• Thursday, September 13, 2012 Council on Theological Education

The Evolving Landscape: Theological Schools and the Church The Role of Theological Schools • Friday, September 14, 2012 in

The Evolving Landscape: Sustaining Pastoral Ministry A Perspective from the Lilly Endowment Indianapolis | Sept. 13 – 15, 2012 The Evolving Landscape: What have we learned from the Flourishing in Ministry Project? The Evolving Landscape: Theological Education and Preparation Christian Theological Seminary in the 21st Century of the University of Chicago • Saturday, September 15, 2012

Panel discussion/conversation Disciples Seminary Foundation Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt Council on Theological Education Lexington Theological Seminary

Phillips Theological Seminary Welcome! Council membership includes (1) the chief executive officer and chief academic officer of the four degree-granting institutions On behalf of the Council on Theological Education of the Christian (Phillips Theological Seminary, Lexington Theological Seminary, Church (Disciples of Christ), and its president, Gary Peluso-Verdend Christian Theological Seminary, and Brite Divinity School at welcome to the symposium, “The Role of Theological Schools in Christian University), (2) the chief executive officer of the three Sustaining Pastoral Ministry.” foundation houses (Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago, Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt University In its March 2012 meeting, the Council agreed to convene a Divinity School, and the Disciples Seminary Foundation, (3) the conversation on the role theological schools can play in the chief executive officer of the associate institutional members of the identification, recruitment and nurture of students for sustainable council (Yale Divinity School, the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto / ministry. Our purpose is to begin a substantive dialogue within the Rico, and the Atlanta United Divinity Center). The chief executive Council on what changes, if any, are needed in seminary education officer of Eden Theological Seminary currently sits with CTE as an to prepare students for effective leadership and ministry in a 21st observer. century church context. Select Council Representation Keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr. Daniel O. Aleshire, Dr. Gary Peluso-Verdend, President of Phillips Theological Seminary Executive Director of The Association of Theological Schools in the is the current chair of the council and serves ex officio as a member United States and Canada (ATS); Dr. Christopher Coble, Religion of the board of directors of HELM. Program Director for The Lilly Endowment Inc.; and Dr. Matthew Bloom, Associate Professor of Management, in the Mendoza School Dr. Matt Boulton, President of Christian Theological Seminary, of Business, University of Norte Dame. Most important are the represents CTE on the General Board of the Christian Church conversations to emerge among faculty, deans and presidents during (Disciples of Christ), beginning in 2013. our time together. Dr. Newell Williams, President of Brite Divinity School, currently We express appreciation and gratitude to the Pension Fund of the represents CTE on the church’s General Commission on Ministry. Christian Church and Mr. James Hamlett, President, for sponsorship of this event and his leadership. A word of gratitude to Mr. Dennis Reverend Richard Spleth, Regional Minister of the Christian Church Landon for his work as president of Higher Education Leadership in Indiana and represents the College of Regional Ministers to the Ministries and his support of this gathering is also in order. council.

Overview of the Council on Theological Education Reverend Dennis Landon, President of Higher Education Leadership Disciples theological institutions relate to the Christian Church Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), serves as (Disciples of Christ) through Higher Education and Leadership staff to the council. Ministries (HELM) as the Council on Theological Education (CTE). CTE meets annually and works both to foster cooperation among The Council will meet February 27-March 1, 2013 in Indianapolis. the theological institutions and to maintain communications between those institutions and the church regarding, ministry, ministerial education and certification, allocation of Disciples Mission Fund income among the institutions, denominational policies and procedures, and other matters of common concern. 4 The Role of Theological Schools 2 p.m. Keynote and Q&A by Matthew Bloom 5 in Sustaining Pastoral Ministry 3:15 p.m. Conversation Groups (Presidents, Deans, Faculty) • Thursday, September 13, 2012

4:30 p.m. Large Group Discussion The Evolving Landscape: Theological Schools and the Church 5:30 p.m. Break 6 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Gathering 6:15 p.m. Gather for Dinner 6:15 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Dinner 6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Dinner and Conversation 7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Opening Panel (CTE and The Pension Fund) The Evolving Landscape: Theological Education and Preparation in the 21st Century • Friday, September 14, 2012 7:15 p.m. Keynote and Q &A by Dan Aleshire The Evolving Landscape: A Perspective from the Lilly Endowment • Saturday, September 15, 2012

8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. Breakfast 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. Breakfast

9 a.m. Keynote by Chris Coble followed by Q&A 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Panel Discussion (Aleshire, Bloom and Coble) 10:15 a.m. Conversation Groups (Presidents, Deans, Faculty) 10:15 a.m. Q &A

