Those efforts led to the formation of the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The eminent missionary historian Andrew Walls speaks of the missionary societies formed in the modern missionary era as “the.
IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Stephen J. Bennett
The Prophetic Voice in the Bible
The message of repentance and judgment for sin was central to the message of the prophets. They were benefiting greatly from the new prosperity and generosity of the crowds that came to the shrine.
Prophetic Vision in the Bible
Those who are in right relationship with God (i.e. holy) will not claim dominion over their fellow men. The other common sins of the people in Isaiah's day—theft, oppression, and murder—contrast even more the human condition of God's holiness and perfection.
The Prophetic Voice in Contemporary Culture
Other works by Brueggemann have drawn similar analyzes from every part of the Old Testament. Blind acceptance of culture leads to a domestication of the prophetic voice because the culture can no longer be analyzed. Holiness is central to the prophetic message, and while holiness is primarily a matter of the heart, it is evidenced outwardly.
Those who are "selling religion" have already sold out to domesticate the prophetic voice. Many of these powers of housekeeping are very subtle and therefore it is necessary for prophets to be careful students of the Word and of culture.
Prophetic Vision in Contemporary Ministry
Thus, evangelists have a special place in the life of the Church because they can speak prophetically with greater boldness. The anti-cultural form and content of the means of grace must be emphasized by a prophetic voice in the ministry. Applied to modern ministry, the prophetic voice of the pastor in the Church must encourage the community that is.
As we move through Jewish history toward the time of the monarchy, we find constant exhortation to pay attention to God's written word. He introduced them to a process of lifelong learning from God's word, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It was "the word of the Lord that was spread throughout the land" (Acts 13:49) that brought growth to the early church.
As Pazmiño (1988) suggests, the authority of teachers and educators derives from biblical authority and must be judged in light of the Bible, the primary source of God's revelation.
Where Are We?
I hope my three questions will help me face directly the responsibilities, challenges and opportunities that greet you in this part of the world. We have not even mentioned the influence that the ancient tribal religions of the Pacific had on social values and social organization. Apart from a deep reading of the culture, the influence of the gospel is likely to be superficial.
Some of the claimed characteristics of postmodernity bear directly on the question "Where are we?" A characteristic is religious pluralism, not to be confused with a plurality of religions. Commentators on the postmodern condition often speak of the loss of metanarrative as marking the postmodern turn.
Who Are We?
Many in the Church of the Nazarene will progress in this direction, and all of us will be enriched. We believe that God Triune in the cross of Christ took the sin of the world upon Himself and made atonement for all mankind. Ours is an apostolic faith because we believe in the definitive authority of Holy Scripture in all things concerning faith and practice.
However, with all orthodox Christianity, we believe that the Holy Spirit worked in the life of the Church in the creation of creeds, despite noticeable limitations. First, we believe in the supreme authority of the Bible as the definitive witness of God's gospel.
What Are We To Do?
First, theological educators in the Church of the Nazarene must be very devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. Second, theological educators in the Church of the Nazarene have a fiduciary responsibility for the Sixteen Articles of Faith. However, the classroom in the Church of the Nazarene does not belong to the teacher.
There is no place in the Church of the Nazarene for conveying a narrow, defensive, and sectarian view of the Christian faith. Finally, as theological educators in the Church of the Nazarene, we must teach students how to shepherd Christ's flock.
Key Theological Elements of the Wesleyan Tradition and Their Importance for Education
In doing so, it is easy to forget that it is perfectly possible to teach without ever instilling allegiance to our tradition and its ethos. The Wesleyan tradition is certainly as much an ethos as it is a formal theological system. A minimalist approach to ordination training requirements that is content with minimal exposure to an authentic Wesleyan community is certainly shortsighted and counterproductive in the long run.
An Explicit Trinitarian Theology
Central to her self-understanding is the concern for a holy life, both personal and collective, which affects not only the local church, but also the society in which it finds itself, and ultimately all human life in all its dimensions. We must also be reminded that Christ is the living Lord, who, through the Spirit, is always at work in the life of the Church and in the life of all humanity. There can therefore never be a point of closure of the teaching process, for we must constantly respond to the new initiatives of Christ in his Church.
An Active God
A Life-long Journey for Students
Sanctification as Transformation
People in Relationship
Inclusive of All
A Distinctive Theological Method
A Recognized Call of God
- Pastors as Theologians
- Some Implications of our Theological Tradition for Educational Practice
Focused on transformation and not only on information, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the goal of service (in.
