PDF Professional Education for Ministry Download
- Author: Edward E. Thornton
- Publisher:
- ISBN: 9780687343294
- Category : Clinical pastoral education (Movement)
- Languages : en
- Pages : 301
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Questions about education for Christian ministry are currently the subject of lively debate in both Church and society. Major constructive proposals have been made from within several church traditions. Though Catholics have been a part of those ecumenical discussions, they are only beginning to contribute from their rich resources. This work is a dialogue with the questions and issues already raised in other traditions, with special attention to the contribution a Catholic perspective can offer.Education for Ministry asks questions about the whole range of ministerial activities that are coming to life in the Roman tradition in North America. It provides students with an opportunity to reflect on their preparation for a life of ministry.
Most seminaries now require their students to get real world training by way of supervised theological field education. This volume presents the wide array of issues that must be understood in order to integrate theological education and practical ministry, including the importance of theological field education, its purpose and challenges, the need for flexibility in meeting different students' needs, and the resources available to create a meaningful and educational experience.
This accessible introduction to the broad scope of Christian education focuses on its practice in the local church. Two leading experts argue that Christian education encompasses all of the intentional practices of the local church, including worship, mission, sacraments, and teaching. They explore Christian education not only as a field of study but as a vital congregational ministry, showing how congregations can engage in discipleship and formation for spiritual growth. The book features exercises and other pedagogical devices and includes reflection questions and suggestions for further reading.
The picture that pastors have of themselves and of their experiences in the ministry is ambivalent. On the one hand they find the pastoral work which they perform meaningful, important and relevant. On the other hand pastors suffer from chronic stress of some sort, caused by different factors on the micro, meso and macro level of religion, church and society. Many pastors experience the modernization and subsequently the secularization process as a very serious problem, which negatively influences religious life within the parish. Pastors are bowed down by uncertainty over how their work contributes to the parish mission in today's society and, even more so, by doubts over what that mission is, in particular, the diaconal mission. Which direction can, shall, should the pastor take if neither the church nor the theological institutions are able to provide him or her with a clear frame of reference, an attractive perspective, a convincing policy, a plausible course of action, and a meaningful set of aims, goals and objectives ? There is no alternative but to risk taking responsibility for oneself and choosing one's own course of action. To take this risk is not reckless or foolhardy, as long as the choices are always informed by a religious self-reflection that is open to tradition as well as to the future. This allows the pastor to be his own guide, to transgress useless customs and habits, and cross the boundaries into as yet unknown territory. The task of education must be to provide the foundation that enables the pastor to make those choices and take those risks in a well-considered, prudent and truly religious manner. This study represents not only an interpretative description of some of the education for ministry in today's societal, cultural and ecclesiastical context in the western world but also a proposal for a new model: the reflective ministry model.
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This introductory textbook solidly situates Christian education in the church and ministry context of the 21st century. With over 20 years of ministry, teaching, and leadership experience, Freddy Cardoza is uniquely qualified to bring together a wide range of Christian educators. This volume features the expertise of 25 evangelical scholars of Christian education, including diverse, next-generation voices in the field. It provides balanced biblical-theological and practical perspectives for church and parachurch leaders, equipping them to meet the ever-changing needs of our world. Additional resources for professors and students are available through Textbook eSources.