Davison's Doodle

Graduate Theological Education: It’s Important

You can get ordained by visiting the right website and paying your money.  The TV show “Northern Exposure” showed that each community chooses the person that is their “spiritual” spokesperson, their minister, even though that person may not have specific, any education, in the field or express any sense of “call”.  Ministry is relational more than it is understanding Tillich’s, Systematic Theology, but one must be able to exegete their scriptures, their tradition, and their context.  It’s not as simple as tradition v. non-conformists or capitalism v. communism or good v. evil.  It never has been that simple, really.  The fundamentalists strain of human existence is present in each expression of religion no matter what the religious experience is or represents.  For example, I think the designated hitter rule is an abomination to baseball as is the new clock to speed up the game.  Baseball isn’t basketball, nor is it football.  The appreciation of the skill it takes to pitch a 1-0 or 2-1 win has mostly been lost to the desire to see a 13-10 offensive festival.  What is the spirit of baseball?  What is the spirit of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christian-ism, or Humanism?  What is the spirit of the agnostics, atheists, and “nones?”

My brand of Christian witness, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), has historically placed value in an educated clergy, lay ministers and ordained ministers.  But, we live in a time of Wikipedia, Google, declining budgets, and a membership not relying on the minster to educate in the way it once happened on the prairie.    I’m trusting that we are nearing the end of our culture’s acceptance of, “Are you an ordained minister?  No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.” mentality as well as our race to the bottom for services, goods, and wages. And as an aside, I’m surprised that after all the blood shed and borrowed money for the war in Iraq, as well as knowing what we know about the falsehoods that led our country into an undeclared war, that people continue to listen to the voice of former Vice President Cheney and others who are advising another crop of GOP candidates running for President.  How many times does it take for us to learn?

Why is an educated clergy, lay ministers and ordained, important?  Theology, history, and biblical exegesis are as important as being able to organize the funeral or make a hospital visit.  Anyone can sit at the bedside of someone who is dying.  You can learn how to do that.  Few know how to recognize the importance of silence in those moments rather than platitudes of assurance.  Anyone can picket Planned Parenthood or a facility where nuclear bombs are built, but few can integrate the complexities of the common good with the spirit of their sacred stories.  No, not every graduate school trained ordained minster (rabbi, priest, etc), nor every trained lay minister, do this competently, but it is the spirit, expectation, of those rights, privileges, and responsibilities we here bestowed on graduates this time of year.

The marketing guy, Seth Godin, nails it this morning.

You don’t know Lefsetz?
The line between an amateur and professional keeps blurring, but for me, the posture of understanding both the pioneers and the state of the art is essential. An economist doesn’t have to agree with Keynes, but she better know who he is.
Click here to read more.

Another Point of View: Future Ministry

A quick note to alert readers of my blog that I’m almost back to my routine of reading and writing.  This summer has been . . . well change filled.  Since May we sold a house we left four years ago. Bought a house during June.  Moved in during July, and are moving my companion from one office to another in her building.  All the while we are going about our vocations as best we know how.  So, my blog moved out of my field of attention.  Slowly, I’m finding my way back.  Here is another perspective about ordained ministry that caught my attention.

Holy Poverty and The Seminary
Tripp Hudgins | God’s Politics | July 30, 2014

This should have nothing to do, however, with economic class. Instead, it should reflect the sense of responsibility we all share as Christians to provide servant leaders for the church. This is not about having a nice line of work. No. This is not even about the larger issue of economic justice. No, this is about whether or not individuals, congregations, and larger ecclesial bodies value ordained ministry any longer.  Click here to read more.