Course Objectives:

As a result of studying this course the student will:
Be able to understand the people of other faiths and how they relate to their environment, their concepts of the divine and the ways that they seek to answer human need and find spiritual salvation.

Learn ways communicating the gospel to different groups of people with the challenges that are met in this endeavor.
Ways of sharing not only with the people of other faiths but also teaching and instructing Christians on how they might themselves reach out to their neighbors will be shared.

Course Content:

The course will have a series of modules:

• The first module will be introductory and deal with the sociological aspects of religions in how faiths meet basic human needs that often are social as well as spiritual.

• The second module will revise material on the major religious faiths which has already been covered by students in their M. Div studies. The purpose will be to revise ,update and add to existing understandings.

• The third module will concentrate on Folk Religion. This will be shown to an important area of interaction and communication with people of other faiths. As part of this module areas of community, development aspects will be covered

• The fourth module relates to the contribution that students can make to each other and to the course by the preparation of seminar materials and the presentation of papers

Video Tapes: Each video shown is to be followed with a report. The report is not to recite again the contents of the tape but to meet the following criteria:
An evaluation of the communication value of this tape with relation to content presentation and variety

• Information gained that was not previously understood as to the content and nature of other faiths


• Means of reaching out to people of other faiths either through information, technique or means of communication
  
• A significant lesson learnt personally from listening to the tape

The presentation will include the following:

• The major ideas of the religion
• Rites, rituals, festivals associated with the religion
• The major differences between this faith and Christianity
• Bridges and ways of relating to the practitioners of this faith
• Challenges faced by any converts in becoming Christians

• Describe the folk religious practice given to the group
• Give some living examples from the experience of members of the group
• Present implications for evangelism
• Implications for Church. Possibility of affirming or denying this aspect of the culture. Steps to be taken to either reinforce or substitute for this practice

All students are to attend all of the presentations by fellow students. An evaluation report is to be submitted according to the guide lines given in the appended form. Failure to present an evaluation or not to attend the presentation for any reason will result in the loss of grading marks.