Dear Leaders,

Here is an important announcement from UTS.

Please let everyone in your Region know about this teleclass.

Thank you,

GBYAYF

Jorg Heller

Friends,

UTS is proud to present its first "teleclass" course. Through this method, students from anywhere in the world can listen to a live presentation and enjoy direct give and take with the professor via the telephone. Learning will be supported through communication via e-mail and/or fax.

Dr. Dietrich Seidel is presenting this first-ever course for credit toward a UTS master's degree or for Continuing Education credit. The topic, "Contemporary Christian Denominations: Reconciliation Through Dialogue," is a lively one that is relevant to the needs of Christians working toward ecumenical fellowship, an important step toward peace in our time.

Please publicize this among interested constituencies. We would appreciate it very much if it could be posted as an announcement or news item on your web site.

The first session will take place on June 4, 2005.

Thank you,

Tyler Hendricks
President

Dear Friends,

Starting on June 04, 2005, I will be offering the theology course TH 535 Contemporary Christian Denominations: Reconciliation Through Dialogue (Part A) through the communication medium of a teleclass. This means that students and instructor will meet at the same time via conference telephone calls.

More than ever in the past, God's providence is moving towards the cooperation of all faiths for the sake of building His kingdom. In particular, the Christian churches are called to set aside historical divisions and to promote ongoing interdenominational efforts for overcoming increasing secularism, unbridled individualism and the decline of family life. We need to ask the question, how can I as a God loving person contribute to an atmosphere of interdenominational dialogue and cooperation that emphasizes our common Christian heritage, thus going beyond a painful past of prejudice and misunderstanding.

To address these issues, the course TH 535 Contemporary Christian Denominations will be presented in three distinct parts (A, B, C) with ten hours of instruction each. We will discuss major denominations as follows:

Part A: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopalian. Part B: Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian, the Reformed Tradition and Baptist. Part C: Adventist, Pentecostal, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormon and Unitarian- Universalist.

All parts of this course (A, B, C) will proceed in three major steps. First we will discuss theories of denominationalism and selected issues in ecumenism that should guide us beyond a narrow mindset of religious exclusivism. Second, we will become familiar with a brief history of each of the presented traditions. Third, there will be a discussion of major theological teachings that will allow us to explore the ecumenical dimension of Unification Theology. This discussion will also include contemporary practical issues such as the influence of creeds, rituals and polity on the life of the congregation. Occasionally, I will invite a Christian minister to speak about his or her particular denomination.

Academic classes operate with 50min periods for one hour of instruction that means 100min class time for a two-hour session. Each part of our teleclass course (A,B, C) has five two hour sessions (a total of ten hours) that will consist of alternate periods of short lectures and discussions. Each of these ten hour courses can be taken within the UTS Continuing Education Program for a tuition fee of $105.- (85.- Euro; including a UTS certificate), or as a one credit course with a tuition fee of $ 210.- (170.- Euro; requires a term paper or one exam). All three parts, A, B and C of TH 535 will amount to a three credit course.

The technical aspect of the teleclass set up will be arranged with the internet tele- conference company "mrconference.com". Via e-mail and fax, I will distribute handouts and reading materials one week in advance so that every student will have sufficient time to prepare for the particular topic of our conference calls.

The first teleclass will be held on Saturday, June 04, from 10:00am – 11:40am, Eastern Standard Time followed by four Saturdays: 06-11, 06-18, 06-25, 07-02; 10:00am-11:40am (7:00am-8:40am Pacific Time; 8:00am-9:40am Mountain Time; 9:00am-10:40am Central Time; 16:00-17:40 Central European Time, 100min sessions).

To register for the course please go to my website "www.homesoflove.net" and click on "Teleclasses". If you have difficulties with the internet please send me an e-mail or phone my wife Elisabeth at 845 758 4137. We can e-mail or fax a registration form to you. After your registration, you will receive the conference phone number, a syllabus and the first set of handouts through e-mail or fax. For the course to be taught there needs to be a minimum of seven enrolled students.

Part B and Part C of TH 535 Contemporary Christian Denominations will be offered at a later date.

I am looking forward meeting you in our teleclass.

God bless you,

Dietrich Seidel, Ph.D.

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