Having trained clergy is a necessity for the church in the 21st Century. Training is also one mark of a vibrant and compelling church, thoroughly furnished for every good work. The Greater Atlanta Theological Seminary seeks to provide the highest level of training for episcopates, pastors, deacons, and adjutants, so that they may give the highest-quality leadership for the congregations and pastors they oversee and serve. Therefore, this abstract outlines the first in a series of classes designed to provide ecclesial development for initiates in Episcopal ministry, Bishops within the church.
The curriculum for this course includes sessions/lectures on the history, development, and episcopal graces germane to this sacred office. In addition to the foundational teachings delineated above, the students will discuss consequential matters of Apostolicity, Sacraments, and Episcopal deportment. Because this course of study is specific to Bishops (designated and/or consecrated), the curriculum will contain academic rigor commensurate with clergywomen and clergymen who possess basic theological competencies.