THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN THE CHANGING

FACE OF USA

Rev. Dr. Huberto PimentelNational Pastor

For Hispanic MinistriesChristian Church (Disciples of

Christ)

Teaching

Is a theological activity that empowers the people of God to be agents within the public world of God’s presence.

Theology

It’s an activity of the whole people of God so that it is a reflection by the people of God within the community of faith seeking to understand and respond to what it means to be accepted, sent, and called by God into the brokenness of the world.

Our Tasktransmit the traditioninitiate people into the faith community

relate faith to culturecontinue 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

Better opportunities for formal theological education

Training for laity to assume leadership responsibilities

Increased cultivation of second and third generation Latino youth

Initiatives that would help church leaders to advocate for social needs of their communities

Programs to provide lay leaders and clergy with practical administrative skills

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 Latino issues 81.5% if they have Latino/a 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

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

90.4% Pastoral counseling89.9% Teaching Ministry84.8% Preaching83.9% Evangelism83.9% 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

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

70.5% Ethics67.3% Church History66.6% Youth Ministry64.1% Worship/Liturgy

Forms of Education

Extension Programs 78.1%Correspondence Programs 76.2%Internet Courses 77.3%Intensives 87.1%

Pastoral Care SkillsPastoral Care Skills

skills for listeningskills for listening family systems theory family systems theory family therapyfamily therapy

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/@ Scholars

What Seminaries can do?

Be aware of the theological views held by latinos/as: 56% Conservative; 33% Moderate, and 11% Liberal.

Be aware of the political views held by latinos/as: 58% Conservative; 33% Moderate, and 9% LiberalEquipped 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?

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 community.

What Seminaries can do?

Dr. Justo González said: the churches are the most permanent and the most hopeful presence in our Latinos/a 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/as are practically non-existent, become disconnected from their communities of origin.

Adapted from the Foreword to Reconstructing the Sacred Tower

What Seminaries can do?

On the few who manage to retain their commitment to and connection with the Latino/a 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 challenge by new ideas and visions.

Adapted from the Foreword to Reconstructing the Sacred Tower,

Dr. Justo González

Alternative for Lay Pastors CHET or similar programs Certificate programs, Licensing programs, Bachelor of theology accredited by their denominational college North Park College in Chicago

A special program in counseling A special program on community transformation

CHET - Hispanic Center for Theological Studies, Bell Gardens, California.

Existing M.Div students

CTS - 5 students = 3 male, 2 female LTS - 1 student = male BDS - 3 student = male, one part time student female

SFTS - 1 student = male Methodist Asbury - 3 student= female Methodist Chicago - 1 student = male PTS - 2 student

Mapping the Hispanic Disciples theological preparation

Northeast Convention 8 M.Div. and 8 License pastors

Southeast Convention4 M.Div. 8 License pastors

Arizona Convention2 M.Div and 4 License pastors

Mapping the Hispanic Disciples theological preparation

Midwest Convention3 M.Div and 7 License pastors

Pacific Convention1 M.Div. and 14 License pastors

Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania 2 M.Div

Southwest Convention6 M.Div., 10 equivalent studies, 16

License pastors

A Teaching methodologyA Teaching methodology

Presentation and discussion of new material- Presentation and discussion of new material- lecture and problem posinglecture and problem posing

Small group work on problem solving- Small group work on problem solving- entails research, writing and discussionentails research, writing and discussion

Plenary and concluding discussion- student Plenary and concluding discussion- student theological reflection and pastoral action and theological reflection and pastoral action and new problem posingnew problem posing

Dr. Elizabeth Conde Frazier, Associate Professor of Religious Education, Claremont School of Theology

Teaching Method 2Teaching Method 2

Student presentation of case studies (A Student presentation of case studies (A field trip could be substituted here).field trip could be substituted here).

Interdisciplinary team of professors Interdisciplinary team of professors facilitate a discussion and resource facilitate a discussion and resource students from the coffers of their students from the coffers of their disciplines for approaching the case disciplines for approaching the case studies. Facilitators may include profs, studies. Facilitators may include profs, community activists, seasoned pastors or community activists, seasoned pastors or denominational leaders. denominational leaders.

Dr. Elizabeth Conde Frazier, Associate Professor of Religious Education, Claremont School of Theology

Teaching Method 2Teaching Method 2

Further research and reading by Further research and reading by studentsstudents

Group discussions- doing theology, Group discussions- doing theology, creating new pastoral approachescreating new pastoral approaches

Plenary discussion (Where are we? Plenary discussion (Where are we? What have we learned? Where are What have we learned? Where are we going?)we going?)

Dr. Elizabeth Conde Frazier, Associate Professor of Religious Education, Claremont School of Theology

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

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

Success of a Program

•Present study as a spiritual discipline

•Work with a “posse mentality” create cohorts, husband/wife teams

•Attend to research skills, reading and writing skills