Deeper understandings Going deeper still
Change in editor while challenging content continues Editor’s note: This series is intended
to be a public conversation among teach- ing theologians of the ELCA on various themes of our faith and the challenging issues of our day. It invites readers to engage in dialogue by posting comments online at the end of each article at www.
thelutheran.org. The series is edited by Michael Cooper-White, president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.), on behalf of the presidents of the eight ELCA seminaries.
By Michael Cooper-White F
or more than three years, The Lutheran has offered readers a rich collection of articles by
more than 50 of our church’s “teach- ing theologians.” Throughout that time, the series,
which provides deeper understand- ings of key Christian beliefs and their implications for our lives of faith, was edited by Philip D. Krey. Until his retirement last fall as president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Krey was the senior veteran among the eight of us who are called as stewards of the ELCA’s theological seminaries. All of us readers owe him, along with the sev-
Author bio: Cooper-White is president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg (Pa.).
eral dozen writers, a profound word of thanks. We seminary chief administrative
officers (whose titles now include “dean” and “provost” as well as “presi- dent”) are also grateful to editor Dan- iel J. Lehmann for his eagerness to continue the articles. It’s my privilege to serve as the next series editor. While major changes in the nature
of future articles aren’t anticipated, we will continue expanding the cadre of writers and take on new subjects as well as revisit previous topics. As has been the pattern, some articles will be co-authored and others will bear a single writer’s views on challenging issues of faith and life. Reader feedback is always wel-
come, along with suggestions of topics for upcoming issues. Such feedback and advice can be sent via letters to the editor (
lutheran@thelutheran.org) or to my email (
mcooper@ltsg.edu). In this issue I offer some perspec-
tives on the work and ministries of those whose callings engage us in teaching and helping form the church’s future leaders, revisiting the theme of the first article in Septem- ber 2011.
A professor’s calling In the course of a joint faculty-board retreat some years ago at our school, several professors spoke on the “demands of an academic discipline.” They commented on the many tasks that compete for time in a faculty member’s weekly and yearly sched- ule. Most folks’ first thought when they hear “professor” is of the core ministry of classroom teaching. As all teachers know, one doesn’t simply
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walk into a classroom and start wax- ing eloquent. Hours of preparation— reading, crafting a syllabus or course outline, and determining books and other resources to be used—are required for each hour of instruction. The very nature of teaching has
changed dramatically since many of us were students in high school, college or graduate school. Beyond large introductory classes, where a great deal of information must be imparted to students unfamiliar with the basics, few professors these days engage in extended lectures. Rather, the format is more conver- sational, and students’ experiences and insights are invited. This shift was described some years ago by edu- cator Allison King as the teacher’s move from being “sage on the stage” to being “a guide on the side” who accompanies students on their jour- ney of learning. Effective teaching today also
requires most professors to gain mas- tery of an array of technological tools to enhance students’ experiences by using course websites and online or “distance learning” delivery of con- tent. At the same time, since prepara- tion for ministry involves formation as well as education, there is no sub- stitute for face-to-face contact. Many professors remain convinced that some subjects, like preaching and pastoral care, are best mastered in more traditional classroom settings. In our seminaries and colleges,
as in all academic institutions, fac- ulty members have administrative responsibilities beyond their teach- ing. A school functions through committee work and countless
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