tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post5267640759347960397..comments2023-05-16T08:21:43.605-06:00Comments on iMinister: Excellence in Ministry: Theological School ConversationsChristine Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02291622244158872449noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-44694219184997216112008-12-16T13:07:00.000-07:002008-12-16T13:07:00.000-07:00Thanks for doing these postings, Christine. There...Thanks for doing these postings, Christine. There is something about (almost) real time impressions that really helps those of us not there who still need to understand the issues!<BR/><BR/>Linda LaskowskiLinda Laskowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00430830718856244947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-14372229284704988062008-12-16T11:35:00.000-07:002008-12-16T11:35:00.000-07:00I think a D.Min. path would also add to UU scholar...I think a D.Min. path would also add to UU scholarship in excellent ways due to the embodied nature of D.Min. studies.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03052401502190286630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-72613320280403514732008-12-15T20:49:00.000-07:002008-12-15T20:49:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Christine Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02291622244158872449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-61808086616583884712008-12-15T20:34:00.000-07:002008-12-15T20:34:00.000-07:00I don't feel having a PhD qualifies you as being a...I don't feel having a PhD qualifies you as being able to advance theological issues. (Honestly, grammer issues should have been learned before college.) Being an example of our religion and being able to intelligently discuss it does. Having a passion about our faith and wanting the word to get out there is what makes us part of the conversation. I am not at all against scholarship, I feel our schools should be supported. We need to have our own theological schools. I just feel like we have many ministers leaving seminary not able to actually meet the needs of their congregation. I personally feel that we can not be a part of liberal religious discussions if we don't have a real grasp on what our congregations need and how to meet those needs. Without the people supporting the movement, there is no movement.plaidshoeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16142207220763458093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-80451661934568278892008-12-15T20:08:00.000-07:002008-12-15T20:08:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-66651725516198940332008-12-15T19:43:00.000-07:002008-12-15T19:43:00.000-07:00"I was absolutely APPALLED at the level of scholar..."I was absolutely APPALLED at the level of scholarship coming from many of the students."<BR/><BR/>You just might be absolutely APPALLED at the level of civility coming from a certain number of ordained and fellowshipped U*U Ph.D holders aka Reverend Doctors Jess. . . I'm still floored by the lack of basic *social* skills in some of them. Really, really basic stuff like the difference between polite and rude, honest and dishonest. These things push all of my buttons in all of the wrong ways, so I know <A HREF="http://emersonavenger.blogspot.com/2008/12/reverend-doctor-timothy-w-jensen-should.html" REL="nofollow">I overreact</A>, but still. . . ;-)Robin Edgarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208142626285495635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-41467013426939922702008-12-15T12:17:00.000-07:002008-12-15T12:17:00.000-07:00Oh, I SO disagree with you, Plaidshoes. While my ...Oh, I SO disagree with you, Plaidshoes. While my husband was in seminary at M/L I was absolutely APPALLED at the level of scholarship coming from many of the students. And in reading sermons and newsletter columns online by ministers all over the country from all kinds of different seminary experiences, I'm still floored by the lack of basic writing skills in many of them. Really, really basic stuff like the difference between your and you're, its and it's. These things push all of my buttons in all of the wrong ways, so I know I overreact, but still.<BR/><BR/>There is a real dearth of good theological scholarship within our wider movement, particularly due to the morphing of a minister's role from spiritual leader and theological scholar to quasi-CEO. We have only a bare few people within Unitarian Universalism working to advance the development of liberal religion -- I think we rely much too heavily on our Christian-Protestant counterparts and our voices are missing from the larger discussions of the very nature of religion outside of our insular communities. This really is something that needs to be addressed and supported, not only by seminaries but also by individual congregations giving their ministers the time and room to do this necessary work.<BR/><BR/>Think about it. What individual Unitarian Universalists have been major figures in liberal religion, not just Unitarian Universalism but all of liberal religion, advancing the theological dialogue, since James Luther Adams? There are a few UUs I can think of who _could_ be, but they're not all that visible outside of our small movement. Possibly Rebecca Parker and Rita Brock's new book will break the threshold, but I haven't seen it yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-41689335221519655622008-12-15T11:04:00.000-07:002008-12-15T11:04:00.000-07:00I have been loosely following this discussion re U...I have been loosely following this discussion re UUschools/UUA. I do feel other denominations really support their theological schools and hope that our denomination will continue/increase the support of ours. I am not sure, though, why we need more PhD support. It already seems like there are so many within in the denomination. I would love to see more emphasis on the practicalities of actual ministry. Let's get our heads out of the books and into the hearts of our members. I would also love to see a better vetting process into whether or not ministry is appropriate for everyone interested. I wish I could have been there for the discussion!plaidshoeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16142207220763458093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28809213.post-3187491711557462962008-12-15T10:41:00.000-07:002008-12-15T10:41:00.000-07:00Christine, as a convener or participant in all thr...Christine, as a convener or participant in all three Right Relationship between UUA and Schools conversations, I want to affirm your short summary of the most critical conclusions from those conversations.<BR/>Reading your summary and the summary of the keynote speaker's talk, you get a picture of both where we need to go in the UUA /Schools relationship and why it is critically important that we take very seriously the need for and the future of our two distinct UU theological schools.<BR/>I really appreciate the work you've done on this blog. I think it combines good journalism and the personal experience you had based on your own interests very well. Thanks for being there to do this!<BR/><BR/>Wayne ArnasonUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10417052907311513569noreply@blogger.com