Resources

This book offers an orientation in Christian theology, broadly conceived. Its subject is not that single discipline in the theological curriculum to which the title of 'theology' is nowadays often reserved, but rather the whole curriculum, or the whole range of disciplines which together constitute the enterprise of Christian theology, and whose study constitutes theological education. (From the Publisher)

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. (From the Publisher)

Kelsey argues that the central purpose of a theological school is to understand God more truly, that Christian traditions intersect with the Greek idea of education as paideia and the much later German idea of education as wissenschaft to create the models of theological schooling operative today, and that the issues facing theological education arise because of the conflicting understandings of the world and God embodied in these ideas. He proposes reconceptualizing ways of thinking about theological education based on the desire to understand God more truly and to do so in the concrete particularities of faith communities. (From the Publisher)

This book is the result of a study conducted by the Association of Theological Schools with the support of the Lilly Endowment, which investigates the "multifaceted study of theological education." The purpose of the study is to engage in pragmatic ways to revise theological curricula in light of the present global situation. (From the Publisher)

Farley points to a series of developments in theological education which have led to the loss of a defining theological vision. Theology used to be, and still ought to be "not just objective science, but a personal knowledge of God and the things of God." (From the Publisher)

In a sequel to his 1983 work, Theologia, Farley develops a conceptual apparatus for re-thinking the structure of theological education in church, seminary, and university which is unified by a hermeneutical approach. He defines this approach as acts of interpretation which yield understanding, and argues that it requires ordered learning and critical thinking. (From the Publisher)

Reissued in response to many requests, this is a book about the Bible--specifically about Christian ways of relating to, using, and understanding Christian scripture and tradition. Professor Wood demonstrates that the aim of Christian understanding is the knowledge of God and the changes in outlook on the Bible that came with the rise of biblical criticism. (From the Publisher)

Written by one of today’s leading theorists in the field of pastoral theology, Volume 24 in the Louvain Theological & Pastoral Monographs series critically evaluates the diverse educational models available for ministry in today’s societal and ecclesial context in the West. Johannes van der Ven also proposes his own "reflective ministry" model designed to teach pastors to make self-reliant—yet foundationally sound—choices when working in their own unique ministry settings. (From the Publisher)

Since the early days of liberation theology, Northern Hemisphere theological education has used the phrase "solidarity with the oppressed" to denote the religiously and morally appropriate response to situations of violence and oppression. Yet efforts to inculcate solidarity of heart and mind often devolve into a kind of "theological tourism" wherein professors and students visit oppressed communities without truly participating as subjects in the subjectivity of the marginalized. Beyond Theological Tourism shows how one group of theological teacher-mentors and students attempt to overcome the limits of visits as "tourists of the revolution" to exotic locations. Starting from the challenge of Robert Evans of the Plowshares Institute, a group of Chicago-based Christians struggled with new modes of education for prospective ministers. (From the Publisher)

Journal Issue. Full text is available online.