Resources

Journal Issue.

Apologia is about contemporary theological education--its current state and its future. While many current trends in seminaries and departments of theology bring important new insights to the study of religion, says Max Stackhouse they also erode-- sometimes unwittingly--the capacity to speak of God, truth, and justice with warranted confidence. Theology is thereby undermined in all arenas--not only in academia, but in the life of the church and society. This book not only exposes the frailties of several current ideologies, but also draws noted scholars from five continents and a seminary faculty into an interdisciplinary discussion of the most significant recent literature on theological education. The results are fresh proposals for the reconstructing of theological education on foundations that are contextually alert, globally concerned, and mission-oriented. Apologia is a ground-breaking work, a book that begins and ends in dialogue, and points toward the ways in which Christian theology will have to redefine itself if it is to actively shape, and not merely reflect, the context in which we live. (From the Publisher)

In Seminaries, Theologates, and the Future of Church Ministry, Sr. Schuth details some of the ways seminaries are responding to the ministerial requirements of the Church of today and tomorrow. Extensive research images of Church, priesthood, and ministry are taken from a broad sample of faculty, students, administrators, and trustees to answer such questions as: What is the nature of the local and universal mission of the Church in which people seek to serve these days? What is their vision of the church's future? How must people be prepared to carry, out the vision they hold about the church's ministry? What are their fears, hopes, anxieties about ministering in the Church? and What would be their one wish for the future? Studies of what parishioners expect of their Church and ministers complement the internal views. (From the Publisher)

This new 8-volume series brings us the seasoned fruits of modern scholarship. The authors are personally and pastorally aware of the theological concerns and challenges of our time and are attuned to the needs of contemporary students. (From the Publisher)

Doctors, architects, lawyers and engineers are all trained in schools that emphasize technique but neglect the key element of artistry that distinguishes the true professional. Today's professional is a drudge, mechanically applying privileged knowledge to rote tasks. That is Schon's diagnosis of higher education, and as a remedy he recommends learning by doing. To teach skills of improvisation and problem-framing, he feels our universities should borrow the methods used in art studios, dance conservatories, athletics coaching, craft appenticeships and psychoanalytic training. In all these settings, a dialogue between student and coach in a low-risk atmosphere encourages creativity. Despite its academic prose, this primer by an MIT urban studies professor will enlighten students, teachers and professionals. Schon concludes the book (a sequel to The Reflective Practitioner with a description of his attempt to create a ``studiolike'' curriculum for MIT's city planning courses. (From the Publisher)

In a post-liberal critique of the mainline establishment, Oden identifies the failures of contemporary theological education and its accompanying ideology, maps out the ultra-liberalization of church bureaucracies and special interest politics, and calls for a return to classical Christian theological roots and categories.

This book is the written record of seven feminists' commitment to practice what they preach-to make incarnate both the fierce and the whimsical character of that which is born in every shared effort to teach and learn with minds set on justice. (From the Publisher)

The monographs collected in this volume are based on research into the role of chief academic officers in North American theological schools. (From the Publisher)

Presents the results of a research study which surveyed the state of the deans of 75 percent of North American theological schools. The study profiles, who the deans are the types of work that they due, and their role in the administration and governance of schools. Reasons for high turnover are explored and recommendations are made to help schools encourage and develop leadership qualities in academic deans. (From the Publisher)