Is There Room for a Theologian in the Local Church?
In announcing his resignation today, Biblical Seminary professor John Franke stated that he is taking up the position of Theologian in Residence at a Presbyterian church in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Theology has typically been in a separate realm from the local church, much to the disdain of theologians like Eugene Peterson, who view the role of pastor as a theologian and teacher (and poet). For the most part, local churches have tried to stay away from theology and academics, mostly because they say that theology is “too hard” or “impractical.” They say it belongs in the seminaries, but not in the church.
Should a local church have a theologian in residence? What role should the theologian fill?
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To be frank, I think the theologians need the church more than the church needs the theologians (speaking as a theologian that is). If the theologians are in the church, then I think they’ll prove more useful for the church. I think that a lot of good could come out of this for John, for his work, and subsequently for all of us.
Interesting question. I think it “professionalizes” theology too much to make it one person’s purview rather than the work of the people. Too top-down for me. But I’d be interested in what ways they might incorporate such a position and if perhaps more theological questions might go to the Theologian and family/personal matters to the pastor…even though often they are both linked.
Would it make sense for the theologian in the local church to be a facilitator of theological inquiry and theological and spiritual formation of the congregation?
I believe that Peterson is on to something. While it is the work of the people (living liturgy) to do theology, it is the pastor who is the one who guides them and helps them imagine together. I have been taught in both undergraduate and graduate work which started in the early 90s that the pastor is the theologian in residence. I think that is Tony Jones’ title at Solomon’s Porch (but I could be mistaken).
I think that a move from deductive to inductive preaching helps the congregation connect the dots on their own, rather than having the pastor say here are three things you need to learn. Stanley Hauerwas, using hyperbole in “Unleashing the Scriptures: Freeing the Bible from Captivity to America,” says that all Bibles need to be taken from American Christians until we learn to interpret them together in and as community.
Alan Roxburgh in “The Missionary Congregation, Leadership and Liminality” that the pastor is prophet, poet, and apostle. The prophet role sees it like it is, tells it like it is. The poet dreams and envisions and imagines the possible future for the congregation to link up with. The apostle role helps them actualize their re-imaged vision engaged by/with the Holy Spirit.
I am (honestly) glad to hear that my Nazarene tradition isn’t the only one that struggles with the local church and the academy.
I agree with the sentiments above–the term seems to separate theology from what all Christians do together and individually on a daily basis. I’d like to say that the pastor is the facilitator of theology and spiritual formation in the church–he should be, at least. But at the same time, we see with growing churches more of a distinction between different types of pastors (Pastor of Community, Pastor of Outreach, Pastor of Worship, etc.). Perhaps rather than “theologian in residence” it might be more helpful to term it the Pastor of Spiritual Formation (or Community Theology?).
Then again, I don’t have a problem with the church having an artist in residence, so perhaps something like this could work. I’d like to see how his church defines the role.
@Michael Serendipitously, John Franke is the co-author of Beyond Foundationalism (with Stanley Grenz). The book discusses how the individual and community are inextricably linked, and that theology is formed in a way that is both individualistic and communitarian. I would think that from his own writings he would view the theologian in residence as a person who helps the community to seek and hear the voice of the Spirit and respond in their own unique way as a local church with a particular cultural approach to the witness of Scripture and Christ.
@Heather One of my own dreams has long been to be a Pastor of Worship. I wouldn’t play the guitar and look cool. What I see the Pastor of Worship doing is facilitating the spiritual formation and discipleship of the congregation through worship: singing, prayer, hermeneutics, liturgical practices, giving, teaching, service, etc. The trend toward specificity in pastoral titles will only work if the goal of all positions is spiritual formation and discipleship.