The MA in Applied Theological Studies - Feminist Theology and Spiritualities Pathway

The MA in Applied Theological Studies is validated by the University of Birmingham, a top ranked university nationally and internationally, and taught by staff of the Queen's Foundation in Birmingham.

Queen's is a thriving and expanding ecumenical foundation.  We welcome students from a wide range of Christian traditions and specialise in contextual, practical theologies for mission and ministry.  This year we are admitting more than 40 MA students to form challenging and diverse learning groups. Some will be ministers and leaders from churches around the world; some will be ministers and lay leaders from Anglican, Methodist and other 'historic' churches engaging in professional development; some will be ordained and lay pastors from Pentecostal, black led churches for leadership formation.  The breadth of perspective and the richness of experience in this group enriches the learning of everyone. 

Feminist Theology and Spiritualities Pathway

Dr Nicola Slee

Pathway leader

This pathway is designed to equip and resource women clergy, church leaders and others through a rigorous exploration of contemporary feminist and related theologies, enabling exploration of the pastoral, spiritual and theological needs, gifts and experiences of women and girls in Christian congregations and in wider missional settings of the Church’s work.  The pathway modules will normally consist of:

Feminist Theologies – methodology and perspectives.   This module explores feminist, womanist and related theologies from around the world. Particular attention will be paid to questions of methodology and the philosophical and theological presuppositions around such issues as authority, sources, norms, and hermeneutics. 

Feminist Spiritualities – methods and resources. This module explores a range of approaches and perspectives within feminist spiritualities, focusing in particular on equipping and resourcing those working within a ministerial or leadership context within the Churches. 

Supervision of Pastoral Practice is a key aspect of leadership, and good practice is essential for those who have oversight and care of volunteers as well as professional colleagues.  Increasingly the churches are requiring formal training and qualifications in supervision for those in formal training roles.  This module fulfils all these requirements. 

The Core Programme shared with other Pathways

The Core programme consists of 120 credits of core modules. Two 30 credit modules for the core taught components which are common to all the pathways.  These lay the foundations for applied theological studies.  A 60 credit dissertation module is required for the award of the MA and will normally be on a topic related to the pathway that is being followed.

Reading the Bible Contextually and Inter-culturally (30 credits).  This module addresses the nature of Contextual Theology, and how the doing of theology is related to and addresses the social and human contexts out of which it arises.

Tools for Theological Reflection and Research (30 credits).  This module focuses on the nature and methods of theological reflection appropriate to various kinds of contextual theology.  It aims to equip students to reflect theologically in and on their own particular contexts, and also in the preparation of a research study for their MA dissertation.  

These modules are taught on Wednesday evenings over ten weeks in the Autumn and Spring terms.  In the first part of a typical evening the whole group engages with specialist input; in the second part of the evening different pathway groups are facilitated by a tutor, enabling study and reflection on the material in the light of the experiences and interests of those in the particular pathway.

Dissertation (60 credits).  To gain the award of an MA you will write a 12,000 word dissertation on a topic of your choice which has been agreed with the dissertations panel.  The choice of topics is as wide as your imagination and you are encouraged to connect your area of study and research with the practice of mission, ministry and leadership.

For more information please contact Nicola Slee