In many ways, only now am I beginning to fathom fully the depth and complexity, the reach and responsibility of this committee. It has been a privilege to serve in this capacity, working with a remarkable group of people with discerning minds and generous hearts who are passionately committed to theological education in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), aided by an untiring support staff in Louisville.
What is COTE? When I arrived on the committee, I assumed (falsely, as I quickly learned) that COTE provided oversight of our Presbyterian-related seminaries. While our seminaries are connected to the General Assembly and serve the congregations of the denomination, they really are self-governing institutions with their own boards, budgets, and mission statements.
COTE consists of members elected by the General Assembly and institutional representatives (seminary presidents), who are approved by the General Assembly. When we meet, a rich theological conversation takes place between the church and the academy that enlivens and informs everyone. No other denominational structure supports such an exchange, so the work of this committee is integral to the life and health of both our churches and our seminaries. Through COTE, the academy listens and speaks to the parish and the parish listens and speaks to the work of the academy.
I have come to think of COTE as a liminal place, a threshold between two separate, yet intricately-related worlds. A conversation, a movement of ideas and concerns between the church and seminary worlds (preserving individuality and respecting the identity of each in vigorous tension) yields a dynamic and unique relationship. It becomes a nexus of considerable creativity, energy, imagination, vision, and, yes, even love — for both the church and our seminaries. Being part of this conversation has certainly enriched my own ministry and the lives of many in my congregation.
I’ve always been proud of our theological institutions; now this feeling comes not only by hearing, but by seeing first-hand the amazing things occurring on our campuses. Our seminaries are the priceless treasures of the PC(USA), and we all share, directly or indirectly, in their bounty. They are marvelously diverse, distinctive in character, vibe, and purpose. Each one contributes something unique and essential to the overall work of the church. I am thankful for our gifted students and faculty, administrators, and presidents, who together passionately serve the church of Jesus Christ, committed to the mission of the PC(USA). We really need to celebrate and promote the work of our seminaries, increase their visibility in our congregations, and encourage greater widespread support of the Theological Education Fund, our denomination’s plan for congregations to support our seminaries.
Reflecting upon my experience, I see signs of hope for the church amidst the many considerable challenges facing our denomination. Theological education matters. The needed renewal and reform of the church is directly tied to the ongoing theological renewal and reform going on in our seminaries. The health of one informs the other. The church yearns for theological education, and our seminaries, as intellectual centers for the church, are well positioned and equipped to respond. The lines of communication between each are beginning to open up in exciting ways. That’s why I am hopeful – for the most part.
A “third voice” is speaking out along with the church-academy conversation — cultural context. Both the parish and the seminary are tied to it. Understanding the church’s embeddedess in North American culture — its often-uncritical assimilation of secular values and how this impacts the sharing of the gospel – is one of the most demanding issues facing theological education.
The enormous epistemological crisis caused by the collapse of modernism (yet to be fully absorbed by the church), the fragmenting at every level of society, the paradigm shifts and technological changes occurring all around us — and faster than we can discern — pose colossal challenges. We live our daily lives in this wider cultural context. Theological education, in both the seminary and the parish, requires increased proficiency in exegeting the culture, acquiring the skills to connect the gospel with a shifting cultural setting. Our churches and seminaries serve in an increasingly multifaceted, bewildering context often indifferent to the claims of the gospel. Christians live out their faith today in a world of greater complexity, where the overwhelming influx of facts, information, and knowledge makes one feel, to use Robert Kegan’s apt phrase, “in over our heads.” The recent turn to developing best practices in congregations and seminaries is helpful but not, I suspect, equal to the power of the turbulent sea change in which we find ourselves.
However, I’m hopeful because we have in our churches and in our seminaries people with the hearts and minds equal to the challenge before us. I’m hopeful because we don’t engage in this work alone, and, because it does not really belong to us. Helmut Thielicke (1908-1986), a theologian we don’t hear much of these days, reminded us, “A theological thought can breathe only in the atmosphere of dialogue with God.”
Kenneth E. Kovacs is pastor of Catonsville Church, Catonsville, Md.
