The Pastor-Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision

Last updated on: June 24, 2015 at 9:26 am by Joel Willitts

The Pastor-Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision 2015-06-24T09:26:31-04:00 Joel Willitts

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I’m very pleased to introduce to you the brand new book by my friends Todd Wilson and Gerald Hiestand The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision.

For those who know they have a vocational call within the church, but have felt oddly shaped in the role because of the “theological bent” you have – sorta of square theologically curious peg in a round ministry hole – this book can serve as a chisel to assist in reshaping the shape of ministry expectations that make intellectual curiosity more than a mere novelty or hobby. Yes, you can do theology in your office at the church! In fact call it a “Study” instead! And what the book argues is this theological task is actually a central pastoral one which is good for your people not a distraction or hinderance!

Here’s how they put the problem:

We no longer view the pastorate as an intellectual calling. To be sure, we still expect pastors to know more about the Bible than your average congregant. And we usually expect pastors to know a bit more theology and apologetics to be able to speak winsomely to a student or a skeptic. But we don’t expect pastors to be theologians, certainly not scholars, at least not of a professional variety. Intellectually speaking, we expect pastors to function, at best, as intellectual middle management, passive conveyors of insights form theologians to laity. A little quote from Augustine here, a brief allusion to Bonhoeffer here. That’s all . . . We no longer expect a pastor to be a bona fide, contributing member of the theological community.

Wilson and Hiestand argue that this posture to pastoral ministry has had disastrous results in two directions: The church is theological anemic and the academy is ecclesially anemic. This brief book represents the head of the spear of a movement to regain theology for the sake of the church, a theology constructed in the context of and by the church.

For those interested in this movement the first conference on the Pastor Theologian sponsored by the Center for Pastor Theologians will take place this fall, November 2-4 in Chicago. Find information and registration here. Plenary speakers include: Jamie Smith, Kevin Vanhoozer, Peter Leithart and Todd and Gerald. With a number of other notable speakers offering break out sessions.

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