Formation doesn't mean we all turn out the same | Crosslight

?NO SUCH thing as formation when I was training? is a comment I?ve heard a number of times in the last few months. Sometimes the comment has been of the positive ?I?m glad attention is being paid to that now? kind but, sometimes, there is an implication that ministry training (formation) has gone soft.

For some who have never experienced the delights of theological college the reference to formation brings a kind of hidden perplexity, as if they should know to what this word ?formation? is referring and so hesitate to ask.

So why is formation such a buzz word in ministry training these days? And what does it mean? In recent decades, theological education has become more self reflective. In part, questioning the what, why and how of theological education has to do with a change in the nature of society and the place of the Church.

The world is more compact, the four corners of the world impact on all we do, as we seek to work multi-culturally. Society is different, more pluralist, less accepting of values the Church once gave.

The Church struggles to change and be relevant in a changing context, to connect with a world that too often does not see that the church offers anything of significance to anyone. Candidates come from a far broader range of backgrounds: ethnicity, family background, time immersed in the Church, and a host of other factors mean that candidates bring with them a rich range of understandings of world, society and church.

In the midst of so much variety, being intentional about maximising the potential of the background, experience, gift s and skills a person brings, and helping them to form an identity as ?minister? in a way that rings true for each person in each context, becomes a challenge for the Church and its educators.

Supporting that development may be termed formation. Formation is integrative of different aspects of a candidate?s life: their relationship with God, and with others; the development of knowledge and of knowing, and of ministry skills and the passion and identity that accompany them; and a candidate?s self awareness.

A candidate?s relationship with God is deepened and honed intentionally through worship, retreat, and personal spiritual opportunities, but also in expanding knowledge through study and experience in a placement. How does a course in Christology change how someone prays? A minister?s relationships with others are always under the spotlight.

In the training spotlight of relationships with other candidates, faculty, field education supervisors and congregations various issues crop up. Formation here involves helping candidates to be aware of how they are relating. It is supporting them to develop warm and open interdependent relationships ? neither needing to be in charge nor pleasing everyone, but a healthy growth in being at ease with oneself while working with others.

From the outside looking in, many may think the core of theological education is simply academic study and skill training. Undoubtedly gaining good biblical and theological knowledge is important. But more important is learning to think theologically: you can?t learn all there is to know, but you can learn how to assess concepts and programs and ideas from a theological point of view. You can learn to be aware of the ?how? of knowing, not resting on ready-made theological presuppositions.

We are all most comfortable developing the gift s and skills we are good at, but formation also involves shaping our gifts and abilities to meet the needs of church and society in the 21st Century, and putting them into practice with love and passion.

Finally, all of the above require some level of self awareness, a readiness to take stock and be honest about ?how am I doing spiritually and relationally, cognitively and practically, and what do I need to do to keep growing?? Formation is a process where the candidate is responsible for their own growth, but also responsive to the modelling and advice offered by theological educators, and above all to the mystery of God at work in our lifelong spiritual journey.

Christine Sorensen
Formation Coordinator Centre for Theology and Ministry

Related posts:

1. Formation Coordinator at CTM
2. Second thought: Spiritual formation
3. Of ivory towers and coal faces
4. Staff cuts effect all
5. Where clients and helpers turn into friends

Source: http://crosslight.org.au/2012/09/02/formation-doesn%E2%80%99t-mean-we-all-turn-out-the-same/

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