# THEO 594 - Pastoral Theology in the 21st Century

Teacher

Dr. C. Simpson

Semester

Fall

Duration

8 Weeks

Frequency

Every three years

Credits

5 ECTS

Workload

150 Hours

Module format

Intensive

Applicability

In Europe and North America a different set of challenges are facing pastors and denominations. In many lands, church attendance is declining and Sunday has become a day for leisure activities. This course seeks to explore various responses to these challenges e.g. new forms of church, postmodern ethics and morality and biblical illiteracy.

Course structure

See [module and courses](https://kms.ets-kniebis.de/knowledge/3-modules-courses-mamhmc-86)

Contact time

40 Hours

Self-Study

110 Hours

Participation requirement

See [access to the program](https://kms.ets-kniebis.de/knowledge/2-access-to-the-program-mamhap-85)

Evaluation

Evaluation	Hours	Weight
Phase 1	50	25%
Reading - Two Texts and Question & Answer Log	50	25%
Phase 2	40	25%
Participation and interaction with invited guests	40	25%
Phase 3	60	50%
Research Paper	60	50%
Total	150	100%

Content of the Module

This course will consider the specific challenges facing the Church in the 21^st Century, particularly in Western Europe and the USA. In particular the serious decline in attendance and membership of many denominations. The cultural and sociological changes which may have produced this and how the churches have been responding, sometimes in some unusual ways e.g. the emerging churches or ‘Fresh Expressions’. Further challenges have arisen in the areas of ethics and morality, biblical illiteracy and departures from orthodox beliefs. In each case pastors are on the front line and are having to respond to new situations without the necessary support of an appropriate pastoral theology.

Learning Objectives

A. General This course seeks to: - assess the overall impact of a reduction in church attendance - describe the theological trends that are emerging from an increasingly unchurched populace - investigate the social and cultural reasons for a decline in church going - demonstrate the variety of responses to the current situation - suggest future implications for ethics and morality in Pastoral Theology - compare and contrast various proposed methods of reversing the decline in church attendance - analyze the cause of biblical illiteracy and consequent unorthodox doctrines B. Specific As a result of the study and activities of this course, the student should be able to: - explain how the decline in church attendance and the causes of this affect Pastoral Theology, its thinking and practice - identify the sociological and cultural changes which have impacted traditional church patterns - compare and contrast various models of emerging churches and "Fresh Expressions" - analyze potential challenges for future change in the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches - appraise the influence of IT on current church going - provide a theological reflection on the role of the Pastor in an changing world - write an article suitable for publication in a Pentecostal or Charismatic magazine, which highlights the challenges of church going in the 21st century and what other denominations are doing about this

Outline

- The Challenge of Postmodernism on Pastoral Theology - The decline of church attendance in Western Europe and the USA - A Post-Christian reality? - Emerging churches - Fresh expressions - Missional church - New monasticism - Biblical illiteracy - Orthodox, unorthodox doctrines and heresy - Pastoral ethics and morality - Communication - use of IT and computer technology - Commitment - a 21st Century problem - Future trends

