Deacon School for Ministry

Theology Weekend, Deacons’ School of Ministry

Revised Competencies, November 7, 2008

The next weekend for Theology in the DSM (December 2008) will be more hands-on and interactive, and will allow candidates to complete some of the questions for the Theology Competencies as outlined below:

1. Before coming to the weekend, read L. T. Johnson’s book on The Creed and the material in McGrath on the creed.  Gather your thoughts on what you consider essential elements in YOUR creed and come with notes, prepared to discuss.  Candidates and deacons will meet together during the weekend as though they were a new “Council of Nicea” and come up with an agreed-upon creed.  I promise this will take less than 100 years and will not involve bloodshed.  This replaces Long essay question #1 on the Nicene Creed. 

2.  Before coming to the weekend, read McGrath and others on the major heresies of the early church (and today?) and Christology.  Take on-line the quiz of “What kind of heretic are you?”  http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=131773    Print out your results.  Write a short resume of your “favorite heresy.”  (200 words) I will collect these. During the weekend we will discuss the questions on this quiz and compare results.  Which questions suggest which heresies?   Are you “Council of Calcedon compliant” or do you lean towards one or more heresies?  If you answered any questions that led to a heresy, or several heresies, know which answers led to which heresies. Guaranteed to be both informative and fun!!!  This exercise will encompass the topic of Christology, the nature of Christ.  This replaces long essay question #2 on the nature of Christ.

3.  Before coming to the weekend, read McGrath, Chapter 9.  Write out answers to questions # 3, 5, 6 on p. 316.  Each answer should be 200 words or less.  I will collect these.  The questions are:  3.  “God can do anything.” How would you respond to this definition of divine omnipotence?  5.  Summarize and evaluate the main ways of thinking of God as the creator of the world.  6.  What is distinctive about the Holy Spirit?

4. Before coming to the weekend, write out answers to the following “coffee hour questions.”  Each answer should be 200 words or less.  During the weekend, we will discuss the questions.  I will collect your written answers at the end of the weekend.  Thus, if you wish to add something to your answer after the discussion, you may do that.

1. Why does God allow suffering in the world?  (see McGrath, 292-295; 273-279)  (Chapter 9)

2. What is meant by “one, holy, catholic, apostolic” in the Nicene Creed?  (See McGrath, 494-505)  (Chapter 15)

3. Do Episcopalians believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God?  (See the Catechism in the BCP and any book on the beliefs of the Episcopal church)

4. What do we mean when we say that our church is based on Scripture, tradition, and reason?  (Google Richard Hooker and see McGrath,  159-189 – chapter 6)

5. On what do people who argue for and against homosexuality base their views?  (That is, know both sides of the question and what is going on in our church currently relative to this question.)  (Know the Biblical passages often cited against homosexuality, and know what the other side offers as its rationale.)

6. What is meant by the “patristic” period?  Discuss briefly two thinkers of this period.  (See McGrath, 5-26 – chapter 1)

7. Which modern theological movement appeals to you the most?  Why?  (See McGrath, pp. 96-123 – chapter 4, “Theological Movements since the Enlightenment”)

8. Is God male?  What statement did our new presiding bishop-elect make that sparked controversy throughout the United States?  Which thinker(s) from the past can we point to in support of her statement?  (See McGrath 111; 265-267)  (Chapter 4 under “Feminism” ; Chapter 9)

9. What is grace?  See question #3 on p. 474, McGrath.  Read chapter 14.  The question is this:  Imagine that you are explaining the idea of “grace” to a non-theologian with a limited attention span.  What would you say about the idea in 200 words or less?

Doing the homework satisfactorily and participating fully in the activities of the weekend will satisfy the requirements for the area of theology.  If you don’t attend the weekend, the long essays are required to be turned in to me – around 1000 words each, as well as the short answers outlined above.

Postulants/candidates who have already attended the theology weekend may either repeat it as above, or follow the original plan of competencies and questions.

Required and suggested readings remain the same.  See below.

Theology Competencies (original)

Goal:  This introduction to the Theology Competencies for Candidates for diaconal ministry will inform and prepare the Candidate to demonstrate knowledge and application of Anglican theology according to the Canons of our church, the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer and other theological texts.

The Candidate will demonstrate:

            The ability to articulate how scripture, reason, and tradition form the foundation of Anglican theology

            A basic knowledge of the theological positions taken in the Catechism of the Book of Common Prayer

            The ability to articulate the nature of Jesus Christ specific to the theology of Christology

            An understanding of the historical development and theological meaning of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds

            A basic knowledge of the traditional areas of systematic theology

            The ability to articulate how contemporary theology has been affected by feminist, liberation, gay and lesbian, and/or creation theologies

            The ability to articulate a personal theology including personal preferences and biases

Methodology:  Candidates will read, reflect, discuss, and write on topics given by the examining chaplain (or have conversation with the examining chaplain)

Requirements:  To successfully complete this part of deacon formation, the Candidate will

            Read theological texts both assigned and chosen

            Write papers, answer questions, and/or have conversation(s) with the examining chaplain

Required Reading:

Christian Theology: An Introduction, Alister McGrath

The Creed, Luke Timothy Johnson

Catechism, Book of Common Prayer

Recommended Reading:

Simply Christian, N. T. Wright

The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions, Marcus Borg and N. T. Wright

The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Questions for Theology Competencies (original)

A.  Long essays or discussions.  Answer all.  These are only for those who do not attend the theology weekend.

1.  Discuss the making of the Nicene Creed.  Include a discussion on the filioque phrase.

2. Discuss different approaches to the nature of Christ (Christology) through the history of theology.

3. Discuss salvation:  sin, grace, justification by faith, merit.  What major theological thinkers are associated with each side of the question?

5. Shorter answers or discussions.  Answer all.

1. Why does God allow suffering in the world?

2. What is meant by “one, holy, catholic, apostolic” in the Nicene Creed?

3. Do Episcopalians believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God?

4. What do we mean when we say that our church is based on Scripture, tradition, and reason?

5. On what do people who argue for and against homosexuality base their views?  (That is, know both sides of the question and what is going on in our church currently relative to this question.)

6. What is meant by the “patristic” period?  Discuss briefly two thinkers of this period.

7. Which modern theological movement appeals to you the most?  Why?  (See McGrath, pp. 96-123)

8. Is God male?  What statement did our new presiding bishop make that sparked controversy throughout the United States?  Which thinker(s) from the past can we point to in support of her statement?