Theological Education Inside Out

In a previous blog I suggested that The idea that the human relationship to religion is of questioner to provider of answers may ultimately destroy both religion and our humanity.

If theological education is intended primarily to form leaders in Christian ministry, then within mainline denominations dominated by post-Schleiermachian liberal theology it may need to undergo dramatic changes away from its current model. That model, shaped by modernity, assumes that Christianity is an answer to a human question, the solution to a human problem. Thus it focuses on training leaders who can answer the questions and solve the problems that their congregations, and society as a whole, pose.

In theological education at its most modern the study of scripture is the intensive, critical investigation that yields credible answers to the inquiries of human readers about the meaning of Biblical texts. Whether this involves now old fashioned “higher criticism” or new analytical frameworks provided by post-colonial theory or queer theory the result may be the same: The student is taught to take ownership of the book and to interrogate it until it yields credible answers and guidance.

The Christian leader as theologian is taught to critically examine the symbols of the Christian faith until, through proper analysis they are fully understood and rationalized as a human expression of human faith. Then these can become the credible and coherent, but peculiarly Christian language by which God is both interrogated and allowed to answer our human questions about the meaning of existence, justice, peace, love, and so on.

Then, in a second step referred to as “public theology” this Christian language can be translated into the common secular language of civil discourse if the church seeks a voice in influencing society.

Christian history becomes the study of Church history, the history of human faith in the midst of human societies in their ever transforming patterns of addressing God with their questions and needs. It is quite possible that it will not ever inquire as to how or what God is or has been doing.

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