Having just completed another semester and having read and graded the final paper I am once again impressed by what the students teach me as I strive to respond to their questions and concerns.  It is no secret that seminary training challenges a person’s faith-filled understandings of the bible and of theology in general. This semester proved to be no different.  I had a wonderful first semester class this year, and in some way they are all wonderful, but each group is unique taking on very particular interests and asking a unique set of questions.  The fall 2011 Introduction to the Old Testament class was one of the most earnest group of students I have ever taught.  This class was made up of mature individuals from all walks of life with considerable ministerial experience.  They came with a fist full of questions and the willingness to probe the difficult and the complex.  I am indebted to them, and incredibly grateful, for their willingness to have authentic conversation in the classroom and in their writing.

I close each semester of my introductory course with a session and an assignment on apocalyptic literature.  This is a topic and theme that does not get nearly enough attention in the mainline progressive seminary.  As a consequence the dominant voice on the topic in our culture has been the self-declared “prophecy teachers,” not to be confused with the prophetic preachers of our day.  The former read the bible in an individualistic judgmental manner–preaching fire and brimstone to those and for those unlike themselves.  The latter, the prophetic preachers, speak truth to power, crying for justice and equity for everyone. 

This year, as I contemplated the class discussions and read through the papers on Daniel 9 I came to understand the fundamental message of the contemporary prophecy teachers with new clarity.  There are two distinct ideologies evidenced in the biblical apocalyptic literature with which contemporary prophecy teachers resonate.  The first is a pessimism about the current social order.  In Daniel 7-12, the apocalyptic portion of the book, the Jews are suffering under the severe persecution of the Seleucid ruler Antiochus Epiphanes IV.  The book denotes a shift from living under friendly foreign rule (cps 1-6) to life under the persecution of Antiochus IV (chps 1-7).  In both sections the Jews are called to be faithful to the worship of YHWH, albeit with differing consequences.  In chapters 1-6 faithful worship and practice has positive results all around, even with the foreign king, but in chapters 7-12 faithful living results in martyrdom.  The result is a pessimistic view of the social order in chapters 7-12, with no hope for reform, and consequently, hope only that God will come supernaturally to bring judgment for the wicked and deliverance for the faithful worshippers of YHWH.

The contemporary prophecy teachers parallel these two major ideas: 1) there is no hope for the current social order to reform–and the only hope is that God will come to judge and deliver; 2) that God will only deliver those who are pure and holy and faithful–mainly themselves and their followers.  Thus, only those who live according to the regime outlined by the prophecy teachers can hope for deliverance.  This, of course, is a very dangerous perspective; and one that seriously thwarts openness to difference, cultural and otherwise.  It is also a tremendously controlling perspective that sustains a hierarchical authoritative exclusivistic structure.  To be clear, they believe wholeheartedly that they are the persecuted faithful that Jesus is coming again to rapture; and that they alone will be delivered and everyone else will experience an eschatological judgment.  End of discussion.

While each culture group probably has its own version of this theology, the resources used by students in my fall 2011 class, made up of African American and Korean immigrant students we’re written by white men associated with Dallas Theological Seminary.  I do not have space here to go into the differences between my class lectures and the writings of these men, but I have written a book on it.  However, what I do wish to emphasize is the influence these men have had on our society across culture groups, for two primary reasons.  First, there has not been enough attention given to apocalyptic eschatology outside of the writings of the contemporary prophecy teachers.  Consequently,  the only interpretation heard on this topic by the general population comes primarily from this source.  Secondly, prophecy teachers use numerous biblical passages–stringing them all together so as to create a brand new text that they then interpret.  This use of numerous biblical texts is very impressive to the untrained reader causing them to think these men really know their bible.  Finally, the prophecy teachers do accurately proclaim one of the essential messages of biblical apocalyptic, mainly that God is in control and at work, behind the scenes, preparing for the end when judgment and justice will come.  This word brings significant comfort to the general population, and is probably a major reason why their teachings are so popular.  But, of critical import is the manner in which this fundamental message is understood and applied to a contemporary world.

