MINISTERIAL IDENTITY & VOCATION Fall 2019

Maureen-Elizabeth Hagen

Overview: Discerning one’s ministerial identity occurs over a lifetime. All People of God are called at Baptism to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Lifelong formation enables us to live out fully our Baptismal Covenant, to become disciples. Through discerning our spiritual gifts, we pursue different ministries such as administration, community organizing, hospitality, liturgy, pastoral care, preaching. Some are called to pursue ordained ministry, which is servant leadership. We discern in community and our calls may change. This class combines a teaching element, as well as conversations with people representing the orders of ministry—laity, deacons, priests, and bishops. They will speak to the reality of ministry and ministerial identity in the present context (the Pacific Northwest, rapidly changing culture and forms of church both disappearing and emerging). The emphasis will be on voicing aloud questions arising from the students’ own experience as people in ministry and from the reflections and situations presented by reading, class presentations, and guest voices. Format: An initial session on baptismal ecclesiology will be followed by three sessions devoted to ordained orders of ministry: episcopal, presbyteral, diaconal. The final session considers bivocationality, a growing reality for the life of the Church, and its implications for congregations. Students are expected to engage in informed conversation with guest presenters about the charisms, concerns, impressions about ministry in each order—theology, spirituality, and praxis. The following questions are offered to help spark and inform conversation:

a) (All) Where do you see “death and resurrection” in your ministry? What is dying, what is coming to new life in your community, your understanding of your ministry?

b) (All) How is your ministry an expression of the Baptismal Covenant? c) (All) What is your understanding of the mission of Christ in the world? How has that

understanding changed for you, changed for the church around you? d) (All) What is it to see with the eye of a) a baptized layperson, b) a deacon, c) a priest, d) a

bishop to engage in ministry as a layperson, deacon, priest, bishop? Is there an “essential identity” to your calling and ministry and what is it? How does your calling not only acknowledge, but affirm the equality of all others?

e) (All) Is there an “incident”—an encounter, a program, a crisis, or other experience—that expresses or illustrates aspects of one or more of these questions?

f) (Diaconate) What is your understanding of the “diaconal hermeneutic” and how does that understanding inform/transform your ministry (or does it)?

g) (Presbyterate) As priesthood continues to evolve, what do you consider essential to retain? Where would you like to see some change?

h) (Bivocational) What does bivocationality look like for you and for your congregation? Requirements :

a) participation in all sessions, preferably in person, but via Zoom b) reading no fewer than books in three different orders/faces of ministry c) monthly short reflections (2-3 pages) sent to Maureen Hagen on the Friday following

class (these assignments appear in the syllabus) d) a synthesis project (described on page 3)

Grading Rubric:

• An “A” grade reflects the highest quality of work: a sophisticated understanding of the subject matter, an excellent ability to integrate and analyze the materials, full preparation and participation for class, insightful contributions to the discussion.

• A “B” grade reflects high quality of work: very good understanding of the subject matter, a consistent ability to integrate and analyze the materials, full preparation and participation for class, good contributions to the discussions.

• A “C” grade reflects a sufficient quality of work: a competent understanding of the subject matter, an adequate ability to understand the material, full preparation and participation for class, mixed level of contributions to the discussions.

• A “D” grade reflects an insufficient quality of work: a less-than-competent understanding of the subject matter, an less-than-adequate ability to understand the material, less-than-full preparation and participation for class, irrelevant and/or distracting contributions to the discussions.

• An “F” grade reflects insufficiency of effort. • Students may opt for Pass (grades A-C)/No Pass (grades D-E).

• An “Incomplete” will be given to all students who do not turn grades in by the deadline. • An “Audit” will be given to any student who wishes to participate fully in class (including

readings), but does not want to do the written assignments. (No Academy credit given.) Many thanks to the dozens of colleagues who responded to my requests for books and articles that they found useful for the understanding of their order of ministry and discernment. They included laypeople, deacons, priests, and bishops, both scholars and practitioners from several dioceses in The Episcopal Church. The readings listed in these pages are just a small number of invaluable resources you will add to your to-be-read list.

