LEARNING IN A TIME OF TURMOIL

Karl Barth once encouraged young theologians “to take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.”

Yet when the headlines of the day are all about turmoil – war in Iraq and the clash of civilizations, global warming and globalization, natural disasters and man-made disasters, political division and political corruption, institutional strife and denominational decay – what is the relevancy of the Bible, or faith for that matter?

And what does it even mean to do theological education in a time like this?

“Honestly, part of my seeking a theological education was because I became wearied by what I consider popularized bumper-sticker Christianity,” says Leslie Bowling-Dyer, an M.Div. student at the American Baptist Seminary of the West.

“Too often I encountered people of faith who would take the simple yet profound statements of Christianity and turn them into clichés,” she says. “Yes, I believe the world needs God, but if we do not take the time to consider and sit with the complexity and enormity of the world’s needs, we make light of people’s pain and the power and dynamic nature of the kingdom of God. I came to seminary to think critically about the promises of the gospel and how they might guide the church in addressing the world’s greatest needs.”

In this era of upheaval, ABSW continues to emphasize the necessity of critical engagement with scripture, theology, history, and ministry contexts. The school seeks to form students who are, in the words of President Keith Russell, servant leaders of “that radically new vision of humanity expressed in the best possibilities of the church.”

Asking Questions

The times are leading people to church in search of answers, says the Rev. Carlton Rhoden, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Los Angeles and a 2005 graduate of ABSW. “I see a lot of questions in people’s minds and hearts, and they’re looking for some direction,” he says.

Rhoden, 32, imagines the civil rights era and earlier periods of social upheaval had the feel of today when people look to the church for “a clue of what the divine is saying.”

It’s an exciting time to be in ministry and to be a prophetic voice, he adds. “I think it’s a wonderful time for social change again.”

Navigating these times calls for being open to people’s questions as well as diverse perspectives, Bowling-Dyer notes.

“As I listen to the more publicized Christian responses to the issues of our day I often hear a lack of awareness of other’s perspectives that can illuminate the blind spots in one’s own thinking and theology,” she says. “For me this means taking opportunities to hear and learn from an ecumenical and global set of voices when possible. It also means reflecting on contemporary issues in light of how the church has tried to address similar issues before, believing that the Spirit of God has been speaking through the ages and it is wise to take note of what others have discerned in other places and in other times.

“My studies are helping me to welcome the perspectives of others, value my own unique contribution to the Church and keep me attentive to how God wants to conduct this great mass of voices,” she adds.

Drawing Upon Resources

Dr. Peter Yuichi Clark, ABSW’s associate professor for pastoral care and chaplain administrator for Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley, believes it is more important than ever to have theologically-trained persons engaged in offering care to people.

In times of crisis, “we don’t know where to turn, what’s solid, because it feels like the ground is shifting beneath us,” he says, noting that this sense of instability is especially pronounced now. “Because of that, we need people who are trained to draw upon theological and spiritual resources,” he adds.

The Rev. Susan Criscione, who earned M.Div. and M.A. degrees from ABSW in 2002, is certainly drawing upon such resources. As director of Renewal House in Roxbury, Mass., Criscione works with women in crisis and their children. The organization provides emergency shelter from domestic violence, advocacy services and counseling. Every day Criscione sees firsthand the struggle people go through “just to live in this world,” she says.

When entering the work two years ago, she thought she would join hands and sing songs with the women. But they need someone to “get down and dirty” with them, Criscione says, and talk about what’s really going on.

Renewal House is a context for doing practical theology, she explains, and that means her own theological education continues – which is just how ABSW equipped Criscione, giving her the tools for lifelong learning.

Yuichi Clark notes the pressure church leaders face in times of crisis, pressure that is compounded by the fear they are all alone and must bear the weight of responsibility. “Fear is an isolating force,” he says.

But another resource to draw upon is the community, which can remind the leader “the work of the church is not mine alone,” he adds.

“We’re rediscovering how important it is to be in community,” he says, “and to share our burdens and to share the work of the church.”