The main problem with the teachings of the contemporary prophecy teachers is twofold.  First, they do considerable violence to the biblical text, interpreting it as historically flat, and in every instance a prediction of Jesus coming again–totally ignoring the rich heritage and Profound truths to be found when biblical writings are interpreted within their own time and context.  Secondly, they do considerable violence to the Christian church and to our society, demonizing difference and diversity and focusing almost exclusively on individual salvation.  By focusing on individual salvation total attention can be given to recruiting people to pray the sinner’s prayer so that time and resources need not be given to ease social ills.  In fact, theologically they are not want to do so since the premise of their theology is on society becoming increasingly more evil until it reaches it’s height of wickedness at which time Jesus will come to deliver them and condemn the rest of us.  It is not their job to alleviate people’s suffering in the present “for their reward is in heaven.”

There is one final observation I would like to make before I close–and this is the profound reality that has hit me this semester.  Finally, the focus on individualism discourages the masses from organizing around a particular issue, such as racism, feminism, liberation, poverty, gay rights, etc.  Week after week the members of their congregations are told only to worry about praying the prayer and getting others to do the same.  No time or effort is put to alleviating current social ills.  They have already been told how they are to  act, the program has been carefully laid out and it does not include internal resistance of any kind.  People of color are welcome to join them as long as they follow the rules, the same for women, and gays, and the poor!  Is it any wonder the 1 percent have supported our current societal shift toward religious conservatism?

LeAnn Snow Flesher, Academic Dean and Professor of Old Testament

This is the third in a series of blogs related to the state of Seminary education today.  In the first blog entitled Renew or Plan the Funeral I noted that decline is a natural and expected phase in the life of every institution (even faith based institutions) and, consequently, a phase that should be predicted and included as part of one’s strategic planning process.  When institutions begin to decline there are basically two options:  renew or plan the funeral.

In my second blog entitled simply What to Do I outlined the current and future demographics of the seminary classroom and made some recommendations related to the major shifts coming down the road.  In this second blog I attempted to highlight the need for a complete overhaul of what used to be the Gold Standard, i.e., the MDiv program.  Both of these blogs were published on the Pathoes blog page (as well as the ABSW blog page) which provided a means for people to respond.  Curiously, many of the responses I have received, verbally and in writing, focused on the state of the church, rather than the state of the seminary—suggesting “the problem” is really at the level of the church.

The responses I have received have inspired this third blog.  A close friend sent me an article the other day from The New York Times Sunday Review entitled “Americans Undecided about God?”  In the article, the author, Eric Weiner, describes what he terms “. . . the nation’s fastest-growing religious demographic,” the “Nones.”  Weiner has distinguished this group in contrast to “the True Believers, on the one hand, and the Angry Atheists on the other.”  He defines the Nones as the 12 percent of the population who say they have no religious affiliation at all—and he notes the percentage is much higher in the younger population, as much as 25%. 

Weiner goes on to say that while a growing number of Americans are running from organized religion they are by no means running from God.  To support this statement he quotes statistics from a survey conducted by Trinity College in which 93% of people surveyed say they believe in God or a higher power.  And he concludes that this holds true for most Nones who he further defines as “. . . the undecided of the religious world;” people who “drift spiritually and dabble in everything from Sufism to Kabbalah, to Catholicism and Judaism.”

I particularly appreciate Weiner’s description of the Nones.  He is truly on to something with this description, although his reason for such may be oversimplified—he suggests, based on his reading of works by David Campbell and Robert Putnam (University of Notre Dame and Harvard Kennedy School respectively), that the contemporary mixing of religion and politics is to blame, i.e., people don’t want to associate with religion because they don’t want the political affiliation that comes with it.  I suspect there is a kernel of truth in this statement, and perhaps many kernels of truth, but I would suggest we also need to look at formalized religion itself.  Many people, including a high percentage of the younger generation, see the church as being too hierarchical, too contradictory, not concerned enough about the evils of the world, or even the world itself.  I like very much what Weiner says at the end of his article about the need for “a new way of being religious” that would be “straightforward, unencumbered, intuitive, and highly interactive.”  He is sounding very emerging church like here; very Robb Bell like.

