I made this comment over at Scot McKnight’s Jesus Creed in response to this interesting post. I thought I would post it here as I think it is very relevant for many who read this blog.
When I was studying clinical and health psychology there was a model that I was familiarized with that has been highly successful. It is called the scientist-practictioner model (or the Boulder model). It is a model of graduate training that stressed 50/50 research and practice. We spent lots of time doing therapy and lots of time doing research and much of the time the two were done at the same time. The theory is that the best clinicians are those who are up on the current research and the best researchers are those who know what it is like to really do therapy with real people. I have often thought it would make a great model for scholars and ministers alike.
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Amen–
Peace
Neva
Matt,
I agree. Well said. My comment, and that of RJS, over at Scot’s was along the same lines.
Thanks Matt,
I work as a nurse. Pursuing forensic nursing. I sadly admit alluding to the teaching that when was is born-again all will be made new. While positionally that is true experientially renewing your mind can take decades. The hyperspiritualy I have been exposed to has been enormous.It is still there in most non denominational charasmatic churches.
It is a bit of a ‘hot potatoe’ topic for me when I see people getting hurt because of bad theology and or application. Those who teach in ministry should always be upgrading their education similar to the CEU’s that those of us in medicine/nursing are required to do. With a VERY strong emphasis in biological sciences and neuroanatomy. People who are in pulpits who have lived in sheltered christian bubbles and never had a job in the marketplace are NOT equipped well to pastor in my opinion. Neither is a (christian ) doctor whose parents have paid for his education and his first job EVER is his residency. I’ve seen that ALL too often.
Yep.
Blogging also reflects this in some ways – you want your posts to be informed and relevant. It is hard to be relevant without being somewhat informed yet it is possible to be well informed and yet not relevant at all.
I agree that scholarship and “practice” go hand in hand. That used to be a given in ministry. Sadly that is not the case with many these days.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine