Welcome to Theological Field Education! - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1566994071 ISBN 13: 9781566994071

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2010

Synopsis

Field education is an opportunity for students to develop ministry skills, practice ministerial reflection, discern their call, experience professional collegiality, and undergo personal transformation. Field education offers them a place to practice ministry and a space to reflect on it, to integrate theory and practice, and grow towards competency. In Welcome to Theological Field Education! eleven directors of field education in seminaries and divinity schools across North America pass on their wisdom to both students and their supervisors. Edited by Matthew Floding, director of field education at Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan, this volume covers critical topics such as the art of supervision and formation, the use of case studies and peer reflection groups, self-care and ministerial ethics, and assessment.

Formation for ministry is especially challenging at this time in the church's life. First, the explosion of knowledge, pluralism, and consumerism and a host of other complicating factors make huge demands on what a minister must know to be effective in ministry. Second, with the erosion of thick religious subcultures, the novice minister has fewer sources of practical wisdom to draw upon. The next generation of ministers, if they are to be more fully formed for ministry, depends on skilled mentoring alongside wise supervisors. This book is the tool to help them make the most of their field education experience.

About this title

About the Author:

Matthew Floding is Director of Formation for Ministry and Associate Professor of Christian Ministry at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He has previously served as pastor and college chaplain and is a minister of Word and sacrament in the Reformed Church in America. He has also worked with congregations and theological schools in the U.S. and Canada to enhance field education experiences. He currently serves as chair of the Association for Theological Field Education.

Review:

Welcome to Theological Field Education is an outstanding introductory volume and highly recommended for faculty, supervisors, students, and congregations interested in best practices for field education, all for the purpose of nurturing the next generation of ministry leaders. (Teaching Theology & Religion)

Field education is where those learning knowledge of the church's teachings reencounter the love of the church's people that first sent them to seminary. The result, we hope, is divine wisdom. This guide to field education makes that result much more likely. I rejoice for it. (Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee, Duke Divinity School and Rev. Jaylynn Byassee)

An indispensable read for students, field educators, faculty, CPE Supervisors, mentors/supervisors and congregations involved in contextual education and the pastoral formation process. Eleven nationally known, seasoned scholars and educators present rich and sobering elements, detailed examples based on theory, scripture, and research for students and educators. This book gets you in the proper frame for understanding the how and why of theological field education, and introduces you to the finer points of equipping one as a reflective pastoral practitioner. (Richard Cunningham, Assistant Professor and Director of Contextual Education, School of Theology and Ministry, Seattle University)

Welcome to Theological Field Education provides a solid introduction to the multifaceted discipline of training seminarians to become skilled pastors. Written by experienced FE professionals, it is an insightful, systematic, and theologically sound manual that I believe is a must-read for those beginning the challenging enterprise of theological field education. (Deborah K. Davis, Director of Field Education, Princeton Theological Seminary)

Ministry in today’s world is no longer business as usual. This book, written by seasoned leaders in theological field education, brings new perspective to the formation of students for ministry, and offers fresh ideas that will challenge and renew the thinking of students, mentors and field educators alike. (Gwen A. Ingram, Director of Field Education and Ministry Formation, Fuller Theological Seminary)

This book will transform your ministerial practice whether you are a student, novice, or seasoned veteran. The strength of this book is the diversity of viewpoints woven together by a common commitment to reflecting on how God calls forth creativity and excellence in ministry through collaborative intentionality. The authors speak from lived experience, dishing up practical case studies and personal examples that make their insights and tools for understanding ministry leap off the pages. (William M. Kondrath, VISIONS, Inc.; executive coach; coeditor of the Journal of Religious Leadership)

The distinction between field work (learning how to perform tasks) and field education (growing as people and professionals) is at the heart of this insightful collection of essays. Personal experiences, case studies, and practical exercises combine with theoretical expertise to illustrate the importance of placing the functions and practices of ministry within the larger framework of the formation of the whole person for effective preparation of candidates for ministry. (Randy A. Nelson, Professor Emeritus of Contextual Education, Luther Seminary)

Seminary students and supervisor-mentors preparing to embark on the journey of service-learning will find in these chapters a wealth of knowledge that will prepare them for the experience. The authors of each chapter speak directly to Field Education participants out of their area of expertise, so that by the end of the volume, a reader will have had the opportunity to learn from some of the finest Field Educators across North America. (P. Alice Rogers, Assistant Professor in the Practice of Congregational Leadership, Candler School of Theology, Emory University)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1566994071
• ISBN 13: 9781566994071
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 220
• Editor: Floding Director Of Ministerial Formation Duke Divinity School Former Chair The Matthew