If conversations shape organizations, what are the key conversations that we should be engaging in now? What are the most important questions that will shape the next evolution of theological education and formation?
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Seminary consultation
A recent consultation on theological education sponsored by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry used a "living systems" approach to take stock of life at United Methodist seminaries.
These were the guiding questions around which a Consultation on Theological Education was convened by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Fifty participants representing an array of constituencies inside and outside United Methodism—bishops, faculty, GBHEM staff, deans and presidents of seminaries as well as divinity schools, and leaders from other denominations—met over three days. Topics of discussion included seminary presidential leadership, use of technology in theological education, student demographics and course offerings. The discussions were led by facilitators who used a “living systems” approach to dialogue, a method which shares some attributes with holy conferencing of the Wesleyan tradition.
“We hosted conversations and cultivated relationships and ideas that can impact the present and future of theological education and formation for ministry. Ideas, experiments and new possibilities were born in the creative space that opened up as we engaged one another in dialogue, and we look forward to the conversations that will continue and develop here,” said the Rev. Myron Wingfield, associate general secretary of the Division of Ordained Ministry, GBHEM.
“The need for a deep conversation has been building for a long time. The tension between church and academy is caused by the triangulation of many kinds of issues…. How can we hold the tension without losing the relationship?” asked Dr. Tom Wolfe, president of Iliff School of Theology and president of the University Senate.
Dr. Robert Martin, dean at Wesley Theological Seminary, put it this way: “Seminaries are the R&D [research and development] to the denomination. We need to develop ways of ministry into the future.” Martin said this is done at Wesley by “cultivating new ways of being truly church.” In response to what church is today for many people, Martin said, “Spreading the gospel is not like scattering seeds. It is more like sending out shoots of bamboo. The shoots sprout up from a vigorous root system. New missional churches and urban ministries benefit the denomination as a whole. At Wesley, we are incubators of those offshoot ministries.”
Other participants dreamed of ways seminaries can help heal divisions in the church over the issues of human sexuality, cultural competency, and how to enhance the relationship between local churches and seminaries especially with a multicultural reality. The Rev. Stephen Lewis, president of the Forum of Theological Exploration, opined that churches are not always doing a good job of the “formational process” of their youths and development of new leaders from within the church. Dr. Anjulet Tucker, assistant professor of Sociology of Religion at Boston University School of Theology, suggested finding ways to “allow people in the pews a peek of seminary.”
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Moore, dean at Boston University School of Theology stated, however, “We need to identify the common mission of seminaries and churches instead of focusing on what is wrong. That is not very fruitful.” Wingfield added that the goal of seminaries is the “formation of holistic leaders, each with unique gifts and broad diversity who will be of great service to the whole church.”
“We need to make local church pastors who are theologically oriented practitioners. They need to be able to lay the framework for faithful embodiment of a theological basis—not just responding to the next need," said Dr. Jeffrey Kuan, president of Claremont School of Theology.
At the end of the two days, Wingfield said he found the consultation to be gratifying because the group determined doable next steps. “Excitement emerged from this group,” he said. Among the immediate outcomes from the consultation are: recommendations/ideas for a variety of experiments in theological education, plans for a symposium on online theological education, and the pursuit of new conversations between seminary leadership and annual conference leadership.
In the days after the meeting, Dr. Lallene Rector, president of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, summarized her thoughts in a blog post. “Dialogue requires courage and perseverance,” she writes, “but perhaps it is the best hope we have for dealing with differences and for finding ways to truly collaborate toward a common good bigger than any of our personal and institutional agendas.”
GBHEM prepares and supports leaders for the worldwide church by increasing access to education, training, technical assistance and resources.
Marcie Smeck is interim director, Office of Communications, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.