SYNTHESIS PROJECT due 24 January 2020

You have many options to fill this project which will demonstrate that you have fully integrated what you have learned in this class. Ideally, you will produce a product that will become part of your portfolio, which will become part of your toolbox for ministry. Your project needs to demonstrate understanding of classes and readings and the ability to apply them to ministry. Option #1 You have been asked to preach at your home or field-education parish at the baptism of an adult member of your congregation. You will write (and deliver) a 5-8 minute homily. Use the propers from Baptism of Our Lord, Easter Vigil, Pentecost, All Saints. Tie the sermon into ministry and calling. Send a video of your homily (you can use an iPhone and upload it to YouTube) and include the script. Option #2 Your rector has asked you to lead a 45-minute adult formation class on one of the orders of ministry. Provide an outline of your time together. Make sure it covers the most important aspects and also goes deep. Avoid a lecture. Be creative! Option #3 Meet with 3-4 people who are leaders in their area of ministry (lay leader, deacon, priest). Discuss with them their understanding of baptism, their call to leadership, the joy and challenges they face in ministry, etc. Summarize these and then reflect on how these people have affected your understanding of their order. 5-7 pages. Option #4 Perhaps some other idea has come to mind during the semester. Please talk with me about how you might proceed. Due dates

October 11: preliminary ideas November 1: short blurb, readings December 6: thesis statement, outline January 10: 2-minute sharing with class January 28: final project due

BAPTISM & CALLING

September 20: Baptismal Ecclesiology & Vocation Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.

-- Frederick Buechner Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble. BCP, p. 298 Q. Who are the ministers of the Church? A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons.

Book of Common Prayer Required reading (before September 20): The Baptismal Covenant and Prayers for the Candidates, Book of Common Prayer 304-306 and Suzanne Farnham et al., Listening Hearts: Discerning Call in Community. Revised Edition (2002) or Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. (2000) or Kathleen Cahalan, The Stories We Live: Finding God’s Calling All around Us. (2017) Required reflection (by September 27):

Integrating your previous experience of the episcopacy, the presentation, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central aspects and charisms of the episcopacy? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you? How will this affect your evaluation of the bishop candidates we will meet in the spring?

Suggested readings:

Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation (1949) Rowan Williams, Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life (2016)

THE EPISCOPACY OF ALL BELIEVERS & THE EPISCOPATE

October 11: Episcopal ministry (special guest: The Rt. Rev. Michael J. Hanley, D.Min.)

Q. What is the ministry of a bishop? A. The ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest,

and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.

Required reading (by 10/11): The Ordination of a Bishop, Book of Common Prayer Articles to be assigned and sent out via email. Annotated Bibliography on the Episcopate by The Rev. Helen Svoboda-Barber. Suggested reading: William H. Willimon, Bishop: The Art of Questioning Authority by an Authority in Question (2012)

Required reflection (by 10/18) Integrating your previous experience of the episcopacy, the presentation, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central aspects and charisms of the episcopacy? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you? How will this affect your evaluation of the bishop candidates we will meet in the spring?

DIAKONIA & THE DIACONATE November 1: Diaconal ministry

Q. What is the ministry of a deacon? A. The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as a servant of those in

need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. Book of Common Prayer

Assignments Required reading (by 11/1): The Ordination of a Deacon, Book of Common Prayer

Thomas E. Breidenthal, “Exodus from Privilege: Reflections on the Diaconate in Acts.” Anglican Theological Review 95, 2 (2013): 275-292. [sent via email]

Roderick B. Dugliss, The Diaconal Hermeneutic. Lecture 4. [sent via email]

Required for deacons-in-formation Susanne Watson Epting, Unexpected Consequences: The Diaconate Renewed (2015) or D. Michael Jackson, ed., The Diaconate in Ecumenical Perspective (2019) or John N. Collins, Deacons and the Church: Making Connections between Old and New (2003) Required reflection (by 11/8)

Integrating your experience, the lecture, the panel, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central aspects and charisms of the diaconate? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you?

