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In What to Expect in Seminary, Virginia Samuel Cetuk looks at the various facets of theological education -- the call to ministry, classroom learning, community life, field education, financial realities, time-management challenges -- through the lens of spiritual formation. In each chapter she challenges readers to view the particular topic as an avenue to spiritual growth instead of as an obstacle to the same. Offering readers the conceptual tool of reframing, she draws upon psychology, Scripture, and her many years' experiences in theological education to help readers see both the challenges and the rich opportunities of theological education related to ministry and spiritual formation.
This volumes contains interdisciplinary perspectives on theological and vocation formation.
This volume represents one set of reflections on issues of vocation, formation, and theological education in the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Each of the contributors to the volume is (or was, in one case) a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary, an institution that, like many others, has been wrestling seriously with the global transformation of theological education for at least the past decade. With the generous support of Fuller's Office of Vocation and Formation, the editors of this volume-all of whom at the time of the project's origins directed the PhD program in their respective schools (Downs in the School of Theology, Houston-Armstrong in the School of Psychology, and Yong in the School of Intercultural Studies)-invited colleagues to participate in an interdisciplinary conversation centered around questions of vocation and formation in our own institutional context. This book is the result of that stimulating project. With representative voices from each of these schools, we hope that the essays reflect the interdisciplinary conversations that shaped each contribution.
Field education is an opportunity for students to develop ministry skills, practice ministerial reflection, discern their call, experience professional collegiality, and undergo personal transformation. Field education offers them a place to practice ministry and a space to reflect on it, to integrate theory and practice, and grow towards competency. In Welcome to Theological Field Education! eleven directors of field education in seminaries and divinity schools across North America pass on their wisdom to both students and their supervisors. Edited by Matthew Floding, director of field education at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan, this volume covers critical topics such as the art of supervision and formation, the use of case studies and peer reflection groups, self-care and ministerial ethics, and assessment. Formation for ministry is especially challenging at this time in the church's life. First, the explosion of knowledge, pluralism, and consumerism and a host of other complicating factors make huge demands on what a minister must know to be effective in ministry. Second, with the erosion of thick religious subcultures, the novice minister has fewer sources of practical wisdom to draw upon. The next generation of ministers, if they are to be more fully formed for ministry, depends on skilled mentoring alongside wise supervisors. This book is the tool to help them make the most of their field education experience.
The preparation of new priests for ministry currently faces closer scrutiny than at any time since the Reformation, and the importance of effective priestly formation has perhaps never been clearer in the entire history of the Church. In Models of Priestly Formation, some of the world’s leading experts on the topic consider priestly formation since Vatican II, explore current best practices internationally, and imagine what the future of such formation might look like. The book promises to become an essential reference for every person involved in priestly formation and for anyone interested in understanding better how it is carried out and how those who do it think about their task. The eBook edition includes four additional essays.
Many colleges and universities have begun using the language of vocation, which originates in Christian theology, to help undergraduates think about their futures. The contributors to this volume seek to reexamine and re-think this language for the contemporary multi-faith context.
Christian scholars and teachers everywhere are exploring ever more fully the relationship between Christian faith and the various academic disciplines. In this book, leading voices in the Christian academy provide a solid theological foundation for understanding the aims and practice of faith-and-learning integration, especially within church-related institutions, and also discuss some major challenges and opportunities facing Christian higher education in the twenty-first century. --From publisher's description.
The shift from adolescence to adulthood, a recently identified stage of life called "emerging adulthood," covers an increasing span of years in today's culture (roughly ages 18-30) due to later marriages and extended education. During this prolonged stage of exploration and self-definition, many young adults drift away from the church. Here two authors--both veteran teachers who are experienced in young adult and campus ministry--address this new and urgent field of study, offering a Christian perspective on what it means to be spiritually formed into adulthood. They provide a "practical theology" for emerging adult ministry and offer insight into the key developmental issues of this stage of life, including identity, intimacy and sexuality, morality, church involvement, spiritual formation, vocation, and mentoring. The book bridges the gap between academic and popular literature on emerging adulthood and offers concrete ways to facilitate spiritual formation among emerging adults.
Theological education has always been vital to the Church’s life and mission; yet today it is in crisis, lacking focus, direction, but also resources and even students. In the early Church, there is no doubt that to lead worship one had to be able to read and interpret the Bible. In order to lead, it was necessary to know at least something about the history of Israel and the work of God in the Gospels, and interpret that history, making it relevant to daily living. Quickly the Church developed schools for its teachers, whether lay or clergy. A catechetical system was organized through which candidates prepared for baptism were given a basic form of theological education. Hence to be a Christian meant persons knew what and why they believed. But over the years, theological education has come to mean education for clergy and church professionals. It has drifted, seeking new moorings.
Until recently theologians have been in a deep slumber about the subject of vocations. This volume represents one of the first awakenings in the theological community to this subject. The ten contributors, all theologians at Loyola University Chicago, present original essays that explore vocations, or callings.