Pastor-Theologian Program
A three-year program supported by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.
The Center of Theological Inquiry is acting on the conviction that in all denominations there are pastors and priests of extraordinary intellectual ability, equally as capable of theological scholarship as the academic theologian, who lack only the time, context, and encouragement for such pursuits; and that on their emergence as a formative influence the renewal of the church depends.
The Crisis in Theology and the Church
The so-called "crisis of the church" is neither organizational nor programmatic, but theological. The heart of the matter is the loss of the church's identity as a theological community, occasioned by the distance at which the church lives from the source and sources of its faith and life.
Thus the renewal of the church begins, at least on the human level, with the recovery of those sources and practices which historically have enabled people to encounter and to be encountered by "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit." It begins, as well, with the recovery of the identity of the ordained minister or priest as theologian and scholar.
Another significant part of the current crisis is the hiatus between academic theology as an intellectual discipline and ecclesial theology as a confessional stance. The Center is committed to the proposition that theology is not true to itself when it is simply an academic discipline. Christian theology, being by definition incarnational, cannot be done in isolation from the church and the world.
To address this crisis in the church and in theology, the Lilly Endowment, Inc. has joined with the Center to support an exciting venture in theological education. Now entering its third three-year cycle, the program includes the program includes the pastor-theologian seminars, an annual pastor-theologian conference, and local study groups throughout the country led by former seminar participants.
Pastor-Theologian Seminars and Annual Conference
The Pastor-Theologian Seminars seek to address the crisis of faith in the contemporary church by focusing attention on the ordained ministry as a theological vocation and on the church as a theological community. The program rests on the conviction that a ministry of theological substance is of crucial importance for the renewal of the church.
Beginning in the fall of 2004, the Center of Theological Inquiry, with the support of the Lilly Endowment Inc., will sponsor a third three-year program of regional pastor-theologian seminars. Ecumenical in character, each seminar will include a convener and 10 - 12 participants. Seminars will meet three times each year (fall, winter, spring) at a regional site for three days of theological reflection and research leading to writing and possible publication.
Each year, the focus of seminars will parallel a current research project sponsored by the Center. Scholars from other projects at the Center, and professors from seminaries and universities across the country will act as resource theologians during the regional meetings.
In June of each year the regional seminars will culminate in an annual conference bringing all participants together to form a national ecumenical network. Designed as a time to listen, reflect and relax, the annual conference features presentations which address aspects of the yearly theme not covered at the regional seminars.
All expenses for the Pastor-Theologian seminars and the annual conference will be borne by the Center. Travel and lodging reservations will be made through the Center. Costs for meals and textbooks will be covered throughout the meetings. Where necessary, pulpit supply expenses may also be negotiated.
Local Pastor-Theologian Study Groups
At the end of three years, participants will be encouraged to convene local pastor-theologian study groups. The Center will make available a regional coordinator and partial funding to support these groups.
Pastor-Theologian in Residence
In each of the three years of the project, an active minister of a Christian congregation will be invited to spend a period of three to six months in residence at the Center of Theological Inquiry for the purpose of theological research and writing. Selection of the pastor in residence will be based on evidence of theological interest and ability, academic achievement, recommendations, publications and the quality and usefulness of the proposed project to the church.
The Challenge Before Us
The Pastor-Theologian Program seeks to address the crisis of faith in the contemporary church by focusing attention on the ordained ministry as a theological vocation and on the church as a theological community.
It rests on the conviction that a ministry of theological substance is of crucial importance for the renewal of the church. It acknowledges the role and place of theological seminaries and divinity schools in preparing men and women for the ordained ministry.
It also represents a commitment to a broader vision of ministerial formation, recognizing that additional structures of intellectual development must be set in place if the pastor-theologian is not only to stand the test of time and circumstance, but emerge as an instrument of the continuing reformation and renewal of the church.
