Continuing Education for Clergy & Professionals

Huron offers a variety of public lectures, non-credit courses, and events of interest to clergy and lay professionals. (If you already hold a university degree, you may also be interested in taking one of our Theology university-level courses for your personal interest or professional upgrade.)

  R. T Orr Lecture

  Non-Credit Courses & Lectures 

  University-Level Courses 

  Master of Arts (Theology) 

  Lay Certificate Courses

Non-Credit Courses & Lectures

This year's courses will commence in January 2012.

* appropriate for lay people
+ appropriate for clergy/professionals

Is It Lent Already? *+

A Lenten study that will apply methods designed to draw you deeply into the Scriptures. These 5 nights will look at the long arc of the Lenten Lectionary readings for Sundays as they lead us to experience the Easter/Paschal cycle more fully. Valuable to clergy for tuning up weekly sermons, these sessions will also deepen biblical understanding and enjoyment for lay participants. For all, it's a chance to enjoy Bill Cliff's amusing, astonishing, grace-filled readings as they lead to learning and devotion.

Instructor: Canon William Cliff; Cost $99 (full course)
Dates: Mondays, February 27, March 5, 12, 9, 26, 2012; from 7 - 9 pm.
Registration Form 

The Church and Its Music * +

Would you like to participate more fully in the music of the church? Bill Lupton will lead us on a whirlwind tour through all things related to church music: the outline of liturgy, the relationships of musical leadership, hymns: why we sing them, seasonal and scriptural song, plainsong and psalms, sung prayers, music with children, Taizé, GIA, prayer books, weddings, funerals– you name it, Bill teaches it! Full of practical information, this course will fill you with music for your congregation and your life.
Instructor: William Lupton  Cost $119 (full course)
Dates: Saturdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24; from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Registration Form

Communicating the Gospel in a Post-Christian World    (back by popular demand!)

In a world bombarded with technological gadgets and social media, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to communicate God's truths to a generation apathetic toward the Church and her story of hope. While this reality has many feeling helpless and discouraged, others are learning new and effective ways to communicate the Gospel message. If you are serious about reaching the hearts and minds of the next generation, don’t miss this two-day course, where we will learn how best to tackle some of the most pressing communication challenges facing the Church.

Instructor: Pastor Dom Ruso; cost: $99
Dates/Times: Saturday, April 21, 9:00 am-2:30 pm; Monday, April 23, 7-9 pm, W17
Registration Form

*POSTPONED*Key Characteristics of Effective Leadership * +

This course is postponed until September 15, 2012.
The renowned management consultant Peter Drucker says that “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Join Kevin Dixon for this practical one-day course exploring some proven-effective qualities that help lead a church, organization, business, or household to achieve what is faithful to its mission. For clergy and lay people of all denominations with an interest in developing their leadership skills, this is a session not to be missed!
Instructor: Dean Kevin Dixon; Cost $49 (half course)
Date: Saturday, September 15, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Registration Form

Spring 2012 R. T Orr Lecture

Dr. Ingrid Mattson

Director of the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Hartford Seminary

Disciplining "Good Intentions":  An Islamic Response to "Pathological Altruism"

Thursday, March 22, 7:00 p.m., Kingsmill Room, Huron; Public Lecture; Free Admission
Getting There:  Park in Visitor/Student Lot behind the Dining Hall at south end of College, let the attendant know you are there for the Orr Lecture for free parking, enter at the side Info Desk door; map/directions)

In the last few years there has been a flurry of research devoted to understanding compassion and its activist manifestation, altruism. Few would argue that there is any downside to the cultivation of a compassionate attitude; modern Buddhists, at the urging of the Dalai Lama, are probably the most engaged, seeking to explore, among other things, the biological basis of compassion, even harnessing new neurological technologies to find its home in the brain. The benefits of altruism have been more contested. Secular scientists such as E.O. Wilson and Richard Dawkins, who see altruism as pure self-deception, elicit scorn from writer Marilynn Robinson for their failure to take the experience of being human seriously in their “parascientific” postures. Recently, a deeper and more balanced exploration of the dark side of altruism has been undertaken by scholars from a variety of disciplines in the book,Pathological Altruism. In this talk, Professor Mattson will explore the way in which the Islamic tradition conceptualizes the impulse to do good and aims to prevent altruistic gestures from causing harm through the discipline of ethics.

University-level Courses

If you're not registered in a degree at Huron, you can take university courses from our M.Div./MTS programs by applying as a Special Student (you already have a university degree) or by Non-Credit Registration (you do not already hold a degree).  Other courses are available (see here for course descriptions), but in 2011-12, look out for: 

Church History 5233b, R. Boutros, “Christianity in North Africa and Egypt” 

Hebrew 5241b, J. Pfenniger, second-year Hebrew

Religious Studies 5133b, Dr. Acres, “Religions of the Near East” 

Systematic Theology 5292b, Dr. Badcock, “Missiology”

Master of Arts (Theology)

This interdisciplinary research advanced degree began May 2006. Click here for details.

Lay Certificate Courses

are also available to clergy and professionals. Click here for details.