Examination

See Evaluation

Core Literature

**Reading List**: Anglican- Methodist Working Party. *Fresh Expression in the Mission of the Church*, London, UK: Church House Publishing, 2012. Bowen, John. *What is a fresh expression of Church?* *A Beginner’s Guide to a * * Movement that is Changing the Church*. Toronto, CN: Wycliffe College, 2015. Church of England Working Party, *Mission Shaped Church – Church planting and Fresh* *Expressions of Church in a Changing Context*,. London, UK: Church House Publishing, 2004. Cross, Terry. *A People for God’s Presence – An Introduction to Ecclesiology*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019. Francis, L.J., J. Clymo and M. Robbins. ‘Fresh Expressions: Reaching Those Psychological types Conventional Forms of Church Find it Hard to Reach’. *Practical Theology.* Vol.7, No. 4,.pp. 252-267, 2014. Goodhew, David, Andrew Roberts, Michael Volland. *Fresh – An Introduction to Fresh* *Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry*. London, UK: SCM, 2012. Lewis, Brad and Carl Simmons eds. *Pastoral Ministry in the 21^st Century – the * * Encyclopedia of Practical Ideas*. Loveland, CO: Group, 2006. Malphurs, Aubrey. *A New Kind of Church - Understanding Models of Ministry for the 21^st * * Century*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007. Mobsby, Ian J. *Emerging and Fresh Expressions of Church – How are they * * Authentically Church and Anglican? *London, UK: Moot Community Publishing, 2007 Moynagh, Michael. *Being Church, Doing Life*. Oxford, UK and Grand Rapids, MI: Monarch 2014. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. *Church for Every Context – An Introduction to Theology and * * Practice*. London, UK: SCM, 2012. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. *Fresh Expressions of Church*. Gießen, DE: Brunnen Verlag, 2016 Müller, Sabrina. *Fresh Expressions of Church*. Zurich, CH: Theologischer Verlag, 2016. Nell, Ian A. and Rudolf Grobler. ‘An Exploration of Fresh Expressions as Missional Church: Some Practical theological Perspectives.’ *Stellenbosch Theological Journal*.,Volume 55, Numbers 3-4, 1 September 2014, pp. 747-762(22). Nelstrop, Louise and Martyn Percy eds. Evaluating Fresh Expressions: Explorations in Emerging Church. Norwich, UK: Canterbury Press, 2008. Percy, Martyn. ‘”Fresh Expressions – A Journey into Implicit Theology”’*. Implicit* *Religion*. Vol. 12, Issue 3, pp. 313-332, November 2009. Village, Andrew. ‘Who Goes There? Attendance at Fresh Expressions of Church in Relation to Psychological Type Preferences among Readers of the Church Times’. *Practical Theology, 2015.* Walker, John. *Testing Fresh Expressions - Identity and Transformation*. Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2016. X** EXTENDED SUBJECT SPECIFIC BIBLIOGRAPHY** https://directionjournal.org/39/1/emerging-church-select-bibliography.html **EMERGENT / EMERGING CHURCHES** Anderson, Ray S. *An Emergent Theology for Emerging Churches*. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2006. Bell, Rob. *Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith*. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. Bell, Rob, and Don Golden. *Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008. Gibbs, Eddie and Ryan K. Bolger. *Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005. Jones, Tony. *The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008. ———. *The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. ———. *The Teaching of the Twelve: Believing and Practicing the Primitive Christianity of the Ancient Didache Community*. Brewster, MA: Paraclete, 2009. Keel, Tim. *Intuitive Leadership: Embracing a Paradigm of Narrative, Metaphor, and Chaos*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007. Kimball, Dan. *The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. ———. *Emerging Worship: Creating Worship Gatherings for New Generations*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004. ———. *They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007. McLaren, Brian. *Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope*. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007. ———. *Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices*. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. ———. *A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I am a Missional, Evangelical, Post/Protestant, Liberal/Conservative, Mystical/Poetic, Biblical, Charismatic/Contemplative, Fundamentalist/Calvinist, Anabaptist/Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, Green, Incarnational, Depressed-yet-hopeful, Emergent, Unfinished Christian*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004. ———. *The Last Word and the Word After That: A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005. ———. *More Ready Than You Realize: Evangelism as Dance in the Postmodern Matrix*. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2002. ———. *A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001. ———. *A New Kind of Christianity: Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith*. New York: HarperOne, 2010. ———. *The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything*. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006. ———. *The Story We Find Ourselves In: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003. Tickle, Phyllis. *The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2008. **MISSIONAL CHURCH** Gibbs, Eddie. *ChurchMorph: How Megatrends are Reshaping Christian Communities*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009. Hirsch, Alan. *The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church*. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos, 2006. Guder, Darrell, ed. *Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America*. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998. Minatrea, Milfred. *Shaped By God’s Heart: The Passion and Practices of Missional Churches*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004. McNeal, Reggie. *Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church*. