When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Emphasizing Christian Formation

Emphasizing Christian Formation

This course is part of Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism Specialization

Instructors: Jung Choi

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

91% of learners achieved a positive career outcome

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Welcome to Emphasizing Christian Formation. This course examines how Methodism’s deep-rooted attention to Christian formation can nurture both gifts and character in our communities. We’ll see how Methodist formation hinges upon the Methodist doctrine of holiness. We’ll consider how innovations in the complementary practices of preaching and fellowship were directed to holiness and fueled the growth of Methodism in 18th-century England. We will also consider how education contributes to our growth as disciples of Christ. Drawing on these lessons allows us to rethink the practices of our own communities. Finally, we will learn that the Methodist way of Christian formation finds its fullest expression in prayer.

Throughout four weeks, you will learn the definition of Christian formation— and how to connect this to your church and individual practices and forming diverse communities of faith. In each week of the course, you’ll be asked to reflect on scripture to guide you to take practical steps in how to incorporate theology in your own worship, fellowship, teaching, and mission. If you are a pastor or ministry professional in need of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for your professional development, CEU credits are available for this course. Upon successful completion of this course, you can provide your Coursera certificate and the course description to your employer for recognition of earning 0.5 CEUs. Contact divinityonline@duke.edu with any questions regarding CEUs for this course. Each of the 5 courses in the Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism specialization is worth 0.5 CEUs, for a total of 2.5 CEUs for completing all of the courses. This course is part of the Rediscovering the Heart of Methodism series. This is one of five 4-week online courses designed to help engaged laypeople and clergy (including local pastors in licensing schools) develop core capacities for innovative leadership within the Wesleyan tradition. Through this series, we hope you will experience a deeper grounding in the distinctive elements of Methodism at its best, and a renewed capacity for hopeful, imaginative participation in the mission of God.

Module details

“Christian perfection” is the goal of our formation in Christ, but this doctrine has long been neglected or misunderstood. Far from being an obscure museum piece, the Methodist doctrine of holiness invites us to nurture the character of Christ and cultivate the gifts of the Spirit. To renew the heart of Methodism, we must tend the flame of holiness.

What's included

1 video10 readings2 assignments2 discussion prompts

1 videoTotal 12 minutes

Emphasizing Christian Formation: Nurturing Character and Gifts12 minutes

10 readingsTotal 80 minutes

General Course Information10 minutes
About Duke Divinity+10 minutes
Course Entry Survey10 minutes
About the Group Discussion Guide10 minutes
Group Discussion Guide5 minutes
Coursera Online Discussion Guidelines10 minutes
Report a problem with the course5 minutes
This Week's Presenter5 minutes
Key Terms5 minutes
A Church without Saints Forgets How to Serve (Optional)10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 25 minutes

Reflective Quiz10 minutes
Week 1 Graded Quiz15 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Introduce Yourself!10 minutes
Exploring Christian perfection in our own lives10 minutes

If the goal of our formation is Christian perfection, how do we pursue it? This week, we’ll take a closer look at the structures and practices the early Methodist movement developed to nurture both character and gifts. Seeing how preaching and fellowship complemented one another as the movement spread opens a path for evaluating the pathways to Christian formation in our own communities.

What's included

1 video3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

1 videoTotal 12 minutes

From Preaching to Fellowship: Building Networks of Formation in Early Methodism12 minutes

3 readingsTotal 20 minutes

This Week's Presenter5 minutes
Key Terms5 minutes
The Methodist Band Meeting: Confession is for Protestants Too! (Optional)10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 15 minutes

Week 2 Graded Quiz15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Preaching and fellowship as pathways to Christian formation10 minutes

John Wesley and Methodists through the centuries have maintained that education plays an important role in Christian formation. Indeed, Methodists have founded institutions of higher learning around the world. This week, we’ll explore how education can still help Methodists spread scriptural holiness across the land.

What's included

1 video3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

Methodist prayer is intimately connected with Wesley’s emphasis on scriptural holiness. Wesley understood prayer not only as a means of grace that helps us grow toward perfection, but also as a form of being in perfection. This week, we will discover how the Wesleyan way of prayer touches the very heart of Methodism.