08407
May 23, 2008
Remodeling
Speakers say preparing next generation of African-American Presbyterian leaders requires rethinking theological education
RICHMOND, VA – Equipping a new group of African-American Presbyterian leaders for the 21st Century requires changing old models of theological education and an intentionality about enhancing skills, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leaders said at a recent conference.
Most of the old models “do not work,” said the Rev. Leon E. Fanniel, coordinator of the Racial Ethnic Pastoral Leadership Program for the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii. “Seminaries need to restructure their offerings.”
The academic leadership of seminaries must “become more intentional about helping to provide the necessary skills … for effective teaching and preaching,” he said.
His comments dovetailed with those of others gathered here earlier this month for a conference spotlighting how to best prepare new African-American leaders in the denomination.
“Calling for the Order of the Day: Pedagogies of African American Presbyterians – Implications for Theological Education” brought together seminary professors, pastors, students and others to explore the theme in depth.
Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, a PC(USA) seminary, and a number of offices of the General Assembly Council sponsored the event.
Fanniel said today’s seminarians and pastors are being challenged by church members, especially young ones, who are seeking to be nurtured in their faith and developed by getting “into the Word.”
At the same time, these are people who have moved from the audio world to the visual world and are looking for worship and classes that are “eye appealing,” he said.
Pastors are being called to serve a new kind of people with old skills, Fanniel said. There must be new education paradigms and strategies, and also partnerships with entities like the PC(USA)’s Black Congregational Enhancement Office and the National Black Presbyterian Caucus.
“The concept of one size fits all is no longer an appropriate paradigm,” he said.
Others also echoed the theme in presentations covering issues including Biblical literacy, international mission service and pastoral care.
“It’s essential that we get the next generation. That we identify them, nurture them and prepare them,” said the Rev. Katie G. Cannon, co-convener of the conference and the Annie Scales Rogers Professor of Christian Ethics at Union-PSCE.
“Several years ago seminary educators realized that we had to do the social sciences. That you can’t do the study of Christianity without knowing anthropology, sociology, political science,” she said. “That’s why we’ve had the interdisciplinary scholars here as part of this conference.”
“Now we’re realizing … we don’t live in a Christian nation anymore. We have to know the world religions,” Cannon said. “We have to know them not to proselytize them, but to respect them, to be in conversation.”
“We also have to understand technology in a whole different way,” she said. “You can’t have children who are sophisticated in technology coloring. You’ve got to figure other ways … to take what they are learning the 40 hours at school and bring that in to Christian education and religious formation.”
Additionally, Cannon said, educating students about how to make informed ethical decisions also is key.
“Medicine and science have taken us to places that as moral human beings we can’t comprehend,” she said. “Seventy percent of us are going to have to pull the plug on somebody in our lifetime.”
“Every vibrant congregation will have to have a social justice training weekly on what are the current issues that they need to be conscientious about.”
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