This was my presentation at the Pre-Council meeting of Uunited Theological College Association, Bangalore on 10th August 2016

Theological Education and Ministerial Formation: Present Realities and Future Directions

“Man is immortal; therefore he must die endlessly. For life is a creative idea; it can only find itself in changing forms” (The English Writings of Rabindranath Tagore: A miscellany

By Rabindranath Tagore Sahitya Acadamy, Delhi. 1987. P. 245).

Introduction

The president, bishops and my friends. I am truly honored for having invited to present my thoughts on “the Theological Education and Ministerial Formation: Present Realities and Future Directions” at this august body of the members of the General Meeting of United Theological College. I thank you Rev. Dr. Sadananda, the president, Rev. Dr. John Samuel Raj, the Principal, Rev. Dr. Dexter Maben for this honor given to me.

Dreams are supposed to be sweet for most, most of the time. To me, they are terrifying most of the time for two reasons. One, I carry a cross on me as part of my dress. Cross gives out the message of one dying for the sake of others. But in the fourth century the cross was used by the Emperor Constantine as carrying the message that ‘for me to have power I may have to kill every one else’. My question is which cross I am carrying? The other reason for my bad dreams is what happens in my country with growing religious fundamentalists on the loose and people particularly the Dalits being persecuted for what they eat, wear and what faith they profess. This paper carries a reflection of my bad dreams.

We and the Purpose

A globe, which turns around by itself in bit of a funny way and at the same time goes around a star, is the place where God, the creator, wanted us to live in, and that with a purpose. That purpose was very well presented before human in the Garden of Eden itself, which was to keep this universe and toil in it. But as what happened in 2008 which initiated the world economic crisis, greed made people in the garden ignore the purpose and initiated rivalry between everything. Then again God in Abraham tried a second time with us by asking him to be a blessing to all. That was also not accomplished by the following generations. Further through His own Son He tried that a third time. Now here we are who claim to be those who have been given that responsibility of fulfilling the purpose of God by making disciples of the Son through various ministries.

As I said in the beginning, we live in a word that is constantly turning and moving. There shall be nothing that stays as it is in this giant globe and hence in our environment except the purpose placed before us. Even though we call Tuesday of every week Tuesday, it shall not be the same Tuesday of the previous week. Every day is a new day and every new day places new challenges before us to face.  We can work on the purpose set before us only by taking this reality in front of us. It is a constantly evolving world that we live in and this calls for constantly renewing patterns of ministry. We are, today, considering the theological education ministry that prepares pastors and Church workers for their ways of ministry.

Present Reality an Overview

I was in the US for about two months recently. The president election campaign is in full swing. Two major candidates are running, Mr. Donald J. Trump and Ms. Hillary Clinton. Lot of people say both are not that great candidates. However, many people among the Muslim and Hispanic community believe that their life will be hard if Mr. Trump wins. Already there is tension between Blacks and Whites which results in Black people being killed for no better reason by White policemen and White policemen being killed by Black shooters in retaliation. This will have socio-economic-religious impact in the life of people there. On the other hand if Ms. Clinton wins, there will be a lot of dissatisfied White people particularly in the mid-west region. Bomb blasts and shooting terrorized Germany and France in the past month. West Asia is no place for peaceful living for quite some time due to religious fundamentalists’ cleansing acts and due to sudden fall in oil price. Early this week Oman gave notice to over a hundred Indian nurses to leave their job and go back. Similar situation is reported from Saudi Arabia too. Life in the families and communities of those who lost job will not be the same as before.  South and North Korea are no friends for a long time. The future of European Union has become a matter of concern with the voting on BREXIT and the coming in of a new prime minister in 10 Downing Street. The very question of United Kingdom continuing as united any more is yet another matter of concern.

Coming down to our backyard, in India things are far from normal. The congress party that claims the prestigious role in the Independence movement has lost its acceptance among the majority voters of the country. Bharathiya Jan Sangh that was formed in 1951 had its mutation through Jantha Party in 1977 to become Bharathiya Janatha Party in 1980 which has now won majority mandate for a fourth time after three ministries of Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The BJP got a boost with the demolition of Babri Masjid in Dec. 6th 1992 after the Rat Yatra of Mr. L. K. Advani in September 1990 and later the RSS sponsored mob march with about a hundred thousand people. Every one knows that RSS is the godfather of BJP and the part of the prime minister is only a cover up to implement its programs in the country.  The Gujrat riot of Feb. 27 of 2002 along with Stains killing of 2007 and Kandhamal violence of 2008 are also to be noted here. Again the recent incidents in Delhi and other parts of the country along with those attacks on Dalits of various North Indian states in the name of cow or otherwise set a new arena of religious fundamentalists on the lose under the present political atmosphere in the country.

