Academic year 2025/2026
Overview
This program provides the environment, structure and guidance necessary for the intellectual and personal formation of servant priests who wish to serve the Orthodox Tewahedo Church in parish ministry. This two-year course is taught in Tigrigna or Amharic and does not require proficiency in Swedish or English.
The Program includes advanced education in Ge’ez and Ziema (liturgy and hymns), which will enable candidates to lead sacramental and liturgical services. In addition to this, the candidates are expected to complete nine theological training modules over the course of two years.
| Autumn | Spring | |
| Year 1 | Dogmatic Theology Biblical Studies Ge’ez Level One – Level Three Ziema Level Two | Ecclesiology Liturgics Ge’ez Level One – Level Three Ziema Level Two |
| Year 2: | Patrology Church History I Ge’ez Level One – Level Three Ziema Level Two | Church History II Canon Law and Church Administration Homiletics Ge’ez Level One – Level Three Ziema Level Two |
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:
- lead sacramental services with understanding of both traditional procedures and their community’s spiritual needs;
- apply church administrative procedures to parish leadership, balancing canonical requirements with community realities;
- build ministerial skills through collaborative practice that draws on diverse experiences;
- use musical notation in liturgical settings, developing skills through group practice and feedback;
- connect liturgical texts with both personal experience and community worship, showing how they enrich each other;
- use advanced Ge’ez grammar and vocabulary, collaborating with others to deepen understanding; and
- document their journey of priestly formation, reflecting on specific ways that collaborative learning has transformed their understanding of ministry and how it connects with their personal vocation and community service.
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.
In order to enroll in the parish priest program, participants must have successfully completed the diaconal training program in the Tewahedo tradition or equivalent liturgical studies.
The Deans Council revised the syllabus on February 26 and March 18 2025.
