April 2024 Course Descriptions
Christian History 2
This course examines Christian history from the Middle Ages in Western Europe to the present. Key topics include scholasticism, the medieval papacy, the Crusades, the Protestant Reformation, Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, and Christianity in the Global South.
Required Text    
  • Mullin, Robert Bruce. A Short World History of Christianity. Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminister John Knox Press, 2014.
Your Instructor 
  • The Very Rev. Dr. Don H. Compier (Ph.D. in theology, Emory University) is Dean of the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry. Previously, Compier taught Master’s and Ph.D. courses in theology, philosophy, and modern church history at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. He has also offered classes at Saint Paul School of Theology and Eden Theological Seminary. He led the graduate program in religion at Graceland University from 2002 until 2014, developing an innovative online curriculum. He is currently conducting research on the history of Eucharistic thought in the Anglican tradition. He is completing his internship to be a guide to persons doing the Ignatian Exercises.

Christian History Survey (D)
This course is a survey of Christian history from its origins to the present. We will examine the key events and figures, as well as the various cultural and social contexts. Special attention will be paid to the distinctive traditions of belief and practice that developed as Christianity grew and expanded into different parts of the world.
Required Texts  
  • Mullin, Robert Bruce. A Short World History of Christianity. Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminister John Knox Press, 2014.
Your Instructor 
  • The Rev. Dr. Sean C. Kim is the Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to serving at the church, he teaches East Asian and world history at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. His research focuses on the history of Protestant Christianity in Korea. Originally from a Presbyterian and Methodist background, he was “Anglicanized” through his studies at the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry. He received his B.A. from Cornell University and M.Div., A.M., and Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Preaching I
This course is designed as an introductory view to the world of preaching and as an “on-ramp” to designing and delivering sermons rich in content that articulate the lived and scriptural experience of the word of God.  Objectives are to:
  • Explore constitutive elements of preaching and types of sermons.
  • Establish a trustworthy hermeneutical and exegetical process for sermon design.
  • Elicit your own homiletical voice and style.
  • Prepare and preach a sermon on an assigned text.
  • Practice giving and receiving feedback on sermons from a generous community.
Required Texts
  • Cressman, Lisa Kraske. Backstory Preaching: Integrating Life, Spirituality, and Craft. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2018,
  • Taylor, Barbara Brown. The Preaching Life. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc., 1993.
Your Instructor
  • The Very Rev. Torey Lightcap is Dean of Grace Cathedral in Topeka, Kansas. Prior to this recent appointment he served as Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas for five years. He is an alumnus of the Seminary of the Southwest (M.Div, ’04), Oklahoma State University (M.S., ’96), and Oklahoma Baptist University (B.A., 1994).

Tasks of Theology
Most Christians are not content to simply experience their faith.  They seek to understand it. One classic definition of theology is “faith seeking understanding.” This course will provide a foundation for thinking about one’s faith. As such, the course will explore basic questions such as: What is theology? What is its relationship to other disciplines (philosophy, Scripture studies, history, preaching, etc.)?; What approaches to theological thinking are available?; and others. At the end of this course, students should be prepared to think theologically about the Christian faith.  
Required Texts
  • McGrath, Alister.  Christian Theology: An Introduction, 6th edition. Wiley Blackwell, 2016.
  • Markey, John J. Making Sense of Mystery: A Primer on Theological Thinking. Anselm Academic, 2018.
Your Instructor
  • Dr. Wilburn (Bill) T. Stancil is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Religious Studies at Rockhurst University, Kansas City. From 1980 to 2020, he taught theology at four different universities and theological seminaries. Dr. Stancil is a licensed lay preacher in the Episcopal Church and a frequent speaker in churches of many denominations in the Kansas City area.
BKSM welcomes you to take courses with us for personal enrichment or continuing education. Classes are richer with occasional students around the table.  We encourage you to experience this remarkable, uplifting community of learning, worship and fellowship for yourself!

April Overview
  • Classes begin on Monday, March 11.  You will receive an email and syllabus directly from your instructor. If you have  not received anything from your instructor by Tuesday, please contact us.
  • The in-person Focus Weekend meets  April 13-14 , on Saturday from 7:30 am-9:00 pm and on Sunday from 7:30am-12:15pm.
  • The detailed weekend schedule is here.
  • Classes end on Friday, May 10.
  • Grades due May 31.

Tuition & Scholarships
  • Tuition is $100 to audit a class in person or online, $240 to take a class for credit in person, which includes  overnight accommodations at Upton Hall &  meals, $165 to take a class for credit on Zoom.
  • Apply for the $100 Jim Upton lay scholarship. Scholarships also available for students on an ordination track.
  • Many hotels are available throughout Topeka. Most are 15 minutes away or less.
Register for April Courses