Transcript ALTERNATIVE THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

TRANSFORMING
THEOLOGICAL
EDUCATION IN THE
CHANGING FACE OF USA
Dr. Huberto Pimentel
Introduction
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The aim of this presentation is to
explore and analyze the challenges
and possibilities of contextual
theological education in the USA and
Canada. It is also our objective to
discover and recommend alternative
theological education programs for
minority groups and church leaders.
Teaching theology
It is a theological and pedagogical
activity that empowers the people
of God to be agents of
renovation, transformation and
change in the midst of
contemporary society.
It is indeed a spiritual discipline!
Theology
It’s an activity of the whole people of
God, so that it is a reflection by the
believers within the community of
faith seeking to understand, enjoy
and respond to what it means to be
accepted, sent, and called by God
into the brokenness of the world.
It is the reading and understanding
of our world with spiritual eyes!
Our Task
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Study, evaluate and transmit the
Christian tradition.
Initiate people into the faith
community.
Relate faith to culture.
Our Task
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Continue the constructive and
critical process of
understanding and re-forming
the tradition.
Seek to be a faithful people
by finding ways to embody
the tradition.
The Most Pressing Needs
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Better opportunities for
formal theological education.
Training for laity to assume
leadership responsibilities.
Increased cultivation of
second and third generation
Latino youth.
The needs
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Initiatives that would help church
leaders to advocate for the social
needs and changes of their
communities.
Programs to provide lay leaders
and clergy with practical
administrative, theological and
pastoral skills.
Interest in Theological
Education
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In general, 63.4% very interested.
86.7% if program is within 250 miles.
70.1% if classes provided in Spanish.
86.7% if they can study Latinos issues.
81.5% if they have Latino and Latina
faculty.
Hispanic Ministry in the 21 Century: A National Gathering to Develop
Strategies to Strengthen Hispanic Ministry. Duke Divinity School,
NC. 2003, PAGE 13
Finances
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22.4% unable to pay for an MDIV.
39% able to pay some of it.
2.9% able to pay most of it.
2.2% able to pay all of it.
56.8% listed availability of financial aid
as the greatest barrier to completing
the desired program.
Hispanic Ministry in the 21 Century: A National Gathering to
Develop Strategies to Strengthen Hispanic Ministry. Duke
Divinity School, NC. 2003.
Curricular Content
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90.4% Pastoral counseling.
89.9% Teaching Ministry.
84.8% Preaching.
83.9% Evangelism.
83.9% Hispanic Theology.
Hispanic Ministry in the 21 Century: A National Gathering to
Develop Strategies to Strengthen Hispanic Ministry. Duke
Divinity School, NC. 2003.
Curricular Content
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83.3% Bible Courses.
79.2% Bilingual/bicultural Ministry.
78.7% Community Development.
74.6% Urban Ministry.
73.8% Systematic Theology.
72.7% Social Service Ministry.
Curricular Content
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70.5% Ethics.
67.3% Church History.
66.6% Youth Ministry.
64.1% Worship and Liturgy.
Forms of Education
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Extension Programs 78.1%.
Correspondence Programs
76.2%.
Internet Courses 77.3%.
Intensives 87.1%.
Pastoral Care Skills
Skills for listening.
 Family systems theory.
 Family therapy.
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What Seminaries can do?
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Offer basic traditional MDIV courses that
are contextualized.
An MDIV through the filters of urban,
pastoral, minority ministry experience.
Focus on urban theology.
Public ministry of the church.
Ethics for urban ministry.
Have more Latino and Latina Scholars.
What Seminaries can do?
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Be aware of the theological views held
by Latinos and Latinas:
56% Conservative; 33% Moderate, and
11% Liberal.
Be aware of the political views held by
Latinos and Latinas: 58% Conservative;
33% Moderate, and 9% Liberal.
Equipped to Serve: Latino/a Seminarians and the Future of
Religious Leadership in the Latino/a Community - Research Vol
2006.3, Oct 2006, University of Notre Dame, page 18, table 6.
What Seminaries can do?
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Dr. Daisy Machado(2003) notes on her book
Of Borders and Margins: Hispanics Disciples
in Texas 1888-1945, the inability of the CCDC
to develop significant ties with Hispanics that
resulted in the creation of a small church
existing on both the «geographical and
denominational margins» of the Disciples of
Christ community.
What Seminaries can do?
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Dr. Justo González said: The churches are the
most permanent and the most hopeful presence
in our Latinos and Latinas communities. And yet,
the resources invested in the training and
formation of such leadership is ridiculously and
sinfully scarce.
A few, a very few, attend the centers of higher
theological learning. Many of these, by the fact
of attending these schools, where Latino and
Latinas are practically non-existent, become
disconnected from their communities of origin.
Adapted from the Foreword to Reconstructing the Sacred Tower
What Seminaries can do?
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On the few who manage to retain their
commitment to and connection with the Latino
and Latina community, almost none move on to
graduate work at the doctoral level, to become
the sort of teacher they themselves did not have
in their own theological studies.
Pastors, seminary trained or not, are leading
their congregations into new dimensions of
service and advocacy. There is an eagerness to
learn, to study, and to be challenged by new
ideas and visions.
Adapted from the Foreword to Reconstructing the Sacred Tower,
Dr. Justo González
What Seminaries can do?
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From Disparity to Diversity: Why we need more
minority faculty members in our theological
education institutions?
Minority faculty will attract more AfricanAmerican, Asian, and Hispanic students.
Minorities are underrepresented in professional
schools: 3.6% of medical faculty at IU Medicine
School is African American, Latino and American
Indian. By contrast 16.3% of student body and
7.29% of population are minorities.
Star Newspaper, Jan. 14, 2007, Focus Section.
Diversity Indianapolis
can help
overcome disparities.
Alternative for Lay Pastors
CHET or similar programs
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Certificate programs.
Licensing programs.
Bachelor of theology accredited by
denominations and accrediting institutions.
Special program in cultural sensitive
counseling.
Special programs on community
transformation, renovations and change.
CHET - Hispanic Center for Theological Studies,
Bell Gardens, California.
Suggested Teaching
Methodology
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Interdisciplinary team of professors
facilitate a discussion and resource
students from the coffers of their
disciplines for approaching the case
studies.
Facilitators may include professionals,
community activists, seasoned pastors, or
denominational leaders.
Dr. Elizabeth Conde Frazier, Associate Professor of
Religious Education, Claremont School of Theology
Suggested Assignments
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Short reflection papers on readings.
Theological reflection accompanied by
social analysis and pastoral action.
All papers and projects have to do with
the ministerial activity of pastors.
Assignments become means for
continued dialectic of action-reflectionaction.
Dr. Elizabeth Conde Frazier, Associate Professor of Religious
Education, Claremont School of Theology
Success of a Program
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Curriculum that is relevant.
Faculty that is knowledgeable and
mentoring.
Provide preparation for studying.
Provide financial planning before
beginning.
Provide a workshop on time
management for tentmakers.
Success of a Program
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Present ministerial and theological
studies as a spiritual discipline.
Work with husbands and wives teams;
encourage spouses to participate in
the educational process.
Develop and affirm critical research,
reading and writing skills.