Academic year 2025/2026
Overview
This program provides the environment, structure and guidance necessary for the intellectual and personal formation of deacons who wish to serve the Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This flexible program is taught in Tigrigna or Amharic and does not require proficiency in Swedish or English.
The program includes Ziema training for sacramental and liturgical services and four theological training modules.
| Autumn | Spring | |
| Year 1 | Dogmatic Theology Ziema Level One | Liturgics Ziema Level One |
| Year 2: | Canon Law and Church Administration / Ecclesiology Ziema Level One | Homiletics Ziema Level One |
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 course is built on collaborative and dialogical learning where participants actively shape not only their common learning journey but also the course itself. 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:
- lead liturgical services with understanding of both traditional procedures and the spiritual needs of the community;
- show how liturgical actions express theological meanings and how these connect to the community’s lived experience;
- use musical notation in liturgical settings, developing skills through group practice and feedback; and
- reflect on their journey of becoming diaconal servants, sharing how collaborative learning has helped them integrate liturgical knowledge with their personal faith and community relationships.
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.