The reality is that the structure(s) of our traditional religious institutions have run their course and it is indeed time to renew or plan the funeral.  It’s not that the structures are wrong or bad in and of themselves, but they simply no longer fit the needs of the majority of the culture.  Our culture has shifted tremendously over the past 50 plus years.  In my lifetime we have experienced the development of the personal computer, the cell phone, and the internet!   People are connected in ways never imagined 50 years ago.  Simultaneously, we have experienced the shift out of the industrial age into the scientific age, to the information age and now the biomedical age.  We have moved from modern ways of thinking into post-modern ways of thinking.  We have shifted from national perspectives to a global mindset.  The world is a new place and information about it is at our fingertips.  Simultaneously we are experiencing all time lows (for the current generation) in education and income.

A recent report has noted that 50% of the US school districts are failing and another report has revealed that 40% of the US population is poor.  People are not as prepared as they used to be to enter graduate levels of education, and with the rising costs at Universities and Colleges the trend is headed toward fewer and fewer young people completing 4 year degree programs.  People are not as interested as they used to be in participating in religious rituals and traditions (high church—if you will).  People are still interested in spirituality, but would rather participate (not merely observe) in it without the pomp and circumstance, without the chants and incense, i.e., without the bells and whistles and most certainly without the politics (both internal and external).  When polled, the majority of students who enter our seminary doors passionately state that they want to make a difference in the world, and they believe our school can help them achieve their goals. 

People are not less interested in things spiritual or things faith-related; people are not less interested in making a difference in the world; people are not less interested in helping others.  But, people are less prepared and have fewer resources to engage higher levels of theological training.  Simultaneously, people want to be involved in something practical that they feel is significantly impacting the world for good.  The church and the seminary, in their current structures, are at risk of becoming totally irrelevant to contemporary culture.  Who will reach the Nones?  According to Weiner, who has self declared as one of them, they are open, searching and experimenting.  How will we break through the structures that are holding us back from engaging this new generation of faith seekers?

This past week at ABSW, the community was treated to a special chapel service, hosted by ABSW’s Korean students.  It was a joyful and uplifting time, reminding everyone of the power, beauty, and majesty of a God who not only crosses cultural barriers, but lays down common ground so that His followers may come together in worship.

The ABSW community was greatly blessed by the efforts of the students and special guests who worked so hard to make the evening special, sharing the traditional worship and delicious cuisine of the Korean culture.  ABSW extends a special thanks to all those who made this evening possible!

Min. Koan S. Choi offers a warm welcome, and leads the congregation in a responsive reading of Psalm 23

Min. Eung K. Tak gives the opening prayer

Rev. Sung J. Kim reads the evening's Scripture: Acts 27:13-25

Min. Jae E. Kim introduces the GTU Korean Pastor's Wives Choir

 

Rev. Eun S. Cho delivers an encouraging sermon: What I Believe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistant Professor of Worship & Theology

“I am Andrea.”

“I am Andrea.”

“I am Andrea.”

The voices moved through the crowd in waves, beginning with a single voice of a young woman on the steps of Sproul Hall on the campus of UC Berkeley. But her voice was carried on the voices of others, as the General Assembly on November 15, 2011, (reported to be the largest GA so far of the occupy movements) employed the “people’s mic” system of communicating. When using the people’s mic, the assembly repeats each phrase of the speaker, so that everyone can hear what has been said. When the crowd is especially large, each phrase gets repeated multiple times in waves until everyone has heard and spoken the same message no matter how far the assembly extends.

Those of you who know American Baptist Seminary of the West, know that it is blocks away from Sproul Hall and directly across the street from People’s Park in Berkeley. A park with a deep and still-resounding history, though in recent years it is a site where the woundedness of our society is most clearly seen in the faces of those who live outside in the Park year-round—some in the grips of drug or alcohol addiction, some in the grips of mental illness, all hungry and, in the rainy season, cold and wet. The strength of the history of People’s Park as well as the literal cries of the people who live there now, are woven into our classroom space and into my teaching at the seminary.

So it was, as a professor of worship and theology at ABSW, that I was drawn immediately to the GA’s use of the people’s mic as a powerful, liturgical method of communication. Its similarity to responsive readings, so common in worship, in which the leader speaks and the assembly responds, was evident at first. But, in fact, it is much more than that.

In this case, the assembly doesn’t have a pre-printed or pre-set response as it would in worship. Instead, the people repeat exactly what the speaker says. One person’s voice is carried by the voices of hundreds, of thousands of voices, speaking the same words.

