Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing

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Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing

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Searching for Mystery, Metaphor, and Meaning with the Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing

Bethany Theological Seminary provides a unique educational experience with its new graduate degree in theopoetics and writing (MATW). The first of its kind at a seminary, this degree enables students to focus study in ways that celebrate mystery, metaphor, and meaning in texts and contexts for expansive reflection, critical engagement, and various forms of writing. The MATW joins theology, poetry, narrative, spirituality, and public conversations together in the pursuit of inquiry and understanding that result in creative production across multiple genres.

Drawing on the strengths of Bethany’s theopoetics curriculum and the Earlham School of Religion‘s Ministry of Writing program, the MATW degree was developed through a collaboration by the schools. The degree is offered independently by both Bethany and ESR and requires 36 credits (twelve 3-credit-hour courses). At Bethany it may be done as a residential student or through our distance education program, Connections, and there is no residency requirement.

The MATW degree is led by the following faculty:

Scott Holland
Slabaugh Professor of Theology and Culture and Director of Peace Studies and Cross-Cultural Studies
Bethany Theological Seminary

Ben Brazil
Assistant Professor and Director of the Ministry of Writing Program
Earlham School of Religion

Program Objectives

The master of arts: theopoetics and writing program is designed to enhance students’ ability to write and think at the intersection of creativity, faith, and meaning. Along with academic study, it trains students in various forms of written communication and other media that bring spirituality into public conversation with the whole of life.

Graduates from the MATW program will be prepared to:

read, write, and engage in linguistic creativity as formative spiritual practices, both for communities and for individual lives, including their own;
apply intellectual disciplines, skills, and creative processes that empower them to practice their writing publicly in ways appropriate to specific genres, audiences, and purposes;
demonstrate theopoetic understanding of method, meaning and value, with attention to their function in the public sphere and connections to the cultural context;
explore and articulate diverse, lived possibilities of theopoetics, such as literary craft, popular writing, justice advocacy, peacemaking, and community building.

Program Requirements

Summative Exercise (one courses, 3 hours)

MATW thesis, portfolio, or project completion course, taken in the student’s final semester

Core Theopoetics and Writing Courses (seven courses, 21 hours)

Theopoetics
Theopoetics, Mythopoetics, Aesthetics
Two 200-level writing courses from list below
Three other elective courses from list below

Elective Courses (four courses, 12 hours)

Elective courses may come from the list below (other MATW courses) or may be any course offered by either Bethany or ESR.
Applied Storytelling
Art, Justice, and Peace
Bonhoeffer, War, and Peace
Christian Ethics
Christian Themes in the Gallery, Contemporary Images in the Church
Contemporary Spiritual Writing
Creative Non-Fiction
Cuba, travel course
Ecological Theology and Christian Responsibility/Eco-theology
In Their Own Words: Readings in Christian History
Interfaith Dialogue
Liberation Theologies
Modernity, Postmodernity, and Belief
Narrative Theology
Peace of the City and Quest for Public Theology
Preaching, Poetry, and Prophetic Imagination
Preaching, Theopoetics, and Society
Poetics of Jesus
Poetry Writing Workshop
Process Theology
Science Fiction and Theology
Spirituality and Ecology: The Sabbath Poetry of Wendell Berry
Spirituality courses, ESR
Theatre, Theology, and Public Performance
Theological and Artistic Understandings of Jesus
Theology and Preaching
Theology of Place and the Built Environment
Visual Communication and Faith
Writing for God and God’s People
Writing Mental Illness/Writing as Mindfulness
Writing Midrash
Writing Public Theology
Writing Seminar
Writing the Story

Current Year Courses Offered

Spring 2022
January Intensive
Creative Non-Fiction

Regular Semester
Christian Ethics
Contemporary Spiritual Writing
Eco-theology
Preaching, Theopoetics, and Society
Theological and Artistic Understandings of Jesus
Theater, Theology, and Public Performance
Theopoetics
Theopoetics, Mythopoetics, and Aesthetics

May Intensive
Art, Justice, and Peace

Projected Future Course Offerings

Fall 2022
August Intensive
Creative Non-Fiction

Regular Semester
Poetics of Jesus
Preaching, Theopoetics, and Society
Spirituality and Ecology: The Sabbath Poetry of Wendell Berry
Theopoetics
Writing Public Theology
Writing the Story

Spring 2023
January Intensive
Ecological Theology and Christian Responsibility

Regular Semester
Liberation Theologies
Narrative Theology
Preaching, Poetry, and Prophetic Imagination
Theopoetics, Mythopoetics, and Aesthetics

May Intensive
Christian Themes in the Gallery, Contemporary Images in the Church

Affiliated Bethany Faculty

Joelle Hathaway
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Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm
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Steve Schweitzer
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Dan Ulrich
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Although Bethany and ESR represent two distinct traditions—Church of the Brethren and Quaker—they share a common Peace Church tradition. While they have been partner schools since 1994, the theopoetics and writing degree represents a new level of collaboration. If you are interested in learning more about ESR, please visit their website here.

For more information about the master of arts: theopoetics and writing at Bethany, refer to Bethany’s Academic Catalog.

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