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2009. Roxburgh, Alan and M. Scott Boren. *Introducing the Missional Church: What It Is, Why It Matters, How to Become One*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2009. Stetzer, Ed. *Planting Missional Churches*. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006. Van Gelder, Craig. *The Ministry of the Missional Church*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007. Van Gelder, Craig, ed. *The Missional Church and Denominations: Helping Congregations Develop a Missional Identity*. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2008. **NEW MONASTICISM** Claiborne, Shane. *The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006. Claiborne, Shane and Chris Haw. *Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008. Stock, Jon, Tim Otto, and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. *Inhabiting the Church: Biblical Wisdom for a New Monasticism*. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2006. Wilson-Hartgrove, Jonathan. *Living Faithfully in a Fragmented World: From ‘After Virtue’ to a New Monasticism*. 2nd ed. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2010. **CRITICAL ASSESSMENTS** Belcher, Jim. *Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional*. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2009. Carson, D.A. *Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. Colson, Charles W. and Anne Morse. “Emerging Confusion: Jesus is the Truth Whether We Experience Him or Not.” *Christianity Today* 50 (June 1, 2006): 72. Craigen, Trevor P. “Emergent Soteriology: The Dark Side.” *Master’s Seminary Journal* 17, no. 2 (2006): 177–90. DeYoung, Kevin and Ted Kluck. *Why We’re not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be*. Chicago: Moody, 2008. Dorn, Christopher. “The Emergent Church and Worship.” *Reformed Review (Online)* 61, no. 3 (September 1, 2008). Driscoll, Mark. “A Pastoral Perspective on the Emergent Church.” *Criswell Theological Review* 3 (March 1, 2006): 87–93. Freswick, Casey. *Postmodern Liberalism: Repainting a Non-Christian Faith; a Christian Critique of Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis and the Emergent Church Movement*. Grandville, MI: Reformed Fellowship, 2006. Henard, William D. and Adam W. Greenway, eds. *Evangelicals Engaging Emergent: A Discussion of the Emergent Church Movement*. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009. Johnson, Gary and Ronald Gleason, eds. *Reforming or Conforming? Post-Conservative Evangelicals and the Emerging Church*. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007. Keuss, Jeffrey F. “The Emergent Church and Neo-Correlational Theology after Tillich, Schleiermacher and Browning.” *Scottish Journal of Theology* 61 (January 1, 2008): 450–61. Mayhue, Richard L. “The Emerging Church: Generous Orthodoxy or General Obfuscation?” *Master’s Seminary Journal* 17 (September 1, 2006): 191–205. McLaughlin, Brian. “The Ecclesiology of the Emerging Church Movement.” *Reformed Review (Online)* 61, no. 3 (September 1, 2008). Miles, Todd L. “A Kingdom Without a King? Evaluating the Kingdom Ethic(s) of the Emerging Church.” *Southern Baptist Journal of Theology* 12 (March 1, 2008): 88–103. Mills, David M. “Mountain or Molehill? The Question of Truth and the Emerging Church.” *Criswell Theological Review* 3 (March 1, 2006): 51–66. Penner, Myron B., ed. *Christianity and the Postmodern Turn: Six Views*. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos, 2005. Smith, James K. A. *Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism? Taking Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault to Church*. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006. Smith, R. Scott. *Truth and the New Kind of Christian: The Emerging Effects of Postmodernism in the Church*. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005. Webber, Robert, ed. *Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives*. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007. Wittmer, Michael Eugene. “Don’t Stop Believing: A Theological Critique of the Emergent Church.” *Reformed * *Review (Online)* 61, no. 3 (September 1, 2008). **ONLINE** [http://www.brianmclaren.net](http://www.brianmclaren.net/) — Brian McLaren’s website. [http://www.emergentvillage.com](http://www.emergentvillage.com/) — “Emergent Village is a growing, generative friendship among missional Christians seeking to love our world in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” [http://www.emergingchurch.info](http://www.emergingchurch.info/) — “A constantly evolving collection of recommended stories and reflections.” [http://www.theooze.com](http://www.theooze.com/) — “A website dedicated to the emerging Church culture.” [http://www.thesimpleway.org](http://www.thesimpleway.org/) — Website for a new monastic community founded by Shane Claiborne and Brooke Sexton. [https://www.lausanne.org/content/lga/2019-09/restoring-missional-vision-theological-education?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7qP9BRCLARIsABDaZzgASjaXeezbGNMW81SeVJm\_A9Qr9rxThBDTIiiQJS0VAtvZHXohQ1UaApx6EALw\_wcB](https://www.lausanne.org/content/lga/2019-09/restoring-missional-vision-theological-education?gclid=Cj0KCQiA7qP9BRCLARIsABDaZzgASjaXeezbGNMW81SeVJm_A9Qr9rxThBDTIiiQJS0VAtvZHXohQ1UaApx6EALw_wcB) - Ashish Chrispal ‘Restoring Missional Vision in Theological Education’ [https://www.psephizo.com/life-ministry/what-are-the-church-attendance-statistics-telling-us/](https://www.psephizo.com/life-ministry/what-are-the-church-attendance-statistics-telling-us/) - Blog by Ian Paul, Adjunct Prof at Fuller Theological Seminary, Assoc Minister at St.Nic’s Nottingham. [https://faithsurvey.co.uk/uk-christianity.html](https://faithsurvey.co.uk/uk-christianity.html) Useful comparison of church growth and decline. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4275107/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4275107/) When people shed religious identity in Ireland and Austria: Evidence from Censuses.

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