Suggested readings (recommendations of deacons):

Anglican-Lutheran International Commission. The Diaconate as Ecumenical Opportunity [The Hanover Report] (1996)

James M. Barnett, The Diaconate: A Full and Equal Order - A Comprehensive and Critical Study of the Origin, Development, and Decline of the Diaconate in the Context of the Church's Total Ministry and The Renewal of the Diaconate Today with Reflections for the Twenty-First Century, Revised Edition (1981, 1995)

Rosalind Brown, Being a Deacon Today: Exploring a Distinctive Ministry in the Church and in the World (2005)

John N. Collins, Diakonia Studies : Cri t i ca l Issues in Ministry (2014) ______, Diakonia: Re-Interpret ing the Ancient Sources (1994, 2009) Ormonde Plater, Many Servants : An Introduct ion to Deacons. Revised Edit ion (2003) Susanne Watson Epting, The Prophetic Voice of the Deacon. NAAD.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS & THE PRESBYTERATE December 6: Presbyteral ministry

Q. What is the ministry of a priest or presbyter? A. The ministry of a priest is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as pastor to the people;

to share with the bishop in the overseeing of the Church; to proclaim the Gospel; to administer the sacraments; and to bless and declare pardon in the name of God.

Required reading (by 12/6):

The Ordination of a Priest, Book of Common Prayer and Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer (1990) or Barbara Brown Taylor, The Preaching Life: Living Out Your Vocation (2013) Required for priests-in-formation

Justin Lewis-Anthony. If You Meet George Herbert On The Road, Kill Him! (2009) or William Countryman, Living on the Borders of the Holy: Renewing the Priesthood of All (1999) or Michael Ramsay, The Christian Priest Today (2009) Required reflection (by 12/13):

Integrating your experience, the lecture, the panel, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central aspects and charisms of the presbyterate? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you?

Suggested readings (recommendations of laypeople, seminarians, bishops, and priests):

Aelred of Rievaulx. The Pastoral Prayer DietrichBonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship Brené Brown, Rising Strong: The Rising. The Rumble. The Revolution (2015) Rosalind Brown & Christopher Cocksworth. On Being a Priest Today (2004) Robert Farrar Capon, An Offering of Uncles: The Priesthood of Adam and the Shape of the World

(1967) Jean-Baptiste Chautard, Soul of the Apostolate (1946) Mark Clavier, and Barry Morgan. Becoming Stewards of God’s Delight: Becoming Priests in the New

Millennium (2015) R. David Cox, Priesthood in the New Millennium: Toward an Understanding of Anglican Presbyterate in

the Twenty-First Century (2000) Philip L. Culbertson, The Pastor: Readings From The Patristic Period. (2009) Nora Gallagher. Practicing Resurrection: A Memoir of Work, Doubt, Discernment, and Moments of

Grace (2004) Robin Greenwood. Transforming Priesthood: A New Theology of Mission and Ministry 1994) George Herbert. The Country Parson and The Temple (Classics of Western Spirituality) (1981) Carter Heyward. A Priest Forever: One Woman’s Controversial Ordination in the Episcopal Church

(1999) Urban T. Holmes, III, Ministry and Imagination (1976) Garret Keizer, A Dresser of Sycamore Trees: The Finding of a Ministry (1993) Gordon Lathrop. The Pastor: A Spirituality (2011) Henri Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership (1999) Eugene Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir (2012)

Alastair Redfern, Ministry and Priesthood (1998) Maggie Ross. Pillars of Flame: Power, Priesthood, and Spiritual Maturity. Revised Edition (2007) Alexander Schmemmann. For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy (1973) John Snow, The Impossible Vocation: Ministry in the Mean Time (1988) Barbara Brown Taylor. Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith (2007) Robert E. Terwilliger & Urban T. Holmes III, To Be a Priest: Perspectives on Vocation and

Ordination (1975) William H. Willimon, Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry. Revised Edition

(2016)

BIVOCATIONALITY & MINISTRY OF THE LAOS January 10: Bivocationality & Ministry of the Laos

Q. What is the ministry of the laity? A. The ministry of laypersons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever

they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.

