2.png)
DISCIPLES SEMINARY FOUNDATION - Supporting the formation of emerging theological leaders
Registration is now open for the July DSF Collective course, The Birth & Growth of the Disciples of Christ Movement in the United States and Globally. This engaging history and polity course explores the origins, development, theological commitments, and governance of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), tracing the movement from its early beginnings to its contemporary global expressions. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of Disciples identity, including the ministries of NAPAD, Obra Hispana, and National Convocation, while examining how the church continues to respond to the challenges of a changing world. Whether you are preparing for ministry, seeking to deepen your knowledge of the Disciples tradition, or pursuing the DSF Certificate in Pastoral Leadership in a Divided World, this course offers valuable insight into our shared heritage and future. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for participants who successfully complete the course requirements. Join us this July and invest in your growth as a leader, learner, and member of the Disciples community.
The cost of this course is $300. Scholarships are available. Click here for more info or email info@dsf.edu.
HISTORY & POLITY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)
Taught by Rev. Dr. Joel Brown, who currently serves as president of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society. Joel is a scholar of American religious history and specializes in the study of race and religion in modern U.S. history. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is currently finishing a book titled Saving Black Metropolis: African American Club Women and Social Christianity in Turn-of-the-Century Chicago. Joel is also in the early stages of writing a religious biography of Lyndon B. Johnson, a Disciple and member of National City Christian Church.
A product of two of the Stone-Campbell Movement’s three main streams, Joel has had the opportunity to study under several distinguished historians of the movement. He worked with Church of Christ historian and Alexander Campbell biographer Douglas Foster while completing his undergraduate (BA) and Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degrees at Abilene Christian University. Joel then studied under Disciples historian and Barton W. Stone biographer D. Newell Williams while completing his Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree at Brite Divinity School. During his doctoral studies, he studied Disciples history and thought with W. Clark Gilpin at the Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago.
Joel and his wife, Rev. Erin James-Brown, have two daughters, Margot (5) and Evelyn (2). They are members of Bethany Memorial Church (Disciples of Christ), where Erin is the pastor, and Joel teaches children’s Sunday school.