TRANSFORMING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN THE CHANGING FACE OF USA

1
TRANSFORMING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN THE
CHANGING FACE OF USA

• Dr. Huberto Pimentel

2
Introduction

• 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.

3
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!

4
Theology

• Its 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!

5
Our Task

• Study, evaluate and transmit the Christian
  tradition.
• Initiate people into the faith community.
• Relate faith to culture.

6
Our Task

• 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.

7
The Most Pressing Needs

• Better opportunities for formal theological
  education.
• Training for laity to assume leadership
  responsibilities.
• Increased cultivation of second and third
  generation Latino youth.

8
The needs

• 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.

9
Interest in Theological Education

• 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
10
Finances

• 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.
11
Curricular Content

• 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.
12
Curricular Content

• 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.

13
Curricular Content

• 70.5 Ethics.
• 67.3 Church History.
• 66.6 Youth Ministry.
• 64.1 Worship and Liturgy.

14
Forms of Education

• Extension Programs 78.1.
• Correspondence Programs 76.2.
• Internet Courses 77.3.
• Intensives 87.1.

15
Pastoral Care Skills

• Skills for listening.
• Family systems theory.
• Family therapy.

16
What Seminaries can do?

• 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.

17
What Seminaries can do?

• 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.
18
What Seminaries can do?

• 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.

19
What Seminaries can do?

• 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
20
What Seminaries can do?

• 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
21
What Seminaries can do?

• From Disparity to Diversity Why we need more
  minority faculty members in our theological
  education institutions?
• Minority faculty will attract more
  African-American, 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.
• Diversity can help overcome disparities.

Indianapolis Star Newspaper, Jan. 14, 2007, Focus
Section.
22
Alternative for Lay Pastors CHET or similar
programs

• 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.
23
Suggested Teaching Methodology

• 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
24
Suggested Assignments

• 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-reflection-action.

Dr. Elizabeth Conde Frazier, Associate Professor
of Religious Education, Claremont School of
Theology
25
Success of a Program

• 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.

26
Success of a Program

• 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.