Institute of Ministry: Wrap-Up
July 17, 2004
Finished up the Whitworth Institute of Ministry today. First, I am extremely grateful to Whitworth for giving me the chance to go for free, so that’s big. So, here are a few of my high/low-points of the week.
Highpoints
- Seeing friends and a few professors who I enjoyed sharing a few years of my life with at Whitworth, and other pastor friends and new friends. It was great to see Jen, Jaime, Kari, Keith, Jerry, Jim, Janise & Derek, Janie, Matt & Heather (& Evan) and Paul, Nancy and Josh and many more people.
- Getting to stay with Cory and Marlene. I got to spend some time getting to know them better. Cory also taught me a bit about open theism - and…I *think* I’m better because of it…not sure yet.
- Rich Mouw’s morning Bible studies were really great. He talked about some of his thoughts on common grace, how we should be looking for God in the world…one thing I’ll definitely take away from his talks was how we apply (for example, in the time of the Iraq war) the hermeneutic of suspicion to others (our enemies) and we apply the hermeneutic of charity to ourselves…that’s backwards. We need to switch those around - and realize this is not to just be used while we are doing about ‘war-issues’ - but ANYTHING and everything. We should always apply the hermeneutic of suspicion to ourselves (is there anything wrong/evil about my motives…looking deeply, is there really anything ‘wrong’ with this….) and the hermeneutic of charity to our opponent/enemy (always giving them the benefit of the doubt).
- Meeting Jack Fortin, who does work with Missional church stuff along with Guder from Princeton. Getting a chance to talk about rethinking the role of both the congregation and the pastor with Jack.
- Singing “You Are Holy” with all those who came together for this conference.
Lowpoints
- Talking with Jack about all of this Missional church stuff and hearing him say that Princeton is probably one of the seminaries that has been the slowest to come around to some of this stuff. I’m afraid Princeton is equipping pastors for a church that doesn’t exist anymore (in some places) and to fill a pastoral role that might have worked in the modern ’50s, but won’t necessarily fly in today’s postmodern culture. And I ask myself…”Why am I going to Princeton, again?”
- Being around - pretty much exclusively - conservative Evangelical Christians all week and hearing a lot of us/them talk about “those others in the denomination.” And that label is not one that only “I” am applying. Our evening preacher, Vic Pentz (Senior Pastor at Peachtree Presbyterian Church) prayed that “we conservative Evangelicals…are dealing with a lot of stuff with the liberal mainliners within our denomination and…” etc., etc.
- Talking to other Princeton grads and hearing things like: “Hey, you have no need to worry - Princeton is WAY MORE conservative than it was in the past - so it’s much *better* now…” That’s annoying - I chose Princeton (w/o doing my homework I guess) because I thought it was going to have some more theological diversity - which, I think it will, so…I just need to get over it.
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
July 17th, 2004 at 11:24 am
You won’t find a perfect seminary. I transfered from Union in Richmond to Columbia in Decatur after a year and realized that both have strenghts and weaknesses. You are curious about the world and reflective so I think you’ll do fine at Princeton. You may enjoy, too, being with PCUSA people, who are diverse, and will challenge and entertain you. Blessings to you. I read your blog most days and keep you in my prayers.
July 18th, 2004 at 1:03 am
adam, it’s funny you mention vic pentz’s short comment. being on stage, i had a very hard time after he said that only because i felt somehow unable to disconnect myself from that labeling he gave the entire group. inside i wanted to say NO THAT’S NOT ME! that’s a big challenge for me; acting out and contributing to worship in a body that has very different perspectives in it. i guess if we were all the same, the body of chist would be rather boring.
July 20th, 2004 at 12:18 pm
Issues related to labels appear to be a central preoccupation of your musings. Attempts to characterize Princeton Theological Seminary will provide you with much future fodder. Consider: for most conservatives (i.e., those primarily concerned with conserving the theological insights of the past), Princeton is too progressive; for most progressives (i.e., those primarily concerned with embracing the theological insights of the present), Princeton is much too conservative. At Princeton you‚Äôll find a few conservatives and progressives but more progressive conservatives and conservative progressives. There are also a lot of confused people in the center. Princeton is predominately Reformed in its theology–but in a Barthian way, much to the dismay of the remaining Calvinists out there–and mainline in its constituency. The mainline denominations, as everyone knows, are dying; I don‚Äôt know if the churches that are growing have much to do with Karl Barth (Kirchliche Dogmatik anyone?). With a new president and many important chairs empty, it is likely that at least some things will change in the coming years.
July 27th, 2004 at 8:53 pm
hey, do you still have that picture you got taken at the martini place? you should send it to me.
it was good to see you again. hope you’re well.
jaime