ONE MISSION - ONE MINISTRY
THE CHURCH UNITING IN MISSION - UNITING IN MINISTRY
A Dissertation/Project
Presented to
The Committee for Advanced Pastoral Studies
San Francisco Theological Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Ministry
by
Valerie Bannert
August 28, 2004
PREFACE
1996, I attended an eight-day world conference in Freidrechroda, Germany, on DIAKONIA (Weltkonferenz DIAKONIA). I attended this conference because of my interest in the diaconal ministry. At this conference, I was able to interview many diaconal ministers from around the world. My interest in this ministry was sparked by a growing realization that this kind of ministry would fit well into the need I experienced in the world/church at this time.
How does the diaconal ministry differ from ordered ministry? Why is it the kind of alternative ministry needed in this time? The history of the diaconal ministry, rooted in Jesus’ Way of ministering, is one dedicated to education, social justice, and pastoral care. It is essentially dedicated to empowerment of the laity. Ordered ministry is called to Sacrament, worship, and pastoral care. It has a status apart from the laity. In the Roman Catholic tradition, especially, only celibate men are admitted. A ministry that is diaconal in structure and ecumenical in practice would be a welcome and needed alternative, wherein women as well as men, could experiment in a variety of ways without being denominationally hampered.
My vision is to promote this ministry as an alternative, one that would work with and beside existing ministries yet be independent of any one particular denomination. The diaconal ministry exists in the Anglican, Presbyterian, and the United Church of Canada. It comes under the umbrella of their respective traditions. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches do not recognize such a ministry.
As my respect and admiration for this kind of ministry developed and grew, I became more and more convinced that it should be extended to all denominations, yet remain self-regulated. From that place, my pursuit of a Doctorate of Ministry evolved. In the year 2000, I enrolled in a program designed and coordinated by Dr. Letty Russell and Dr. Shannon Clarkson. It is a Doctor of Ministry program with an international feminist emphasis. It takes the student to such places as Cuba, Switzerland, Ghana, and the United States from which the degree is granted by the San Francisco Theological Seminary. This Dissertation/Project explains my theology of diaconal ministry as it has developed over these years of prayer, study, and involvement with others who were interested in the development.
I am grateful not only to Letty Russell and Shannon Clarkson, who made this program possible, but to my many consoeurs around the world, especially Asinate Samate from Tonga, who was there for me in my final studies at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Closer to home are my advisors, Dr. Mary Anne MacFarlane and Dr. Diane Clark, to whom I owe immense gratitude for their advice along the way. My thanks, also, to that great group of friends and members of Eramosa Eden Retreat Centre I call my EDM (Ecumenical Diaconal Ministry Group One Consultants, namely, Brenda Bartosek, Tom Ciancone, Sr.Brenda Duncombe, Catherine Frid, Reg McQaid, Mary Ellen Nettle, Lynda Noyle, Gloria Nye, Joan O’Laney, Sharon Smith, and Catharine Upper. (Members) Finally, I express my gratitude to those diaconal ministers too many to mention, who opened the eyes of my soul to witness this way of ministry modelled by Jesus. To His Way of fervent pursuit of the reign of God, I dedicate this Dissertation/Project.
THE CHURCH UNITING IN MISSION - UNITING IN MINISTRY
ABSTRACT
Area of Study:
Generally, the need for unity in Christian ministry is the area of study.
Specifically, the study’s focus is on the feasibility of developing a ministry that is ecumenical and diaconal in formation, spirit, and practice.
Purpose:
Generally, the main purpose in pursuing this model of ministry is to make a contribution to the need for healing the woundedness in our Christian Body as it is evident in our divisiveness.
Specifically, the purpose is to develop a model of ministry that would bring Christians together in our common mission of accepting the challenges as they are presented by the world, our common partner. Common mission, common partner, common Spirit - what greater purpose than to bring these commonalities together in a ministry that would better illuminate the human face of God alive and active in the church. That is the ultimate purpose of this presentation.
