Page 94 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Christian Psychology alive

ning experiences that require students to own Theological Issues in Counselling
the material, to make mental adjustments, to be Theological Issues in Counselling probably
transformed.” most identifies with the abbey role, followed by
the academy and the apostolate. The strong em-
Seminary: Abbey, Academy or Apostolate? phasis on personal transformation through case
David Tiede, former president of Luther Semi- studies, testimonies and theological reflection
nary once described the historic development is actually pietist. The critical interaction with
of his institutions as marked by three phases. theological readings and research literature on
Initially, as an “abbey”, the school primarily was forgiveness lines up well with the academy. Fi-
connected to and serving the church or a place of nally the missional denomination derives from
separated-out study , piety and preparation for both the subject matter (forgiveness is central
ministry. Eventually, the seminary moved into to the Gospel) and the academic program the
a second stage, that of an “academy”, adopting course is embedded in (graduate degrees in
the values and goals of higher education. The Marriage & Family Therapy).
audience of the abbey is the church and God,
the audience of the academy is the community Teaching Forgiveness as an Academic Subject
of scholarship and research and credentialing One teacher at Luther Seminary who has taught
bodies like ATS. The third phase in a seminary’s a seminary course on forgiveness has state:
development is that of an apostolate. As an apo-
stolic ministry, seminaries re-emphasize their “This course has provided a complex picture
missional calling to propagate the Gospel in the of forgiveness, and it is clear that forgiveness
Church and society. is not a subject that can be approached lightly
Daniel Aleshire (2008) notes that Tiede’s sche- or glibly. It cannot be demanded or comman-
ded...” This complexity, and the need for a pa-
me is really not about discrete historical stages tient, organic process that it implies, is true
of development, but about multiple identities of both forgiveness and of community trust
seminaries possess: “... change resembles new building. –a student in a forgiveness course
growth: new rings are added without discar- taught at Luther seminary. (Ramsey, 2008,
ding the old ones. Tiede’s abbey, academy and pg. 137)
apostolate are, in some ways sequential stages
of institutional identity, but unlike truly se- What are the academic touchstones that stu-
quential stages, they represent layers of identity dents seem to take away from this course about
and practice that never completely disappear.” forgiveness?
(Aleshire 2008: pg. 126)
1. The centrality of forgiveness to Christian
I would suggest that a seminary course, such faith. Martin Marty (1998) has remarked that
as mine also can serve multiple functions as an the word forgiveness sums up the conceptual
abbey, academy and apostolate in microcosm. heart of Christianity, a distinctive focus that
(Although all identities are present in a given sets the Church apart from all other religions.
course, some classes may emphasize one of the- It permeates Christian life and practice, suffu-
se identities over the others. So for example, a sing baptism, the Lord’s Supper and holy living;
course on spiritual formation will include aca- and is grounded in the Trinitarian nature of the
demic readings and an acceptable syllabus, and forgiving God.
my have some Gospel connectivity in a given
assignment, but will privately be serving the 2. The topic of forgiveness opens doors into the
pietistic and churchly goals of the abbey. Simi- systematic and organic connectivity of Chri-
larly, an MTS may emphasize the academic pre- stian belief. Exploring scriptural admonitions,
paration for Ph.D. studies and have a more limi- parables and narrative accounts of forgiveness,
ted connection with the church and missions.) and reading and Leroy Jones’ Embodying For-
Abbey, academy and apostolate in THS 648: giveness as a core theological text, students dis-
cover how interpersonal forgiveness connects

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