Think about the power of that for a moment. In a culture that has seemingly forgotten how to listen, in a culture that has been shouting at one another, talking over one another, the people’s mic is transformative communication.

It relies on everyone listening—as the words get repeated in three or four word phrases, in waves from the front of the crowd to an invisible back of the crowd. One can almost imagine that the crowd and the words themselves stretch out infinitely behind us. The message ripples endlessly on and on around the globe.

It relies on everyone listening, but it also relies on patience. The speaker must patiently wait until the rippling message stops before she speaks another phrase. The assembly must patiently wait before they hear what the rest of the sentence will be, the completion of the thought.

It relies on listening, it relies on patience, but it also relies on the assembly also speaking. The people’s mic doesn’t work if the people stop moving the message along. Communication breaks down. The message dies out. The assembly must speak or no one can listen.

Two things resonate for me here. The first is that this method of speaking, listening, waiting, and speaking again so that all can hear, all can understand, shimmers for me with the movement of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Here we were, a large crowd gathered, used to speaking our own languages (whether the language of youth, of the street, of the academy, of Fox News, of the Daily Show, or Colbert Nation) now speaking the same language, the same words. Now listening, as we’ve not had to listen in a very, very long time. And speaking the same words as if they were our own.

The second thing that resonates is that all of this matters because words matter. And saying words matter. The philosopher of language J. R. Searle writes about the performative quality of language in which the words we say have the power to shape the world we live in. This may sound fantastical at first, especially because of the cheapening of words in advertising and mass media. But it is a truth that we actually take for granted: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit;” “I now declare you husband and wife.” Words do not only have performative qualities in ritual to reshape personal realities, but they also can reshape reality on a global scale, such as in declarations of war. These phrases, when spoken in the right moment and with a sense of authority granted to them, change lived reality. Words matter. Saying words matter.

Hear that again: The words—in connection to the moment and spoken with authority—change lived reality. At the General Assembly on Tuesday night, the moment was the coming together of a group of people who were unknown to one another. It was also the coming together of the Occupy Oakland and the Occupy Cal movements. The ones who spoke were granted authority by the assembly itself. And reality changed. Now this crowd was no longer simply a group of people; rather, they had been formed into an assembly, into a new social body.

I couldn’t help but think of this when I heard a single, woman’s voice coming dimly through a distant bullhorn from the steps of Sproul Hall, “I am Andrea,” then listened as the assembly repeated her phrase in the now familiar waves: “I am Andrea;” “I am Andrea;” “I am Andrea.”

Notice that the crowd didn’t say, “You are Andrea.” Instead, they kept her words in tact, and repeated in astounding solidarity, “I am Andrea.”

Hear this language with the echo of another liturgy that forms us into yet another social body—the church, the body of Christ: “This is my body;” “This is my body;” “This is my body.” “Broken for you;” “Broken for you;” “Broken for you.”

Now, suddenly, the Greek word leitourgia, the ancestor to our word liturgy, takes on a deeper meaning in contemporary context. While the original meaning of the Greek word leitourgia as “work of the people” has been contested in recent years as a too simplistic rendering, there is a sense in which the work of the people at the General Assemblies of the occupy movements gives us a better feel for the original meaning behind the Greek leitourgia.

In its original sense, leitourgia is the work of the people on behalf of the people and for the benefit of the people. When we overlay the GA’s words of solidarity, “I am Andrea,” with our own familiar, “This is my body,” we understand that worship is leitourgia because it is what forms us into a people. We participate in the liturgy because it shapes our reality, because it forms us into a new social body—the body of Christ in the world and for the world.

It is too easy to lose the counter-cultural potential in our worship. Sometimes it takes the Spirit moving in unexpected places and in unexpected ways to remind us of the ways the Spirit is always moving faithfully in our midst—indeed, moving so that we might also be moved to faithful life.

Each student is asked to develop her or his final project with an ideal audience in mind. To whom do you see yourself presenting this semester-long project? The larger question behind that is whom do you serve?

I often use reading experiences with my 3-year old daughter to nuance a point in class about literary theory, the communities we serve, or the relationship between literature and life. Service is not always formal or a choice. Sometimes it is an opportunity that presents itself.

