Protestant Clergy: New Forms of Ministry, New Forms of Training

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Volume 387, Issue 1, p. 86-95

Abstract

Training for the new breed of clergy is not a matter of learning "new forms," but of engaging in research and development closely related to action. Its purpose is not merely to steer the ship of the church through present rapids, but to prepare its members for participation in perpetual rapid change. "Urbanization" has produced new developments within previous specialized ministries, like those devoted to industry, counseling, and human relations. It has also pro duced new training centers in which clergymen-participants work at societal projects while developing their roles with respect to urban issues. "Ministerial" functions are found, both within congregations and within other societal groups, through helping people to participate on the basis of shared symbols and ethical convictions. Seminaries have responded by putting their students out to training centers or by seeking to adopt those functions into their own programs; their curric ular dilemmas seem acute instances of those which are per plexing most higher schools in the society. The future of sepa rate urban training may depend on tightened belts and on enlarged (but similarly committed) constituencies.