Human and Social Studies Religious and Ethical Foundations of Society

Christian Doctrine Purpose Sources And Key Elements Training

SAQA US 115942 | NQF 2 | Credits 7 | Duration 4 Days
From $810 per delegate

Description

This course provides a comprehensive overview of Christian doctrine, exploring its purpose, sources, and key elements. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of the core beliefs and principles that shape Christian theology, enabling them to articulate and apply these concepts in personal and professional contexts.

Learning Outcomes

  • Explain the purpose of Christian doctrine in forming belief and practice
  • Identify and describe the primary sources of Christian doctrine
  • Analyze the key elements of Christian doctrine, including the Trinity, salvation, and eschatology
  • Evaluate the relevance of Christian doctrine in contemporary contexts
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how doctrine informs ethical decision-making
  • Apply doctrinal principles to personal faith and community life

Target Audience

This course is designed for individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of Christian doctrine, including church leaders, educators, ministry workers, and anyone interested in theological studies.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Christian Doctrine

Objectives:
• Define Christian doctrine and its role in the Christian faith.
• Identify the primary sources of Christian doctrine: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
• Explain the purpose of doctrine in guiding belief and practice.
• Distinguish between core doctrines and secondary theological opinions.

Topics:
• Introduction to Christian doctrine: definition and significance.
• Overview of the four sources of doctrine (Wesleyan Quadrilateral).
• The authority and sufficiency of Scripture.
• The role of church tradition in doctrinal development.
• Reason and experience as supplementary sources.
• Core vs. peripheral doctrines: examples and implications.
• Practical exercise: identifying sources in a given doctrinal statement.

Day 2: Key Elements of Christian Doctrine – God, Christ, and Salvation

Objectives:
• Articulate the doctrine of the Trinity and its biblical basis.
• Explain the person and work of Jesus Christ: incarnation, atonement, resurrection.
• Describe the nature and means of salvation: grace, faith, justification, sanctification.
• Evaluate different theological perspectives on atonement and salvation.

Topics:
• The Trinity: biblical foundations and historical creeds.
• Christology: the deity and humanity of Christ.
• The atonement: substitutionary, Christus Victor, and moral influence theories.
• The resurrection and its doctrinal significance.
• Soteriology: grace, faith, justification, and sanctification.
• Election and free will: Calvinist vs. Arminian views.
• Group discussion: comparing soteriological models.

Day 3: The Church, Sacraments, and Eschatology

Objectives:
• Describe the nature and mission of the church as the body of Christ.
• Explain the purpose and meaning of the sacraments: baptism and communion.
• Outline major eschatological views: premillennialism, amillennialism, postmillennialism.
• Relate eschatology to Christian hope and ethical living.

Topics:
• Ecclesiology: the church as universal and local, marks of the church.
• The role of church governance: episcopal, presbyterian, congregational models.
• Sacraments: definitions, number, and efficacy.
• Baptism: modes, subjects, and theological significance.
• Communion: presence of Christ, memorial vs. real presence views.
• Eschatology: key themes – resurrection, judgment, heaven, hell.
• End-times timelines: premillennialism, amillennialism, postmillennialism.
• Practical application: how eschatology shapes Christian living.

Day 4: Integrating Doctrine into Life and Ministry

Objectives:
• Apply doctrinal principles to contemporary ethical issues.
• Develop a personal framework for ongoing theological reflection.
• Articulate a balanced approach to doctrinal diversity within orthodoxy.
• Create a plan for teaching doctrine in a local church context.

Topics:
• Doctrine and ethics: applying theological truths to bioethics, sexuality, and justice.
• Handling doctrinal disagreements: unity vs. uniformity.
• Developing a rule of faith: personal creed and theological method.
• Teaching doctrine effectively: curriculum design and communication strategies.
• Case studies: real-world application of doctrinal principles.
• Group project: outline a 4-week doctrine study series for a congregation.
• Final assessment: Q&A and reflection on learning journey.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
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Mon 07 Sep 2026 Thu 10 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $810 Register
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Mon 17 Jan 2028 Thu 20 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $810 Register
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Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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