The recent Occupy movements can be felt everywhere in the East Bay, but especially in the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. My daughter has recently been asking many questions about the Occupy Berkeley encampment that she sees everyday on Martin Luther King Way when we drive my husband to and from work. We explained that the protesters are like Mack from Yertle the Turtle. They are challenging the oppression (yes we use that word with our 3 year-old) of those that act like King Yertle.

If you have never read Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss, it is a traditional Seussian tale with the expected meter and imagination. For those whose memories of Dr. Seuss extend only as far as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Seussian tales have a moral but are not moralistic. They are didactic but not heavy handed. His stories are amusing and each page has a pithy perspective for both the reader and readee. What is illuminating is that to quote Seuss himself, his work is “subversive as hell.”

Yertle the Turtle is a post-WWII tale that rails against tyranny and fascism. There was no way Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr. Seuss, could have foreseen the rise of the Occupy movements sweeping America and the world today, much less that his tale of a plain little turtle named Mack would teach a 3-year old girl named Eva about the suffering of the many explained through the experiential suffering of one.

The two characters brought into prominence in this tale are King Yertle and Mack. What separates these two characters in the story is a growing stack of turtles that obey the commands of the King to come with their families and use their turtle bodies to create his throne. From his position high-a-top his turtle stack (first 9 turtles, then 200, then 5,607) King Yertle discloses a key insight to his moral compass, “‘I’m ruler’, said Yertle, ‘of all that I see./But I don’t see enough. That’s the trouble with me.’” With each command to add more turtle bodies to his thrown, the turtle at the very bottom named Mack is stepped on, climbed over, and weighed upon by the physical reality caused by the command of “the world’s highest turtle.”   

Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack,

Came a groan from that plain little turtle named Mack.

“Your Majesty, please… I don’t like to complain,

But down here below, we are feeling great pain.

I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,

But down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights.

We turtles can’t stand it. Our shells will all crack!

Besides, we need food. We are starving!” groaned Mack.

Don’t be fooled by the quatra-meter. The tale and characters, though constructed for children, formulate an allegorical message that is simple and profound. There is a great disparity between the point of view of a solitary few at the top and those feeling the greatest distress at the bottom.

The first time we read this passage to Eva she said, “Why won’t he feed Mack? Mack is so hungry.” Her needs at this point in life are as basic as Mack’s- food. Sustenance is a right. Withholding food or setting up structures that prevent individuals from having consistent access to food is an injustice and an assault against dignity. The relative safety of Eva’s life has prevented her from noticing the physical mistreat to the turtles’ shelled bodies created by an unnatural perch for a turtle. She is too young, maybe too sheltered, to empathize with their bodily jeopardy. She, nevertheless, brings herself to the reading. She brings her experiences of life, other literature, and relationships.

The biblical texts for our class are the books of Joshua and Judges. They witness to two different accounts of military exploits used to establish a foundational claim to the land of Canaan. The accounts are at times gruesome, sad, triumphant, and humorous.  They contain a breadth of human experience and each student brings herself and himself to the text every time we read it.

Depending on the needs of our communities of service different aspects of what we have read will be investigated, highlighted, interpreted, and mediated with appropriate language and analogies. My students are encouraged to develop themselves broadly. Cultivate yourself as a scholar and a servant. In doing so, the text will become more revelatory. Each time something will be revealed anew.

On different days of the work week I wear different figurative hats, like every student in class. On Mondays and Thursdays I’m a doctoral student. Tuesdays I’m an instructor. Wednesdays I’m an assistant to the department. Fridays I’m an assistant instructor. Every day of the week I am a mother. Every day I am in service of another. Eva’s favorite part of the story is the end. She understands what the 1% have yet to figure out.

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,

Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.

And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free

As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

                                                                                                            by Dr. Seuss.

  By Corinna Guerrero

After eating bowls of chili until they were fit to burst, the ABSW community voted, declaring Carolyn Matthews the 2011 Chili Champ!

Not only did Carolyn receive the most votes, but her turkey chili was gobbled-up in record time, leaving an empty pot and many full stomachs!  Her secret?  Give that chili some time!  Letting the flavors come together slowly is what did it for this delicious dish.

Chili offerings for 2011 included vegetarian, turkey and beef versions, all of which (in this blogger’s opinion) were down-right tasty!  Recipes were inspired by family favorites, internet finds, and of course, firemen!

