Changing Church: Understanding Change Processes in Church Contexts
A new course offered online by Catherine of Siena College, from 7 May – 18 June 2018.
This course looks at various models and approaches to change, uncovering their key ideas and underlying assumptions, and their practical implications, while acknowledging that the churches are a particular type of organization, with theological and ecclesiological imperatives and influences which complicate any attempt to apply models from other contexts.
Students will consider what change might mean in the context of the Church, the forces and triggers for change, both internal and external, the reasons for resistance to it and possible means of overcoming these, and the different models and approaches which might have relevance and utility. They will consider factors such as organisational culture, organisational structure, patterns of power and politics, and leadership behaviours and their implications for the change process.
Students will have opportunities to consider the impetus and requirement for change within their own contexts and the inhibiting and facilitating factors, and will reflect theologically on their experience of being involved in change within different contexts. They will consider what styles and skills of leadership will be helpful, assessing their own capabilities and capacities. A range of case studies will help to illustrate the application of different models and approaches.
Read more and register here.