Assignments Required reading (before 1/10) The Rite of Baptism, Book of Common Prayer Mark D. W. Edington, Bivocational: Returning to the Roots of Ministry (2018) or Romanik, Donald. Beyond the Baptismal Covenant: Transformational Lay Leadership for the Episcopal Church in the 21st Century. (2010) Required reflection (by 1/17):

Integrating your experience, the lecture, the panel, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central opportunities and challenges of bivocationality? How will the increasing requirement of bivocationality in the church affect you and congregations? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you?

Suggested readings:

Dorothy C. Bass, ed., Practicing our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People, Second Edition (2010)

Verna Dozier, The Calling of the Laity (1988) Wesley Frensdorff, “Ministry and Orders: A Tangled Skein” in Josephine Borgeson & Lynne

Wilson, eds. Reshaping Ministry: Essays in Memory of Wesley Frensdorff (1990) Nancy Ann McLoughlin, Do You Believe? Living the Baptismal Covenant (2006) Demi Prentiss & Fletcher Lowe, Radical Sending: Go to Love and Serve (2015) Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook & Fredrica Harris Thompsett, Born of Water, Born of Spirit: Supporting

the Ministry of the Baptized in Small Congregations (2010) Renee Miller & Brian Taylor, Strength for the Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Practice (2011)

IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD…

Q. What is the duty of all Christians? A. The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ; to come together week by week for corporate worship;

and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God. Additional suggestions: These titles relate to each of the BCP ministries in various measure, and speak to “entrepreneurial/church planting” ministries, “emerging” if you will. The first three titles are part of the same series from the Church of England that produced Mission-Shaped Spirituality. These books are NOT required for class discussion or the synthesis project: Archbishop’s Council on Mission and Public Affairs. Mission-Shaped Church: Church Planting And Fresh

Expressions In A Changing Context. New York: Seabury Books, 2010. Bayes, Paul et al., editors. Mission-Shaped Parish: Traditional Church In A Changing World. New York:

Seabury Books, 2010. Croft, Steven, editor. Mission-Shaped Questions: Defining Issues For Today’s Church. New York: Seabury

Books, 2010. Doyle, C. Andrew. A Generous Community: Being the Church in a New Missionary Age. Morehouse

Publishing, 2015. _____. Small Batch: Local, Organic, and Sustainable Church. Xlibris US, 2016). Hunter, George G. The Celtic Way Of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach The West…Again.

Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 2000. Zabriskie, Stewart C. Total Ministry: Reclaiming the Ministry of All God's People. Bethesda, MD: Alban

Institute, 1995. Some Journal Articles [Please see MEH if you cannot locate.] Anameje, Humphrey Chinedu. "Contemporary theological reflection on the laity: towards a more

active participation in the mission of the church." Ephemerides theologicae Lovanienses 83, no. 4 (December 1, 2007): 445-470.

Apostola, Nicholas K. A letter from Christ to the world: An exploration of the role of the laity in the church today. Geneva: WCC Publications, 1998.

Bartz, James P. "Leadership from the inside out." Anglican Theological Review 91, no. 1 (December 1, 2009): 81-92.

Blakley, Alan F. "Decree on the apostolate of lay people, Apostolicam actuositatem (18 November, 1965)." In Vatican II and its documents, 141-157. Wilmington, Del: Michael Glazier, 1986.