The Era of Neo-Liberalization

Starting with the Rajiv Gandhi regime, we were introduced to a new economic policy of neo-liberalization and privatization. Multi-national and trans-national corporates entered the country with their resources. Market economy became the appreciated model for better living with freedom. People’s lives were auctioned in stock exchanges and its ups and downs control their heart beat and pulse rate. Development is measured by how tall, how wide, how big, how colorful and in which kind of packet it comes. IT sector became the lifeline of young people, call centers burned lot of oil at night. Those who kept their eyes opened in front of the computer monitors are confused how to burn the hefty salary they made on day time. Cities grew wide and tall with imported luxury cars but with just four wheels finding it hard to reach any where in the traffic jam, which also made the air polluted. The villages became bitten with draught and famine and people found themselves in utter poverty due to fall in price of agriculture products. Indian corporates borrowed money from banks in crores and swindled it all to declare bankruptcy and went abroad to lead a comfortable life or started new companies with new board. Price of commodities went rocket high that middle class people found it hard to make both ends meet with the available income. In the middle of all these priests, pastors and preachers continued to preach that God is a benevolent and merciful God who cares for His creation and ‘Kingdom of God is at hand’. People found it too hard, even after reciting the Lord’s Prayer with the verse “Thy Kingdom Come” repeatedly to believe it, and went hysterically with independent prosperity gospel preachers for the main line Christian communities lose their number.

I don’t say that all is bad in here. The Medha Padkar resistance movements, fifteen long years of hunger strike of Irom J Sharmila, the mass movements in Delhi and elsewhere on the gang rape of Jyothi Singh on 16th Dec. 2012, the student protests in Hyderabad, that the whole country took over, on Rohit Vemula’s death, Student protests at JNU of early this year, women’s agitation on poor wages and filthy living condition of tea estate workers in the hilly regions of Kerala, recent Dalit agitation in Gujrat and many other resistance movements are all marks of silver ray in the horizon. But certainly there is reason to be vigilant and work even harder in the filed as “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Mtt. 9:37).

We Christians

According to 2011 census data, we Christians make 2. 3% of Indian population with a total number 27,819,588 out of 1.33 billion (2016 data). We have numerous denominations and countless independent groups that tries to tell the world that we were called to witness “abundant life”. Then again we have thousands of clergymen (including bishops and supervisors) and preaches who lead these witnessing community. Some of them are trained by institutions and individuals and some are self-trained. Contrary to what we see in Acts 4:14, Dr. Radhakrishnan, former Indian President said, “Christians are ordinary people who make extra ordinary claims” (Jawahr’s blog: http://www.dannyandfriends.com/reflections/ordinary-people-extraordinary...). With this question hanging before our faces, we need to see how our theological education system should be that we may have relevant ministerial formation under present socio-political and religious realities.

Ministering God’s Creation in a Complex World

Edinburgh Report on Theological Education would define Theological Education as, that which “… aims at developing reflective Christian identity and practice, an informed and spiritually enriched access to biblical tradition and empowering people for participating in the mission of God in this world. It enables people to reflect critically on the relation between their own Christian identity, their church tradition and other Christian traditions, their relation to the world, and the tasks of God’s mission today” (Edinburgh 2010 Series, Volume II, Witnessing Christ Today. P.151). Further it talks about ministerial formation as, “… degree programmes (often at graduate level) and other formal courses which provides for the preparation of women and men for different kinds of ordained or non-ordained church ministries in congregations, in mission, in community and parish life, in diaconical services, or in education” (P. 152). In short, it is presenting God as we understand Him in the given context that people will be renewed.

