Anglican Studies

Berkeley Requirements

Berkeley Divinity School offers two programs of study to prepare Episcopal and Anglican students for service in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion: the Diploma in Anglican Studies (which accompanies the Yale M.Div. degree) and the Certificate in Anglican Studies (which accompanies the M.A.R. or S.T.M. degrees). Each of these programs is designed as a specialized track within the YDS degree, such that the Berkeley curriculum is a particular way of being a YDS student.

The requirements for these programs are as follows:

Diploma in Anglican Studies (M.Div.)

  • Fulfilling all distributional and other requirements for the Yale Divinity School M.Div., including two units of supervised ministry (typically Clinical Pastoral Education and a Field Placement)
  • Daily participation in the worship life of Berkeley and Yale Divinity Schools
  • Successful completion of three required courses:
    • Rel. 662 The Anglican Way I
    • Rel. 663 The Anglican Way II
    • Rel. 687 Books of Common Prayer: Anglican Liturgy in History, Theology, and Practice
  • Completion of all five semesters of the Berkeley colloquium series (Rel. 3792-3794) This includes every spring semester, the junior fall, and the senior fall.
  • Participation in the Annand Program for Spiritual Formation
  • Completion of the canonically required middler evaluation

Certificate in Anglican Studies (M.A.R. or S.T.M.)

  • Fulfilling all requirements of the Yale Divinity School M.A.R. or S.T.M.
  • Active participation in the worship life of Berkeley
  • Successful completion of at least three courses directly related to Anglicanism, such as:
    • Rel. 662 The Anglican Way I
    • Rel. 663 The Anglican Way II
    • Rel. 687 Books of Common Prayer: Anglican Liturgy in History, Theology and Practice

COURSE OF STUDY: Diploma in Anglican Studies

The Canons of the Episcopal Church require satisfactory preparation in seven subject areas for ordinands. These areas are evaluated on the “General Ordination Examination,” taken in January of the senior year. Completion of the basic M.Div./Diploma in Anglican Studies requirements provides adequate preparation for the exam, though courses are not specifically designed with the GOE in mind. The seven canonical areas are:

  1. The Holy Scriptures
  2. Church History, including the Ecumenical Movement
  3. Christian Theology, including Missionary Theology and Missiology
  4. Christian Ethics and Moral Theology
  5. Studies in Contemporary Society, including Racial and Minority Groups
  6. Liturgics and Church Music
  7. Theory and practice of Ministry

The canons also require anti-racism training and instruction on the Title IV disciplinary procedures, both of which are provided for students during their course of study.

In order for students to meet all Yale, Berkeley and denominational requirements, certain courses are especially recommended, depending in part on the student’s particular area of interest. These include:

The Holy Scriptures

  • Old Testament Interpretation I & II
  • New Testament Interpretation I & II
  • Greek and Hebrew: introductory and intermediate language courses and exegesis courses.

Church History

  • History of Early Christianity: Origins and Growth
  • History of Medieval Christianity: Learning, Faith, and Conflict

Theology

  • The Anglican Way I & II (required for Berkeley MDiv students)
  • Systematic Theology I 
  • Philosophy of Religion

Christian Ethics and Moral Theology

  • Introduction to Christian Ethics

Studies in Contemporary Society

  • YDS has several distribution requirements for the MDiv, with different options every semester. Every student must take:
    • One course in a non-Christian religion or in the relationship between Christianity and other religions
    • One course that either focuses on or integrates in a sustained way material on class, gender/sexuality, race/ethnicity, disability, and/or global/cultural diversity
    • Three courses in Area V, Comparative and Cultural Studies

Liturgy

  • Evolution of the Prayer Book (required for Berkeley MDiv students)
  • Foundations of Christian Worship

Pastoral and Practical Theology

  • Introduction to Pastoral Care, and upper-level pastoral care courses
  • Principles and Practice of Preaching, and upper-level preaching courses
  • Parish Leadership & Church Administration

Students are especially encouraged to consider taking advantage of courses offered in other schools of Yale University.

Course listings for each school may be found on the web at www.yale.edu.

The Berkeley Community

Berkeley students participate in three communities at once. First, Berkeley students are part of Yale University, and are able to share in its extraordinarily rich artistic, intellectual, and social life. Many students take classes at the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, attend lectures and talks throughout the University, and experience the cultural offerings of Yale’s museums, musical groups, and theaters.

Students are also part of the smaller community of Yale Divinity School, where the sense of a common theological project shared by persons from many denominational and social backgrounds makes for a vibrant community. Every day, students from around the world and across the church share conversation over morning coffee, worship together, and learn together. Many students participate in a musical group, including a Berkeley choir, the Marquand Chapel Choir, the Marquand Gospel Choir, and the semi-professional choirs of the Institute of Sacred Music. Visitors to campus are often amazed at the distinctive vibrancy of Yale Divinity School’s community life.

Third, Berkeley students are part of the Episcopal community, which shares frequent social and special events that bind the school together into a shared community life. The Berkeley Center becomes a place where students share worship and fellowship together every morning, encounter a great variety of guests and visitors to the school over formal dinners, celebrate together at seasonal parties and receptions, and find rest on regular quiet days. Berkeley students are part of a strong cohort who take many classes together as they move through their time in seminary.

Students also take the initiative to found groups reflecting their own identities, interests, and concerns. DivOut, Yale Women Seminarians, and the Women’s Center support the full inclusion of all persons in the church’s ministry. The Yale Black Seminarians and La Comunidad provide fellowship and support for African American and Hispanic and Latina/o students on campus. DivFAM supports students as they navigate family life and ministry. The Yale Community Farm and FERNS attract students committed to ecology and religion. All of these groups draw together students from across the many denominations at YDS.