Academic year 2025/2026
Overview
The church is not merely an idea but a common life that requires order. This course will introduce participants to the church’s organizational structures. In addition to an introduction to church (canon) law, participants will learn skills in communication, administration, and financial management. Furthermore, participants will develop an understanding of leadership as well as the competencies required to meet the responsibilities and challenges of different leadership roles within the church’s organization.
Learning Approach
At Sankt Ignatios Folkhögskola, the overarching principle that guides learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.
Knowledge is dialogue, which requires humility and empathy.
This program is built on collaborative and dialogical learning where participants actively shape not only their common learning journey but also the courses themselves. The content, materials, and methods will be adapted in real time based on participants’ needs, interests, and input. Beyond mastering subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transforms their thinking, practice and identity. Through dialogue, narrative, group discussions, shared reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop awareness of their own growth while supporting others’ development. The learning community becomes a space where everyone’s experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but actively guide the direction of the course, helping each person to integrate learning into their own life context in meaningful, personally transformative ways.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the participants are (individually and collectively) expected to be able to:
- explain the church’s organizational structure and how it functions in different community contexts;
- use effective communication approaches that respond to the diverse needs of church communities;
- manage financial records in ways that are transparent and build community trust
- Work collaboratively within church structures while respecting different perspectives and traditions;
- build leadership skills through group practice and feedback, connecting administration to spiritual service;
- recognize how administrative work serves the community, sharing examples of how good administration supports spiritual life and;
- reflect on how their understanding of church administration has evolved through group learning, describing how collaborative problem-solving has helped them connect practical skills with their personal faith journey.
Other requirements
Attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to participate in all course activities, both by being present and playing an active role in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside of scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may be required to complete extra assignments to fulfill the learning outcome requirements of the course. For the course to be considered complete, 80% attendance and participation are required.
The Deans Council revised the syllabus on February 26 and March 18 2025.