My primary concern in this paper is to talk about the presence of a theologically educated person’s presence in the community as a catalyst for social change. My point is that based on the testimony received by the Church, theological curriculum should be prepared so as to educate in a systematic way the ministers both ordained and non-ordained to critically analyse the given situation in a constantly evolving world so that people shall be empowered through their ministry to face on a daily basis the challenges placed on the road to liberation experience in its fullness. This can be done primarily through involvement in the life of the community. The miracle of incarnation tells us that there is no other way of liberating the creation than coming down and being one with the creation sharing its moments of joy, suffering, dreams, humiliation, alienation, deprivation, desperation and what not. God said to Moses, “I have come down having seen the suffering of my people”. The point is that, theological education has to be contextual in all sense and both faculty and students have to be open to socio-political and religious realities in the world they live in.

Working with Others for the Sake of Secular Fabric of the Nation

As I said in the introduction, it becomes all the more important that we recognize the nature of this globe. It is constantly revolving and hence the situation is always evolving. Yesterday took us to today and today shall lead us to tomorrow and these three shall be for us to decide how we shall live in this world as “Fishers of People”. Considering the situation that was presented to us in the beginning, I must say, there is a tremendous shift in the socio-political, religious world we live in. This is where we are called to make the lives meaningful through our ministry. One of the greatest gifts of God to us in the independent Indian world is the basic secular fabric. To me, this is what Jesus wanted his disciples to have too. He was born and lived all His life as a Jew. But did not share much of the non-Israelite tendencies among the Jews. He, a learned Jew whom people called a Rabbi, was able to go and speak to a Samaritan woman without any inhibition. He then went and stayed with her community which was a witness in itself. The whole question of conversion is to be understood in this context. We need to be trained theologically to safeguard this culture of India and should be able to stand for it along with resisting all tendencies to jeopardize it. Struggle against sectarianism and stratification of the society on the basis of cast, colour, religion and creed need to be part of our ministry. We also should be able to work with communities and organizations that work in the same line irrespective of their political or religious affiliations. The Uniting Church of Australia NSW Synod documents of 2003 names this “public theology” and it calls for conversation with the whole creation (C 19.13).

India is a nation of religious plurality. Any kind of education to equip a person to be a minister in this world need to understand the pluralistic nature of the society. A better knowledge of the faith, practices and outlook of the people of other communities is a must. A theologically trained person need to know how to educate his or her own people to interact with people of other faiths to create a community where peace and harmony prevails. A Christian attitude to the other need to be propagated. Of course theological education in India have focused on interfaith dialogue and the study of other religions. However, still there are strong feelings among certain Christian communities that the other need to be won over through what ever means it may take. This will, I am afraid, make the situation hostile and fundamentalist tendencies in other communities will get a boost. Communities around us are becoming increasingly concerned of their culture and identity. If they feel threatened, it will ignite disaster.

Church and its Mission.

Theological education and ministerial formation need to be part of the mission of the Church and hence should be able to express the faith of the Church through its education and equipping of the workers. NSW Synod document of 2003 report would further state, “The task of theological education of ministry formation has been called the vocation to ‘renew our hearts and minds’ and to create ‘makers of Christian meaning’ in a complex, post-Christian world.” (C 19.12). The Church believes in a God who renews the creation steadily. Dogmas and doctrines are important, but only as far as it helps the soteriological goal under the given situation. Hence the task of the theological education of the Church is to make the basic proclamation of the Church work among the masses in a meaningful and relevant manner. Those old definitions of various aspects of theology may not be meaningful and relevant under the given evolved situation. We will be talking not to the people of the forth, thirteenth or sixteenth century, rather of the twenty first century.

One Holy Church

The unity of various denominations and communities among Christians sure is a better witness to the liberation in Christ. Basic theological education and ministerial formation should transcend denominational and sectarian interests among us. Exchange of students among various denominational theological schools should be encouraged to help the candidates have a better mutual understanding and find positive elements in each other and create readiness to work together for the transformation of the community. We also should strengthen inter-denominational theological schools like UTC for the same reason. It is sad that we see religious communities becoming more and more introvert, self-content with absolute claims and parochial attitudes. We should not fall prey to that system. We need to have a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the biblical testimony and a better understanding of biblical hermeneutics. WCC document on theological education would suggest, “If theological education fails to be guided by an ecumenical vision of the church renewed in mission and service to the whole of humankind (I would say whole of creation) there will be a serious shortage in terms of a new generation of Christian leaders, pastors and theological teachers carrying on the ecumenical vision and commitment into the twenty-first century” (World Council of Churches, Ecumenical Theological Education, ‘Magna Charta on Ecumenical Formation in Theological Education’, Ministerial Formation 110 (April 2008), pp. 82-88. Available at www.oikoumene.org).