Honorable mentions include:

Loretta Moody:  Best Chili by an ABSW Student

Marie Onwubuariri:  Sneakiest Chili  (yes, it REALLY WAS vegetarian)

Micky Holmes:  Most Save-ory Chili

Al Roselius:  Manliest Chili

Jennifer Davidson:  The Biggest Kick!

LeAnn Snow Flesher:  Smartest Chili (in the British Sense)

Nancy Svensson:  Best Use of Corn

This post is a follow-up to my previous post entitled It’s time for seminary renewal.  Decline is a natural and expected phase in institutional life; and, consequently, a phase that should be predicted and included as part of one’s strategic plan.  When institutions begin to decline there are basically two options:  renew or plan the funeral.    

How can we make theological education accessible to today's students?

Gone are the days when one would pack up all possessions and family members, leave one’s place of residence and move to a seminary community committing 100% of his/her time to theological studies and dialogue—in fact those days are long gone.  For years now our seminaries have been servicing students in our local communities—the majority of seminaries in America have become commuter schools or distance education specialists.

Also gone are the days of the academic/intellectual pastor to whom all came for answers to life’s most difficult questions—some theological in nature, but many about life’s ever day realities.  Today with the internet at our finger tips can literally do the walking; we no longer need access to a local guru who can help us find a path through the murky waters of everyday existence.

The seminaries in the North America have been nimble enough to shift and adapt to these cultural changes without overhauling the institutional structure—and so we have continued to hike along (fairly successfully I might add) providing seminary education in the manner that we have been highly trained to do.  Along the way we have noticed, and even discussed at times, the ensuing inequities within various culture groups related to the accessibility (or inaccessibility) of theological education.  As result, many tried to create new and creative programs on the side (by necessity due to accreditation standards) that would somewhat fill the gap.    

But now we have entered a very different era—a time when the growing majority of prospective theological students are not of European decent and, consequently, not euro-centric;  a time when many who desire theological education do not have BAs, but have a tremendous amount of pastoral/ministerial experience; a time when women make up nearly 50% of the theological student population, yet find their professional ministry options severely limited upon graduation; a time when inductive experiential learning holds more weight than the highly deductive academic lectures of yesteryear; a time when the increasing levels of plurality in society necessitate contextual learning and theologies; a time when denominations are on the decline, but spirituality is on the rise; a time when ministries that have become too cloistered are, by necessity, busting out of their sacred edifices  taking ministry to the streets; a time when students are older, dollars are scarce, and incomes are low.       

What do we need to do? 

First, we need to seriously revise the ATS standards for the MDiv program, or create a new accredited pastoral training program.  If the growing majority of students desiring an MDiv today come from non-euro-centric communities, have not completed a BA, are looking for shorter—less expensive programs, and have several years of pastoral experience, then we need to redesign the degree to fit this market—or create something entirely different.   The traditional MDiv has run its course—it’s time for something new.

Second, we need to create highly interactive, integrated (theoretical and practical; academic and spiritual), inductive, contextualized curriculums with immediate practical applications.  Today’s students are looking for practical programs that will provide them a skill set immediately transferable into the marketplace.  Today’s graduates must be trained to navigate the complexities of gender, class, cultural, political, and religious differences.  Today’s seminary alums must have the ability to work within the church as well as the dexterity to serve as community leaders and innovators.  Today’s seminaries must train for today’s world—it’s time for something new.

LeAnn Snow Flesher, Academic Dean and Professor of Old Testament

We are living in a tumultuous time.  One need only turn on the news or open the paper to read the many stories related to the economic down turn in our nation, the presidential debates, the Occupy Wall Street Movement, unrest in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.  In the midst of these very significant and hot topics we are also frequently reminded of the rising costs of education, the huge student loan debt that straps many of our young people just completing college, and the continued inequities related to education in the US.  Finally, when we turn to the church front we hear of ever declining congregations and denominations, outrageous ethical scandals around religious leaders of “successful” ministries, and declining commitments to seminary training.  What a time to be in theological education!

