Theological Education

A top leadership theorist offers a compelling proposal for renovating the way religious education is practiced today. Christian colleges and seminaries have not been immune from the cultural influences shaping contemporary education. Challenging the conventional wisdom advanced by the educational debate during the last fifteen years, Robert Banks builds an innovative new model of theological education based on how ministry formation took place in biblical times. Banks takes full account of key issues raised by our current educational context and shows how a "missional model" of education is more holistic, inclusive, and practical than recent versions.

Theological education has always been vital to the Church’s life and mission; yet today it is in crisis, lacking focus, direction, but also resources and even students. In the early Church, there is no doubt that to lead worship one had to be able to read and interpret the Bible. In order to lead, it was necessary to know at least something about the history of Israel and the work of God in the Gospels, and interpret that history, making it relevant to daily living. Quickly the Church developed schools for its teachers, whether lay or clergy. A catechetical system was organized through which candidates prepared for baptism were given a basic form of theological education. Hence to be a Christian meant persons knew what and why they believed. But over the years, theological education has come to mean education for clergy and church professionals. It has drifted, seeking new moorings.

A major and continuing problem for theological education and the practice of Christian ministry is how to best achieve a genuine integration between theory and practice, theology and experience. The key claim of this book is that theological reflection, beginning with experience, is a method of integration and that pastoral supervision is a vehicle for theological reflection. In establishing this claim, John Paver demonstrates that the model and method have potential to be a catalyst for reform within theological colleges and seminaries. Three different theological reflection models are developed and critiqued in this book, and their capacity to be developed in particular contexts is explored. This book does not stop at ministry, cultural and personal integration, but is bold enough to make recommendations for structural integration within the theological institution.

Historically education has been driven from behind – the history, and above – the educational institution. Traditions and adherence requirements have led to inflexible models of school leadership that are focused on administration and rife with educational politics. In contrast, today’s theological landscape needs institutions with a grassroots-driven educational system, looking to a future that is biblically and theologically grounded. This publication, an English translation from the original German focuses on the leadership and curriculum development required for such a paradigm shift. Ott comprehensively assesses trends in current theological education across the world with detailed reference to wider trends in global tertiary education. Written primarily for those in leadership roles at theological schools and training institutions, this handbook is an essential resource for equipping the next generation of leaders in theological education.

On forming people who form communion Theological education has always been about formation: first of people, then of communities, then of the world. If we continue to promote whiteness and its related ideas of masculinity and individualism in our educational work, it will remain diseased and thwart our efforts to heal the church and the world. But if theological education aims to form people who can gather others together through border-crossing pluralism and God-drenched communion, we can begin to cultivate the radical belonging that is at the heart of God’s transformative work. In this inaugural volume of the Theological Education between the Times series, Willie James Jennings shares the insights gained from his extensive experience in theological education, most notably as the dean of a major university’s divinity school—where he remains one of the only African Americans to have ever served in that role. He reflects on the distortions hidden in plain sight within the world of education but holds onto abundant hope for what theological education can be and how it can position itself at the front of a massive cultural shift away from white, Western cultural hegemony. This must happen through the formation of what Jennings calls erotic souls within ourselves—erotic in the sense that denotes the power and energy of authentic connection with God and our fellow human beings. After Whiteness is for anyone who has ever questioned why theological education still matters. It is a call for Christian intellectuals to exchange isolation for intimacy and embrace their place in the crowd—just like the crowd that followed Jesus and experienced his miracles. It is part memoir, part decolonial analysis, and part poetry—a multimodal discourse that deliberately transgresses boundaries, as Jennings hopes theological education will do, too.

These are exciting times in theological education as old models are being reassessed and teachers and schools are looking for guidance on how best to do the job and how to profitably relate to students in the ministry of teaching. Increasingly, the motif of hospitality is being used to guide our thinking and practice, but it needs a careful assessment if it is to be of maximum use to theological education today. This book provides an integrated biblical, theological, and educational rationale to inform theological educators of the place of hospitality in enhancing their quest to create more effective learning environments for the holistic formation of students. Dr Davina Soh explores key elements of hospitality such as inclusion, presence, care, and reciprocity, which when combined, can deliver the best possible educational experience for theological students and transform an entire institution.

Gerontology in Theological Education: Local Program Development provides a source book for administrators and faculty in theological schools who are concerned about the increasing number of older persons in congregations and communities. Theoretical, theological, and practical chapters offer guidance to those interested in adventuring into aging for the first time or in revising present commitments.

Part One addresses Theological Foundations. The five essays in this section deal with the Bible, Theology and Ecumenism. The subjects of theological methods, contextual hermeneutics, and appropriate curriculum are given special attention. Of course even foundational issues cannot be discussed in a vacuum and so each of the essays addresses these foundational subjects in the light of African realities. Part Two deals with Contemporary Issues. It is particularly in this section that the traditional themes in African theology have been somewhat displaced by concerns which are today very pressing indeed. Three essays are devoted to the question of HIV/AIDS. This disease, which has devastated the African continent, demands a theological and practical response from those who claim to follow Jesus Christ. If the churches do not respond to this crisis with energy and determination we should not be surprised if the next generation wonders whether the Gospel has the power which we claim that it has. Two essays address the question of Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations in Africa. The resurgence of Islam in the world today is a concern of many. For those who believe in Jesus, this is a challenge which demands much wisdom and love. How should we respond to our Muslim neighbours? What are appropriate and thoughtful ways to share the love of Christ? Two further essays appear under the title of The Marginalized. This could, of course, be a much large section. Those who suffer from AIDS could be included in this number, and one might have expected to see at least one essay on the place of women. In this volume, however, the disabled and youth are highlighted. Both groups are clearly in need of the attention of the churches, and both groups are clearly misunderstood and neglected. The final section of Part Two contains essays, which focus attention on Theological Paedagogy. All of the other contributions to this volume make suggestions and arguments about curriculum, resources, and issues of concern for theological educators. The causal aim of this book is that these essays may help us to reflect in an intentional way on the implications of contemporary realities for the future of theological education.