Focused on Transformation and not merely Information The apostle Paul reminds us that the goal of ministry (and of
Focused on Character and not merely the Intellect
Changing the Worldview and not merely the Beliefs and Behaviors
As Wesleyans, we consciously seek to guide this process of reflection through Scripture as informed by reason, tradition, and experience. The Early Church Fathers were convinced that a thoroughly Christian worldview does not happen at the moment of conversion, but must be deliberately developed within the Christian community. It is quite possible for a person to change his beliefs and behaviors without changing his worldview.
An educational process that does not address human life at this deepest level is inadequate.
Holistic and not Fragmented
Process-Oriented and not Crisis-Oriented
However, humans and their relationships are much more complex than much of the modern scientific enterprise is willing to acknowledge. The process of education has more to do with natural biological growth than it does with production line methods, with the wisdom of the premodern farmer than the science of the engineer.
An Ethos to be Immersed in and not merely a Course of Study to Pass
- Elements in Quality Theological Education from a Wesleyan Perspective
Having briefly reviewed the main theological elements of the Wesleyan tradition and some of the implications for education, we now turn to trying to define some of the elements involved in quality education from a Wesleyan perspective.
Quality Theological Education Involves a Living Model Theological education in a Wesleyan mode can never be purely
Quality Theological Education Involves a Mentor
The biblical witness emphasizes the physical nature of the incarnation, for Jesus Christ did not come to us as an idea, a book or an image (electronic or otherwise), but as a "flesh and blood" human being. The fact that we have had to invent "emoticons" to express emotion in electronic communication simply underscores the limitations of such communities. It is very important that we do not confuse means and ends in the educational process; computers, videos, internet, e-mail, telephone/.
Thus they can complement and enrich the physical face-to-face encounter, but cannot replace it. Quality theological education includes the tools of grace Personal and community transformation will not just happen.
Quality Theological Education Involves the Means of Grace Personal and community transformation will not occur by purely
If this is true, then human potential, from a Christian perspective, can never be reached through the isolated "self" addressed by books and images, whether mediated conventionally or cybernetically. In these settings, the means of grace are the outward signs, words, or actions that God has ordained as the normal channels through which grace can be communicated to us for the Christian life in all ages of life. They enable us to know God's presence (which gives power to the means) and God's nature (His character which provides the pattern for our lives).
Thus we are encouraged and helped on our journey towards Christ-likeness within the faith community, which both forms and forms us through means such as: Christian discipline and mutual accountability, prayer and fasting, vigil, self-denial, taking up the cross, love festivals, covenant services, the eucharist, investigation of Scripture, tradition, prayers and hymns. Students should not be told about this as academic curiosity, but should be immersed in it, so that they in turn can replicate the means in the faith communities they will serve.
Quality Theological Education Involves Maturation
Quality Theological Education Involves a Practical Dimen- sion
I believe that God established the Church of the Nazarene (as He previously established Methodism) to serve the world in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by bearing witness to holiness of heart and life, with all that this entails for every dimension of human existence. While we enjoy being a part of the universal church, we also have our special gifts and graces to practice within this church. All the factors mentioned earlier in the paper should be kept in mind when designing the curriculum, selecting teachers and choosing the teaching methods.
In all, we must not dissolve the individual-community tension in lifelong learning and service. The key is a system of lifelong learning, guided by a distinctive Wesleyan theological perspective, which is educationally dynamic, flexible and responsive to the "present age".
Musings on the Subject of Quality Education Jim and Carol Rotz
- Commitment
- We have an historical precedent in the Church of the Naza- rene for such a commitment
- Creation of Life-long Learners
- Investment
- Financial: Education is an investment in the future
- All investments must be wisely made
- Hard Work (Implementation)
- It means not cutting corners to accommodate short term goals of a student
- Syllabus
- Calendar of Events - Daily Schedule
- Teaching Plans–Expansion of Calendar of Events
- Specialize (as far as possible)
- Using Non-Teaching Time to Upgrade Skills/Update Information
- Network with Other Teachers/Schools
We have historical precedent for such a commitment in the Church of the Nazarene. We must never lose sight of the fact that our commitment to excellence in education is an investment in the future of our church. The day was highlighted by the awarding of the first Bridge Builder award to dr.
Jerry Lambert, Commissioner of Education for the Church of the Nazarene, was the speaker for the 16th Commencement of Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary is a graduate level school of the Church of the Nazarene.