Since the 1960s the mainline Seminary has seen several shifts in theological emphasis, from heavy emphasis on the political during and after the Civil Rights Movement, to the God is Dead Movement of the late 60s, to an emphasis on Pastoral Care in the 70s and 80s and now a shift toward multi-cultural and inter-faith conversations.  However, institutionally (i.e., structurally) we have remained pretty much the same.  Seminaries are in a mode of decline, and according to institutional theory, it’s time for a renewal—not just a new theological emphasis, but a renewal of structure.  When institutions enter the decline phase it is generally due to several factors operating at once:  too much debt, not enough revenue, inadequate leadership, inexperienced management, lack of planning for times of plateau and decline, and failure to change.  While in decline, the worst thing an organization can do is “the same thing—while expecting different results.”  Institutions in decline either need to renew or plan their funeral. 

What does this mean for theological education (i.e., the seminary) in America today?  ATS statistics have shown that overall the numbers of students attending MDiv programs is on the decline, while the number of students entering MA programs is on the rise.  Simultaneously, the numbers of Caucasians entering MDiv programs is declining while the numbers of African-Americans, Asians and Latinos are on the rise.  Finally, the fastest growing ethnic group in the US is Latino.  Yet, our seminary structures, curriculums, and accreditation standards continue to be primarily euro-centric and prohibitive for many coming from these culture groups.   While individual course content in any given institution might reflect considerable awareness of ethnic and cultural diversity, the institutional, curricular and accreditation structures themselves are still quite euro-centric. 

If seminaries are to become relevant to contemporary culture(s) we must be open to new structures and standards as well as new course content.  At the last gathering of Academic Deans from ATS accredited schools Dan Alshire, the director of ATS, gave a presentation in which he surfaced much of this data.  At the close of his presentation he challenged us to get moving—to begin thinking about seminary in new ways.  I for one have taken that challenge to heart, but one person, one school, cannot change the tenor of theological education in America.  It’s time to make some drastic changes—it’s time for a renewal—lest we end up attending our own funeral.

Are you a runner? What would happen if you slowed down?

Are you a runner? Then, how fast can you run? 9.58 seconds– that is the world record Usain Bolt holds. You may recall how popular the world’s fastest man was during the world championships a few months ago in Korea. People value those athletes who run fast, high, and long. That is where the money is; and that is where many people want to be.

In India there is a different kind of race called “the slow cycling race.” You have to come in last if you want to win the race. If you go as fast as you can, leaving everyone else behind, you will not win.

It’s like what Jesus says: “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” In God’s kingdom, there is a different rule of winning; it is the rule of love and care.

The parable of the laborers in Matthew 20:1-16 challenges our modern understanding of fairness. Everyone knows we are entitled to hourly minimum wage and it is fair for us to be paid based on the hours we work. Yet the farmer pays all the laborers exactly the same amount. Those hired in the early morning complain that this is unfair because they were paid the same amount as the late comers. But for those who only worked one hour or two, it was undeserved grace for them to receive this full wage!

God’s love goes beyond our expectation and understanding of fairness.

It is interesting to see a similar story in Exodus 16:2-15.

When God provides Israelites with manna and quail in the wilderness, He does not allow some fast runners to go ahead of other people, getting more to save up for the future while some slow people lose the opportunity for their daily bread. Everyone deserves and gets their daily meal, not more, not less. Each day, God provides enough for that day. They are not to worry about tomorrow; God wants them to focus on today. All they had to do was trust the Lord. I wonder what the world would look like if today’s economy were just like that. 

In our life, we must be smart and fast in order to move ahead of others. We think we can’t afford stay behind. But Jesus always paid attention to those slow walkers. When Bartimaeus, the blind man, shouted, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, wait!” the disciples said to him, “Hey, be quiet, he is busy.” But Jesus did stop. He not only stopped, he paid attention to this poor man. He had compassion on him.

We need to walk slowly in life, to look around and see who is there, to listen and talk with them, and to make some eye contact.

People complain. “The whole congregation complained,” the Exodus text says. And it was the same with the laborers who worked in the vineyard. With life the way it is, we’re always tempted to join those complainers. And complaints always come when we raise the idea of fairness. But God isn’t too interested in fairness. He is more interested in loving and caring for His people, especially those slow walkers. Truth is this: had the people of Israel gotten what they deserved, they would still be in Egypt. Had the vineyard workers gotten what they deserved, some people wouldn’t have enough to live on. God is more interested in generosity than fairness, especially when it comes to the people who are in need. For God, there is real fairness only when there is love and care for undeserving people.