Background of the Proposal:
This proposal developed out of my experiences that began in early childhood, continued throughout my adult years, and on into this my seventy sixth senior year. These experiences that form the background of this proposal, lie primarily in the realm of Christian disunity and, as such, form the conviction that our church’s divisiveness contradicts the will of God and by so doing creates scandal in our world. The Name of God is not hallowed by this situation.
Yet there is another side to the background from whence this proposal springs. This is a vision, a dream of what I believe we, the Christian Body, could mean in our troubled world if we could recapture the spirit of those early days of Christianity when the world was amazed and edified at how much love and concern was shown in their lives. I believe that the potentiality of the Christian Way is powerful still and waiting to be exercised.
Out of the above reflections that make up the foundational background of this proposal, I began to ask myself some questions: If I am so concerned about Christian unity, what can I do about it? How am I called to co-operate with God”s plan for unity and peace? What small steps can I take to prove to myself that I care?
These questions led me on a long, long journey where somewhere along the path, I became convinced that we Christians are invited to share in God’s Mission and that Mission is our mission. As well, I became convinced that if we could share in that Mission by sharing in one united ministry, our credibility as Christians would be off to a good start in recapturing the passion of the first Christians who drew such large numbers into their incredible light.
More than all else, I became convinced that God would rejoice and be glad if such a ministry came into being. So by developing out of the background and into the foreground, the proposed ministry is the topic of this paper.
Overview of Chapters One to Seven:
Chapter One is a personal account of my experience with religion both, in my life and in the lives of my parents and grandparents. This Chapter shows how horribly religion can be falsified to effect misery and death rather than joy and life. It is a kind of travelogue of my journey from childhood through adulthood and into my senior years. It is an attempt to have the reader understand why this project is an important and basic ingredient of my senior years. It is who I am and why I have become who I am.
As Chapter Two demonstrates, this Dissertation/Project describes the ministry in that style and structure shown us by Jesus and the movement he instigated. I refer to it as JesusWay, and look for clues to determine how it was experienced and exercised by the very early church. Characteristics of the Jesus Movement are developed in a comparative parallel. How the disciples responded to the pre-Easter Jesus’ Way are noted; namely, that of the special twelve and certain women.
Chapter Three follows the theme of Chapter Two in regard to the early church’s response to Jesus’ Way. In this chapter we note a cooling off from the previous time and indicates a need to look carefully at this sad but true phenomenon in order to find ways and means of being aware of the changes Jesus introduced so that they can be salvaged. These changes, it is pointed out, gave us the model of the House Church with an emphasize on the prominence of women in church leadership.
Chapter Four deals with God’s Mission as it was proclaimed by Jesus. Using a diamond as metaphor for God’s Mission, the chapter moves into the concept of there being one Mission shared be all members of the Christian Body. the conclusion of the chapter introduces the evolution from one Mission to one ministry.
Chapter Five then describes this one ministry that is rooted in the prayer of Jesus:“I am not asking you to remove them from the world, . . . I have sent them into the world.”
It is the culminating portion of the Dissertation/Project which is a comprehensive development of the alternative ministry proposed and promoted here. This is illustrated in diagram as an umbrella that connects and envelops all traditions of the Christian family including those who are nondenominational and who follow the Christ but who do not adhere to an institutional church. This model of ministry has the motivational thrust of bringing all creation to its highest potential which results in peace, harmony, justice, and love for all.
Chapter Six considers possible ways that the Christian Body can retrieve treasures lost from our early 1st.Century history; primarily the unity that was evident in their lives and was motivated by faith and love. One vehicle suggested is to establish and promote the Ecumenical Diaconal Ministry introduced in this paper. Steps to implementation are considered which include some practical steps as well as some envisioning of the way that the ministry would/will function.
Chapter Seven envisions some specific examples of both real and hypothetical cases and demonstrates how the ministry would function. The need for such an association is demonstrated by observations that follow each example. There are two Appendixes included in the paper: Appendix 1 leads out of Chapter Six bringing to the fore some of the suggestions proposed in that chapter. Appendix 11 lists some of the individuals and groups that are consultants to the paper. It includes a brief summary of some of the meetings held
by
Valerie Bannert
August 28, 2004
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