11:30 a.m. Large Group Discussion 10:30 a.m. Conversation Groups—Next Steps

12:30 p.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. Closing Remarks

The Evolving Landscape: 12:00 p.m. Lunch and leave taking What have we learned from the Flourishing in Ministry Project? 6 7 Keynote speakers interested in what makes work a meaningful, positive life-enriching experience that DANIEL O. ALESHIRE, fosters the highest levels of executive director of The human excellence. He is the Association of Theological recipient of a major grant from Schools in the United States the Lilly Endowment Inc., to and Canada (ATS), has devoted study the well-being of clergy more than thirty years of and clergy families. his career to theological education. He joined the ATS staff in 1990 as associate Recent teaching awards director for accreditation include the 2010 Joyce and was elected executive Matthew Bloom Award for Undergraduate director in 1998. Aleshire Teaching Award, the 2011 holds an M.Div. from The Master of Nonprofit Administration Outstanding Teaching Award, and the 2011 MBA Outstanding Teaching Award. Southern Baptist Theological Daniel Aleshire Seminary, where he taught from Bloom serves on the editorial boards of the Academy of 1978 to 1990, and a Ph.D. in psychology from George Management Review and the Journal of Organizational Peabody College for Teachers (now Peabody College of Behavior. He also is an ad hoc reviewer for numerous Vanderbilt University). A frequent speaker, he has also research journals. written extensively on issues of ministry and theological education. He served as a co-author of Being There: CHRISTOPHER COBLE has Culture and Formation in Two Theological Seminaries, served as a program director which received the 1998 Distinguished Book Award from in the Religion Division of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and his the Lilly Endowment Inc. in most recent work, Earthen Vessels: Hopeful Reflections on Indianapolis, Indiana since the Work and Future of Theological Schools, was released 1997. Working with the in 2008. Endowment’s board and staff, he is part of a team that seeks Associate Management Professor MATTHEW BLOOM to support efforts to strengthen conducts research in the area of the improvement of Christian congregations in the human condition at work, with a focus on intrinsic the United States. He has motivation, happiness and meaning, and innovation. He taken a leading role in Lilly received his B.S. in Psychology from Baker University, Endowment’s grant-making to identify and prepare a new an M.A. in Organizational and Personnel Psychology Christopher Coble from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. from Cornell generation of gifted pastors University. He teaches undergraduate, graduate, and for Christian congregations and parishes and to help new executive courses in innovation and workforce related pastors get off to excellent starts. He also oversees most topics. Matthew researches well-being at work and is of the Religion Division’s grants that support research projects to understand more deeply the shape and 8 9 character of American religion. Coble is ordained in the Data for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and has served gathered in partnership with the Pension Fund of the congregations in Indiana, North Carolina, Iowa, and Christian Church, and the Ministry Life Choices Initiative Massachusetts. He holds degrees from Wabash College at Lexington Theological Seminary and the Christian (A.B.), Duke Divinity School (M.Div.), and Harvard Church in Indiana. University (Th.D.). Trained as an historian of American religion, his research interests focus on issues of religious formation and the transmission of faith in Christian churches. About the Pension Fund

The Pension Fund serves the church by supporting The Flourishing In Ministry Project ministers, missionaries and lay employees of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and related Campbell-Stone traditions. For over 100 years, first as the This project focuses on well-being among clergy and their Board of Ministerial Relief and then as the administrator families. We set out to find what makes pastors and priests of the Pension Plan, it has sought to support the church tick – and what ticks them off – in an attempt to bring joy to the people who work so hard to bring it to others. and its ministry. Core questions: Change and growth of the Pension Fund have continually • What are the signature characteristics of pastoral well- broadened and deepened its ministry. Through both being and what roles do they play in a well-lived pastoral contractual and gift programs, the Pension Fund seeks to life? serve the total church and its ministry.

• What constitutes pastoral well-being over a life span?

• How does life in ministry affect the well-being of clergy CONFERENCE PLANNING TEAM families? Janet Ehrmantraut, Lexington Theological Seminary • What are the conditions that stimulate, nourish, and T. Eugene Fisher, Pension Fund support high levels of pastoral well-being and what Charisse Gillett,* Lexington Theological Seminary conditions are detrimental to it? James Hamlett, Pension Fund of the Christian Church Dennis Landon, HELM The FIM project has collected data from several Richard Spleth,* College of Regional Ministers denominations including the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Presbyterian *conference coordinators Church, and the United Methodist Church. Dr. Matthew Bloom is a tenured faculty member in the Mendoza College of Business and the project’s primary researcher. 10 11 Notes Notes