The ATP Certificate - Frequently Asked Questions
Click on your question to head down to the answer…
What is the ATP Certificate?
It’s the Anglican Theology and Practice Certificate! Awarded to a Participant who has completed 4 SFC Short Courses and who has met with a Conversation Partner about their final creative reflections in response to each of the four SFC Short Courses.
2. How do you do the ATP Certificate?
Register, get a Conversation Partner (probably your priest or chaplain?) then complete four SFC Short Courses. After each Short Course, meet with your Conversation Partner to check learning progress.
3. What are the SFC Short Courses?
St Francis College Short Courses are thematically-linked online videos with discussion/reflection questions for individuals and groups. There are six SFC Short Courses – each has five or six episodes:
What Matters About Jesus
Exploring The Bible
Being Anglican
Understanding Anglican Worship
Faith Asking Questions (an ‘intro to simple theology’ course)
Christian Education Essentials
4. How long does it take to do the ATP Certificate?
Each SFC Short Course, given 1 hour per week, should take about 6 weeks. Then give time for a creative response, and the candidate will spend 8 weeks engaged in one SFC Short Course. So, that leads us to think that a person may reasonably complete 4 Short Courses in one school year (4 terms). But you can take more or less time, depending on your needs. There’s no time limit, really!
5. Who would do this ATP Certificate?
Young adults
Adults
Anyone on a faith journey
Anyone asking questions about faith.
Liturgical Assistants, RI Teachers, Sunday School/Children’s Church leaders, Parish Councillors, Wardens, you name it!
6. Why would I agree to participate in the ATP Certificate?
Maybe you’re interested in the challenge of thinking deliberately about your faith for a whole year.
Perhaps you like the idea of connecting with new people who are working on faith challenges too.
Because you’re teaching in an Anglican school and want to up-skill for a Religious Education class.
Perhaps you’re new to a leadership management role in your parish and want a refresher on the ethos behind a modern Church community.
Maybe you’ve volunteered on a Youth Camp and this is part of your leadership training.
This certificate is a low-cost and local opportunity to find out more about Theology and ministry ideas. It could lead to more study for ministry later on!
7. What’s the benefit to my parish or school in doing the ATP Certificate?
Like yeast in the dough, a few engaged and challenged learners will enliven all aspect of Parish life!
8. Should the parish sponsor me to do this certificate?
Here are some thoughts about that, it is really up to the parish to decide how sponsorship might work…
Why someone might answer “yes” to that:
Because that’s what parishes do - challenge and educate towards deeper faith
All communities grow when education is a key factor
Parish volunteers will make more nuanced decisions and contributions
Why someone might answer “no” to that:
Because people value what they pay for
Because it doesn’t fit in the budget
9. Why does the ATP Certificate cost $300 …what is the money for?
The SFC Short Courses are available free online, along with discussion questions and ideas for group work. This is certainly an option for personal study.
Enrolment in the ATP Certificate gives the participant access to a growing set of online resources, ongoing opportunities to meet and discuss learning, and lots of support (materials and people) as you go through the certificate year.
It is recognised as a formal course of learning by the wider Anglican Church and School communities, so allows you to show others that you’ve spent a year in learning and reflection.
There are layers of accountability built into the ATP Certificate process. You engage with a Conversation Partner, attend gatherings with other learners, and may liaise with St Francis College Staff for interviews to create resources. These are important indicators of collegiate learning rather than independent learning.
If you move to another parish, Liturgical Assistants will be able to show they’ve completed the certificate course about Anglican Worship and Liturgy.
Religious Education teachers can move between schools, and this certificate shows they have completed 24-32 hours of professional development in Theology, Christian Education and the Anglican Church.
Costs contribute to the
administration staff who liaise with participants and conversation partners
website design and management
staff to create, curate and update resources
ongoing training and support of Conversation partners
10. Are there refunds if I can’t finish the certificate?
It would be sad if, for whatever reason, you couldn’t finish the ATP Certificate! Refunds are possible, minus appropriate admin fees and amounts for courses completed so far. Contact your Conversation Partner first and then the FormEdFaith office to discuss this.
