Christian Leadership, Vocation, and Community Across the Ages: A Synthesis of Historical Voices and Personal Calling

• Identify and analyze the meaning of leadership and vocation according to major figures from the Christian tradition in a multitude of historical settings;
• Examine different approaches to Christian leadership within diverse cultural and historical contexts;
• Explore how ecclesial communities have formed and reformed in changing historical circumstances;
• Collaborate with peers in order to consider how the study of the history of Christianity can be applied to practical ministry and leadership in the Church today.

1. Henri Nouwen’s The Wounded Healer, write a 5-page response paper summarizing and reacting to the thesis based on your own insights and ministerial experience. Twelve- point font, 1- inch margins, double spaced, quotations- parenthetical page numbers or footnotes (no bibliography).

2. Using your learnings from this course, 

Write a 15-page synthetic essay incorporating 5 figures we studied, constructing a thesis reflecting your vision of ministerial leadership, vocation, and community. Answer these questions: How has this course contributed to your understanding of leadership and ministry? How might your learnings be applied to contemporary settings? What gaps, inconsistencies, or challenges did you find? Turabian/ Chicago citation style.

Personal

I love the Lord. I have been a Christian all my life. I am a layperson in the church First Methodist church. I love Divinity School for my self-education. I’m 71 yrs. I don’t know how long I   have left on this earth, but I am ready to go to God anytime.  I’m thinking of going into Chaplaincy. I’m looking into being in a Death Doula. I’m a liberal who believes in diversity; everyone is welcome to follow the Lord. I am in the Spiritual Direction program. 

1. Gregory the Great, The Book of Pastoral Rule, Introduction and Book I https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/36011.htm

2. Teresa of Avila, “The Way of Perfection,” Ch. 2; 4           https://www.ourladyswarriors.org/saints/wayperf.htm#intro

3. 3. Rev. Dr. Katie G. Cannon, Video, “Thinking with Our Hearts/ Feeling with Our Brains” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8rOCHJFvH4

4. Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited, “Jesus: An Interpretation,” Ch. One https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.260684/2015.260684.Jesus-And_djvu.txt

5. Martin Luther, Open Letter to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, pp. 9- 15   https://www.onthewing.org/user/Luther%20-%20Nobility%20of%20the%20German%20Nation.pdf