Brooke, George J. "Laos: a biblical perspective for a theology of "the people of God." Modern Churchman 32, no. 3 (January 1, 1990): 32-40.

Budde, Mitzi J. "Lutheran-Roman Catholic convergence on the theology and ministry of the laity." Ecumenical Trends 32, no. 8 (September 1, 2003): 113-119.

Carpenter, James A. "The priest as theologian." Anglican Theological Review 64, no. 2 (April 1, 1982): 183-192.

Collins, J. N. "Does Equality of Discipleship Add Up to Church? A Critique of Feminist Ekklesia-logy." New Theology Review 12, no. 3 (1999): 48-57.

Cone, James H. "The vocation of a theologian." In Living stones in the household of God, 203-212. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004.

Congar, Yves M J. "God's call: a theological approach to the "Laity in the church today." AFER 10, 2/4 (April/October, 1968): 128-137, 331-356.

Dreibelbis, John L. "From maintaining to building communities of faith." Anglican Theological Review 92, no. 1 (December 1, 2010): 147-155.

*Elias, John L. "Models of Theological Education for the Laity." Journal of Adult Theological Education 3, no. 2 (October 2006): 179-193.

*Frensdorff, Wesley. "Holy orders and ministry: some reflections." Anglican Theological Review 59, no. 3 (July 1, 1977): 279-294.

Gibson, Paul. “A Baptismal Ecclesiology – Some Questions.” In Equipping the Saints: Ordination in Anglicanism Today – Papers from the Sixth International Anglican Liturgical Consultation. Edited by Ronald L. Dowling and David R. Holeton. Blackrock, Co Dublin, 2006. 35-44

Green, Brutus. "Being called out: vocation as a model of Anglican ministerial training and priesthood." Theology 113, no. 872 (March 1, 2010): 114-122.

Haquin, André. "Koinonia, diakonia and martyria: interrelated themes in patristic sacramental theology as expounded by Adalbert-G Hamman OFM." Ephemerides theologicae Lovanienses 76, no. 4 (December 1, 2000): 537-538.

Lehtio, P. "The Lutheran Understanding of Diakonia." Theology and Life 15-16, (1993): 40-44. Maddix, Mark A. "Biblical model of the people of God: Overcoming the clergy/laity dichotomy."

Christian Education Journal (October 1, 2009). Mannion, Gerard. "New Wine and New Wineskins: Laity and a Liberative Future for the Church."

International Journal of Practical Theology 11, no. 2 (October 2007): 193-211. Miller, Charles. "The theology of the laity: description and construction with reference to the

American Book of Common Prayer." Anglican Theological Review 84, no. 2 (March 1, 2002): 219-238.

Musselman, Elizabeth, and Robyn Whitaker. "Teaching and vocation in theological education." Criterion 46, no. 3 (September 1, 2008): 25-30.

Pitt, Trevor. "Vocation, Ministry and Practical Theology." Modern Believing 36, no. 3 (July 1, 1995): 33-39.

*Podmore, Colin. “The Baptismal Revolution in the American Episcopal Church: Baptismal Ecclesiology and the Baptismal Covenant.” Ecclesiology 6, no. 1 (2010): 8-38.

Powell, Douglas. "Ordo presbyterii." Journal of Theological Studies 26, no. 2 (October 1, 1975): 290-328. Saines, Don. "Wider, broader, richer: Trinitarian theology and ministerial order." Anglican Theological

Review 92, no. 3 (June 1, 2010): 511-535. Schüssler Fiorenza, E. "'Waiting at Table': A Critical Feminist Theological Reflection on Diakonia."

Concilium 198, (1988): 84-94. Stell, Stephen L. "Wholly called, holy callings: questioning the secular/sacred distinctions in

vocation." In Theology as conversation, 241-258. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009. Stevens, R. Paul. "On the Abolition of the Laity: Toward a Trinitarian Theology of the People of

God." Crux 31, no. 2 (June 1, 1995): 5-14.