I don’t know about you. I always see myself as a late-comer. I do not deserve what I have. I do not deserve what I have received from God. But to God, love always goes beyond fairness; that is God’s way of being fair.

So, my question for you is: “Are you a runner?” How fast do you run?

God wants us to slow down a bit and look around. Look around and see who is behind you. Let’s see if we can walk together with them. “The first will be last, and last will be first.”

Every week, the Reading Library established by FBCB is available to students, offering the texts required for the core curriculum at ABSW. This small project is truly a gift that will continue to bless generations of students!

Rev. Dr. Nancy Hall, Associate Professor of Ministry and Director of Contextual Education

In a blog posting last year I shared that in addition to my ABSW faculty position I am also the part-time pastor of First Baptist Church of Berkeley, located just four blocks from the seminary campus. ABSW and FBCB have enjoyed a long history of partnership, with the church having been a teaching congregation for ABSW ministers-in-training many times in our 122-year history.

Recently, FBC Berkeley was privileged to participate in another way of partnering with the seminary, and we are hoping that this kind of special support might be a model for other congregations to do something similar for our beloved school and its students.

In spring 2010 I was strongly encouraged by Rev. Dr. Marcia Patton (executive minister of the Evergreen Baptist Association — of which FBCB is a member congregation — and also a member of the ABSW Board of Trustees) to take part in a year-long training project, the Missional Church Learning Experience, sponsored by American Baptist Churches USA. With our congregation’s blessing, an MCLE team was formed and we attended four day-long training events in 2010-11, led by Rev. Glynis LaBarre, Transformation Strategist for the American Baptist Home Mission Societies. [Note: for more information about MCLE, go to: http://www.nationalministries.org/mcle/ ]

Our FBCB team’s mission (along with teams from several other Bay Area ABC churches, all part of the Evergreen Baptist Association) was to find a need within our immediate community that would result in an opportunity to reach out and build a partnership with a local community group, for the greater good.

After taking time to contact and consider a number of possible community partners, our team found that the most fruitful conversations were taking place with members of the ABSW Student Council. The students of ABSW make great personal sacrifices in order to pursue a theological education. One example: with all of ABSW’s courses held at night, many students arrive from their full-time jobs or other weekday commitments just in time to sit down for class, often without having the chance for an evening meal. Another example: after paying his or her tuition bill each semester, a student may not have sufficient funds remaining to purchase all of the required textbooks for each class.

The seminary provides as much tuition assistance to students as possible. But how could FBC Berkeley reach out and form a partnership with the students, to help address some of their other needs? Here’s what FBCB was able to do, after several consultations with members of the ABSW Student Council:

– We purchased one copy of each required fall 2011 semester textbook for the ABSW “core” curriculum courses. These books were placed on the fourth floor of Hobart Hall, becoming an on-campus “reading library,” available to all students.

– We restocked the ABSW food pantry with non-perishable items that students can use on an emergency basis, when funds run low.

– We donated to the Student Council a used two-drawer file cabinet from the FBCB church office to help the council keep its papers organized.

– We purchased and served food for one of ABSW’s regular Monday evening community meals (attended by faculty and students), concluding with an ice cream social, on September 26.

– We still have funds available to help “seed” the Student Council’s evening snack bar fund-raising project, when it gets underway for the fall 2011 semester.

None of the above projects required a huge amount of time, effort, or money. In FBCB’s case, we were helped by a grant from the MCLE program. But any church could undertake the hosting of a Monday evening supper at ABSW, or could help expand the “reading library” with copies of textbooks for courses in upcoming semesters. [Intrigued? E-mail me: nhall@absw.edu, and I’ll tell you how easy it is to support our ABSW students with outreach projects such as these!]

This opportunity to show American Baptist Seminary of the West how much we value its presence in our community brought our church and the school closer together. As is so often the case, we who undertake mission in the name of Jesus Christ are just as richly rewarded as those to whom we reach out.

So, here’s some good news from First Baptist Church of Berkeley and the campus of ABSW: small projects can bear fruitful partnerships! We give all praise to God for guiding us through this year of learning, praying, and planning. As a favorite gospel hymn proclaims: “We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord.”