. Participants will engage in classroom sessions with graduate degree students and explore, with fellow cohort members, how to apply what they are learning to their present and future congregational leadership.

Certificate structure:

Seminary classes include:

Empathy – Pastoral care

Communication – homiletics/preaching

Ritual Design – worship/liturgy design

ELC Cohort:

Cohort discussions and coursework with Rev. Dr. Mahsea Evans will be geared toward congregational leadership and how the seminary classes apply to local church contexts.

(Class Dates to be determined)

Class Times: (Wednesday evening 5-8pm PST?) on Feb XX, March XX, and April XX

Cohort Times: (Thursday evenings 5-8pm PST?) on Feb XX, March XX, and April XX

Total number of hours to complete certificate: 36 in-class/cohort discussions plus additional assignments. “All classes and cohorts will meet online via Zoom.

Registration information: (Google form link coming soon)

Cost: $500 (Scholarships available)

CTEL: Certificate of Theological Education for Leadership

The Certificate of Theological Education for Leadership (CTEL) provides strong theological leadership training for lay and clergy leaders, equipping you to strengthen congregations and create new ministries.

One of the richest traditions of PSR’s lay certificate programs has been that of cross-cultural, cross-denominational networking and community building.

Students are encouraged to communicate one-on-one with TEL staff and instructors to develop their ministry and vocational goals, particularly if they are considering further studies at PSR.

The CTEL includes, over the course of 12 months:

• June-May: eleven online courses and two seminars. You may enroll and begin the program at any time during the year.
• May: Commencement ceremony (Optional.  With other PSR graduates in Berkeley). CTEL students are invited to receive their certificate during PSR’s commencement ceremonies, along with other PSR students.

CGSB: Certificate of Gender, Sexuality & the Bible

Credit for TEL Courses

CEUs

TEL courses may be taken for continuing education units (CEUs). One CEU is awarded for each ten hours of contact and study. Foundations courses award 1.6 units and seminars award 0.3 units.

TEL courses do not provide academic (college or graduate school) credit, with one exception, as noted below.

CTEL Students

CTEL graduates who already possess an associates degree or higher may petition to transfer up to 3.0 credits toward a PSR graduate certificate or degree program by the end of their first semester at PSR. CTEL graduates must apply and be accepted to PSR graduate programs separately from the TEL program. Request transcripts here and follow credit transfer procedures to apply CTEL credits to your PSR program. Credits must be transferred in students’ first semester of PSR graduate study. The maximum time allowed to complete the CTEL is seven years from program admission.

Denominational Recognition

Some denominations or conferences may recognize TEL courses or the Certificate of Theological Education for Leadership (CTEL) as fulfilling requirements for certification or other needs. For the Certified Lay Minister (CLayM) program of the California Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the Metropolitan Community Churches’ L.E.A.D. lay leadership program, CTEL is a provider of online coursework. Speak with your conference ministers if you wish to see TEL become a formal part of ministerial or lay leadership formation in your area.

TEL Hawaii Certificates

Certificates offered online through the TEL Hawaii program provide recognition of achievement in general or focused areas of study.  If you wish to use a TEL certificate as part of a formal ministerial development plan, check with your denominational office first.  Because courses are not taught at graduate-level intensity, TEL courses do not count toward graduate-level academic credit (see Credit for exception/details).

Download the brochure here.

Download the application here.

By focusing on five major themes and events that shaped Christianity, the immense landscape of Christian history, we can come to some useful definition and principles for thinking about the history of Christianity as the introductory level. From a standpoint of progressive Christianity, we will engage five important defining issues in the two thousand years of the world’s largest faith tradition:

• The cultural origins of a new religion;
• The fourth-century Council of Nicaea that illustrated
  the connections of political power and perceived needs for theological unity;
• The medieval translations of Christianity
  ironically resulting in more division and ultimately voluntary religion and the possibility of unbelief;
• And the explosive 19th and 20th centuries with especial attention to connections of global evangelization goals of much of Christianity with the globalization of western modernity.

Faculty

Instructors include Pacific School of Religion and Graduate Theological Union (GTU) faculty, PSR and GTU doctoral students, and qualified professionals from a range of Christian denominations. These excellent instructors represent a variety of racial/ethnic backgrounds and many come from the same communities as TEL students.

Cost

Tuition costs are set as low as possible in order to encourage broad participation.  Although no scholarships are available from PSR for TEL, students may find support from their congregations or denominations.

Students registered for TEL certificates receive a 40% discount on registration costs, as indicated above.

Seminars

• $35 per seminar for certificate students & PSR students
• $50 per seminar for the general public 

Courses

• $120 per course for certificate students & PSR students
• $200 per course for the general public

Processing Fees

Non-refundable processing fees of approximately 6% are charged in addition to the base cost.

Certificate Costs

To complete the twelve-month CTEL program, online course registration costs total $1260 plus approximately $75.60 processing fees.  The cost of books is not included in the tuition total.  Students can anticipate spending $150 – $200 for required reading materials. There is a $30 CTEL application fee.

To complete the Gender, Sexuality & the Bible certificate program, online registration costs total $820 plus approximately $49 processing fees. Students can anticipate spending approximately $140 for required reading materials.

Refund Policy

You may request a refund for the cost of a TEL course or webinar, not including processing fees, one day (24 hours) before the start time of the course or webinar.  Processing fees are determined by the vendor engaged to manage online sales and are not set by PSR.  No refunds are available within 24 hours of the start of the course or webinar, and no refunds are available after the course or webinar begins.  Requests must be made in writing and emailed to tel@psr.edu.

TEL program application fees are non-refundable.