Purpose Statement for Practical Theology PhD

Two rising streams within Western Christianity seem to be flowing in opposite directions. Missional ecclesiology and spiritual formation are significantly shaping the course of the Christian church but they are rarely understood as tributaries of the same great river, whose vitality depends upon their fusion. Thus, missional ventures without spiritual currents dry up and spiritual formation efforts stagnate when disconnected from the missio dei. My interest in a PhD in Practical Theology, with a concentration in Mission and Evangelism and a minor in Spirituality, is in drawing these divergent movements into conversation, through a robust academic research project and an applied ecclesiological framework characterized by missional and formational practices in vital symbiosis.

In my research, I will explore ecclesial practices of outreach and spirituality, seeking those that promise to give shape to a fundamentally missional and formational ecclesiology. Theologically, I intend to locate the church within the biblical redemption narrative, and historically I will mine for exemplar communities that have been at once contemplative and service-oriented, such as missionary orders.

My zeal and qualifications for this course of study stem from my academic background and ministry endeavors. While earning a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education and Ministry from Wheaton College, I provided philosophical leadership to an evangelistic ministry on Europe’s hostel circuit. This degree, along with a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, has given me firm grounding in theological, historical, biblical and educational disciplines and granted me language skills in biblical Hebrew and Greek. Burning questions about the nature of the church led me to an in-depth study of Lesslie Newbigin’s missional ecclesiology, and to missional praxis in a local congregation through a course in Church Based Urban Research. My leadership in local churches since 2002 has granted me experience as a small groups minister, church educator and mission leader. Finally, I am actively engaged in the spiritual formation movement as a member of the Renovare International Institute of Christian Spiritual Formation and as a contributor to the development and implementation of Monvee, an innovative spiritual formation webtool.

The primary catalyst for my desire to pursue doctoral study is my mounting distress over the two-headed failure of the American church: typical congregations neither bless their communities nor produce Jesus-like people. These realities, not falling attendance rates, are together a true crisis in American Christianity. My experience in two mega-churches has led me to suspect that this idolized model is complicit in the scandal. I am compelled by a sense of personal calling to present a viable alternative. To this end, I currently serve as a board member with an emerging church plant in urban San Francisco and am in discussion with Anglican Bishop Todd Hunter, founder of Churches for the Sake of Others. Bishop Hunter has expressed interest in the prospect of my research partnership as he initiates a massive missional church planting effort.

I am convinced that Boston University School of Theology’s unique collection of initiatives and faculty members make it the ideal academic environment for this course of study. The Center for Practical Theology, Congregational Research and Development Project and Spiritual Formation and Church Life Project are hubs for precisely the kind of research and praxis that give birth to original work, such as I intend to produce. The surfeit of faculty expertise in missiology, ecclesiology and spiritual formation, approached as subjects for practical theology, is unparalleled. Dr. Stone’s exceptional work in post-Christendom evangelism and new church development provide a substantial foundation on which to build. The expansive expertise in missiology of Dr. Robert and Dr. Daneel would supply the rich insight of cross-cultural praxis that informed Newbigin’s corpus. The depth and originality of Dr. Wolfteich’s contributions in spiritual formation, particularly on its intersection with justice and social action, would provide an essential element to this integrative work.

I am eager to serve the church and academy as a professor, author and congregational practitioner, believing that these roles would apply my best gifts to the highest cause: equipping churches and their leaders to facilitate transformation in individuals, congregations and their local communities. Specifically, I aspire to teach and lead in a local congregation, advise denominational leaders and teach academic courses in Ecclesiology, Practical Theology, Missional Theology, New Church Development and Revitalization, The Emerging Church, Mission in the West, Spiritual Formation and the Theology of Lesslie Newbigin.

18 comments:

  1. