Teaching Theology

Theological education after Corona virus

What will the theological education world look like when corona virus is finally conquered? The virus may well be around in some form for years, disrupting life in different ways. However, there will come a time when life returns to mostly normal but probably never quite the same. What will we see in our area of work after Covid 19? There are so many imponderables and future predictions are regularly wrong but we know a number of things will be different in society. We just don’t know how those differences in society will impact on theological education.

Firstly, the virus social distancing requirements have shown how effective it is to keep in touch and teach via the internet. Covid 19 came at just the right time to show this, when such powerful and effective programmes as Skype, Zoom and Team are available and most universities, colleges and seminaries already had up and running a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Already there is speculation that university students, having experienced home teaching will look more for cheaper and more convenient on line courses across subjects and disciplines. Theological education has been gearing up for more extensive on line working than much of the HE sector for some years, often because of financial and contextual pressures already in the system. Can we expect a radical change for colleges and seminaries towards this in order to survive?

Secondly, there will almost certainly be a world-wide recession and this will mean fewer jobs around and less money in the pockets of ordinary citizens. After going through a period of reasonable stability, colleges and seminaries were already suffering financially before corona virus and this will surely increase financial pressure on a number of colleges who are already hardly making ends meet. All rely on donations which will be harder for the ordinary Christian supporter to make, all rely on student numbers which may be difficult to keep up and some rely on endowments which will be worth less.

Thirdly, we can expect a growing divide between the developed world and the developing world. Many see this happening because, in much of the developing world, it is so hard to practice social distancing, very difficult for governments to pour money into their economies and inadequate health systems will find it especially hard to cope. All this when the western world is more pre-occupied with its own problems. This has the potential to increase the world divide in theological education as to where the power is, where the students come from, how it is funded, even as to ability of students in dis-advantaged areas to participate in internet-based schemes.

Fourthly, it is likely that we will face a mood change in society. Precisely what this will be is hard to predict. Will there be a desire for togetherness and caring for each other? A search for older values in face of the shock of our individual and collective vulnerability? A desire to value workers and people in general not by their riches but by their contribution to society and others? Or will there be a release in a greater hedonist, selfish lifestyle? And where will the churches be in this new mood? Will they be respected more or be seen as less relevant? Will they grow or decline? At the moment, most would say that the health workers rather than the Christians are the heroes.

So, what will all this mean for TE? Maybe this is not the most important question given the uncertainties. The best question is probably “What can we do to keep theological education on track and prospering in these new and difficult times?” Here are a few suggestions;

1. We continue to embrace internet delivery but fight hard against it becoming the exclusive system or the norm in theological education. It is doubtless best in certain circumstances but, if the present isolation has taught us anything, it is that human beings need to literally and physically be together and, I would add, especially when they are learning.
2. We brace ourselves for money problems in the middle future. Colleges and seminaries in difficulties now will face even more in the next year or two and the sector will probably go through one of its periodic lean times. The hardest thing of all (but the most necessary of all) in such times is to maintain our mission statement and full set of objectives, to serve church and world by developing students intellectually, spiritually/character-wise and in ability to serve God with their lives.
3. We renew our vision of a theological education without borders, keeping and developing our inter-connectedness between nations and cultures. This may mean finding new ways to make those connections, new ways to serve, especially needy situations, new ways to even up an increasingly un-even world. For all its problems, the West will still be the rich that need to help the poor – especially in theological education.
4. We see ourselves as serving the church, as always, but also, especially in these unusual times, we must see ourselves as working on the interface between the church and the world. Theological education colleges and seminaries should not view themselves as institutions separated from the world by the intermediary of the church they serve. Our students will have to be people who, in their task of mission by Word and deed, genuinely relate to the coming world mood, not shout old slogans from a distance.

Predictions of the future are usually wrong, but determinations to do what we can in a difficult situation are always right.

Dear blog reader, apologies for the un-usual timing and length of this month’s post – Graham C.

The crowded study

These days of difficulty, we may well be spending more time alone in the study, at least when Skype, Zoom, Hangouts or Team are not working and the children are not needing our attention. For all of us, studying and preparing alone in the study is a blessing whenever we can get it and some of us are blessed with more than usual nowadays because of social distancing.

So, we go in, close the door and are alone? Not really, our study is a crowded place;

The first thing we probably do is bow our head and seek God’s presence, so that is one more person deliberately in the room, and the most important. He is there in person and in his Word on the desk. If we say we teach about God in the presence of God then we also prepare to teach and write about God in His presence; an encouraging and challenging presence.

Then we cast our eyes over the full bookshelves and acknowledge the presence of our academic friends, the scholars we have lived with and worked with for many years, some of whom died hundreds of years ago but we like to take down their works and enjoy a conversation with them now and then. As is normal, friends are also a distraction and sometimes we pick up a book and start a conversation that takes us away from the task in hand!

Our students are also there, or they should be. Preparing teaching is preparing to teach them so we are very conscious of their presence, hopefully, how we can meet their needs, how we can bless them and lead them on academically, spiritually and in their ministries by what we prepare and teach. I have heard of some who even stick a picture of an actual typical person for whom they are writing on the top of their computer screen to keep focus on the receivers not only the content.

And, of course, the elephant in the room is our self – or our many selves. There is the studious self, the self who gets bored easily and needs a coffee and chocolate biscuit regularly, the self who loves the big picture and the self who needs to get the detail right. The fun self is there, which reminds me of C.H. Spurgeon who, when he was criticised for putting too much humour in his sermons, said “my dear you would not criticise me if you knew how much I keep out.” And those selfs (and others) can, indeed should, not be entirely “kept out” in the preparation, writing and teaching.

That’s a lot of people in a small study. And even when we go out for a walk to get away, they tend to come running after us and asking if they can come too.

Study-life for many of us consists of three main skills; dealing with administration efficiently; fashioning good and useful material while listening to the many voices; and tuning the ear to hear the still small voice.

It is not done alone.