Educate All for All

The Edinburg document again suggests that diversification of theological education is important in matter of ministerial formation and in meeting the challenges of the time. “It is a matter of access – so that everyone, irrespective of physical or social location or other forms of marginalization will have full access to theological education – as well as the openness of the curricula” (Edinburgh. P.159). Women have been by and large keeping away from theological education in many of the Churches. The document continues, “While we can celebrate the significant changes that have occurred in some contexts during the past decades with regard to women in theological studies and teaching, it should be emphasised that continuing efforts are needed. In most regions of the world there is still an overwhelming task to be accomplished in terms of encouraging, equipping, and enabling young women theologians to gain access to degree programs, teaching positions, and leadership in churches and educational institutions. As there is a backlash in many regions regarding the presence of women in church leadership and positions in higher education in general, it is very important that women receive strong support at every stage in theological education” (Edinburgh. P.159). Evangelization has to have a renewed format that theologically educated ministers have to involve in the local issues specially in matter of Dalit, women, children, child labour, bonded labour, gender issues and sex issues, displaced lot and aged.

Indian Christian Theology

Formation of the curricula of theological education is a crucial element in meeting the need of the time. This calls for the revival or revitalization of the “Indian Christian Theology”. Those great Indian Christian theologians of the past left a foundation for us to work on, but I am afraid not much has been done since then. Now a more enthusiastic work in that area has become all the more important to be part of the community around us. This will also focus on the kind of liturgical life we have in our communities. Unfortunately we still worship most of the time in Latin, English or Syriac style.  

Big, Tall, Wide and Colourful

While the whole world is running after big, wide, tall and colourful a good section of the population will go down without much to eat. Starting at least from 1991, India has been moving more and more in the direction of privatization. There are claims that privatization will eradicate poverty (Privatization in Africa: What has happened? What is to be done?  John Nellis. Center for Global Development). But UN report on the matter would say, ‘without proper governance on private sector, there cannot be any positive effect (Report on the Wold Social Situation. 2010. UN. p. 108). This cannot be assured in Indian context which is highly under the grip of corruption and commission regime. With the aggressive privatization of all sectors including service sectors like healthcare and education, things are going to be very difficult for less fortunate people to have decent life. Governments are eager to get mobile phones and internet connection to every citizen of India than giving water, sanitation facilities and education to children. This is where the caring community can intervene. On the one hand it has to join hands with people who are fighting against aggressive privatization and educate people of the need not to be carried away by false propaganda on this. At the same time on the other hand we need to concentrate on providing assistance to those marginalized lot among the population. Unfortunately, speaking from my context, the Church joins hands with those who commercialize even the service sectors and also loot the members for its luxury projects. This is another area where the ministerial formation through theological education has to have its focus.

With the new economic policy the world has adopted, based on the Reagan – Thatcher philosophy, the colourful world is attracting the middle class, which constitutes majority of population in any country, adapt the lifestyle of wealthy and powerful. The money lenders will encourage people to borrow for their fancies. The fate of those who took loan for the education of their children from State Bank has been all over the news. They are facing threats from loan default collecting agencies and also facing confiscation of property. This is what happened in the case of home owners in US (foreclosure) after 2008. We need to educate people about Gandhian philosophy of moderate lifestyle. It is not that people should not be looking for better living conditions, but should not unrealistically race after luxurious life style.

Conclusion

Theological education, formal or informal need to take the existing socio-political religious realities for ministerial formation. It should focus on where people are and not where God is. God is always among His people and the rest of the creation as we see in the Biblical testimony. People and rest of creation live in an evolving or constantly changing world. The theologically trained person should be able to move along facing what comes along to critically analyse them and present before the people around them as a liberative message, on the basis of the purpose God has set for them and for the creation which is the content of Christian calling. I see this alone as the direction. This has become all the more important in the socio-political and religious environment emerging in our country and in the world in general. To this goal a theologian has to come out of safe enclaves and enter into active dialogue with the world around.

Metropolitan Yuhanon Mor Meletius, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. August 10, 2016