Master of Arts in Christian Practice

Program Code: D-DIV-MACP
Degree Designation: Master of Arts in Christian Practice
Department: Divinity School
Website: divinity.duke.edu/academics/macp

Program Summary

Grounded in central elements of Christian thought and practice, the MA degree is designed to introduce students to disciplined theological reflection as a means for enriching their Christian service in both the church and the world. The degree offers students the opportunity to reflect theologically upon practices of ministry or other Christian service. The degree is provided primarily for those seeking to enhance vocations while remaining in a full-time ministry context or other professional position. The MA operates on a hybrid pedagogy of intensive residencies and online synchronous and asynchronous engagements. Course requirements include a core sequence that will deepen students’ knowledge and appreciation of the Bible and the Christian theological tradition. Courses specific to concentrations of study will build upon that core, engaging practices of ministry in today’s world. A third element is the ongoing seminar in Christian formation that seeks to integrate learning with spiritual practice. A cornerstone and capstone course sequence offered in the first and final terms offers resources to introduce and integrate theology and practice over the two-year program.

Through study and engagement within this program, students will be able to:

  • Read and exegete Scripture and the great texts of the Christian tradition for the purpose of preaching and teaching the gospel with clarity, power, and reverence.

  • Think theologically and critically about the doctrines and practices of the church and about the world in which the church finds itself, in ways that are both faithful historically to the tradition and responsive to the challenges of our time.

  • Gain clarity on vocational aspirations as they relate to serving the church, academy, and world.

  • Cultivate habits of spiritual disciplines to sustain a Christian life ordered toward holiness, justice, peace, and reconciliation.