What's Tony Thinking

Rewards

For those thinking that “What’s Tony Thinking?” is finally offering a “rewards” program for faithful readers — no such luck!

I have in mind the old saw, “What do you get for a job well done?” Answer: “Another job!”

I guess I did a decent enough job working with The Vancouver School of Theology, the last several years, in re-designing their Theological Field Education program to get such a reward, another job! This time from the national United Church of Canada as a consultant for Phase I of “Re-Envisioning Theological Education.”

Honestly, I am very grateful for these opportunities. It’s in my wheelhouse. It’s interesting. It involves me in conversations with good people about matters that matter. And, as my wife, Linda, said, “It’s nice someone thinks you still have it!”

What I find particularly interesting about this project and the approach of the people with which I will be working is that it is not driven by a scarcity model, e.g. “We have a lot less money and better figure out who and what we’re going to cut.” A lot of that going on in mainline Christianity under the rubric of “restructuring.”

The approach being taken in “Re-Envisioning Theological Education” for the United Church of Canada is driven more by an abundance perspective. In particular, what we’re after is identifying the particular charism(s), the biblical word meaning “God-given gift,” of each of the seven schools of the denomination. A synonym for “charism” might be “genius,” as in, “What is the particular genius of this school?”

What does each school do especially well and how might those strengths be amplified and shared with the whole theological education system of the United Church? So my task this next year will be to think and talk together with people from each of the seven schools to try to identify the charism they bring to the shared enterprise of equipping leadership for the church.

Theological education is no longer done so much on the residential model, i.e. students living on a fixed campus, and completing their degree in three years. On-line courses and learning allow for a much greater degree of flexibility, including students “going” to one of the schools, as a distance and on-line learner, for a particular emphasis and to another for something different.

The move is away from stand-alone institutions all trying to offer everything and being in some sense in competition with one another for students, faculty and funds, to a more systemic approach in which the seven schools contribute their different gifts from their particular strengths, tradition, audience, context and history.

In a way, it is analogous to what I, and many of you, have thought about denominations themselves. Instead of each one claiming to be the “one, true church,” with the implication that others are not, a wise ecumenical approach is one that sees the different denominations contributing their particular truth, genius and wisdom to the whole church.

So the seven schools of the United Church of Canada each bring their particular gifts to the whole enterprise of theological education and to the church. As I said, abundance not scarcity as a starting point.

Yes, we will grapple some, I’m sure, with diminishing resources. But, who knows, maybe we will uncover other resources of which we were unaware?

You may wonder why these lovely Canadians are employing a U.S. person, a.k.a. “American,” for this work? Two answers. Good consulting comes from people who know the turf and issues, but aren’t part of the emotional system of their clients. As such, they are less likely to have an ax to grind or interests to protect. They may be able to see and say things that those who are in the system cannot.

Second, I’ve done a good bit of work in the schools and churches of the United Church of Canada. I’ve taught or given lecture series at four of the seven schools with which I will be working. I’m kind of an inside/ outsider (which goes well with my type on the Enneagram, i.e. #5, “The Investigator”).

As this unfolds, I’ll keep you posted on what we’re learning. And I will look forward to your comments, as I know that many of you my readers, care deeply about theological education and about the church.

So I guess the “rewards program” at this site, such as it is, comes from our shared conversation. I do so appreciate you readers. I am always glad to hear from you with your contributions, insights, and occasional chiding.

This one will be it for this week as I am be off back-packing for the week.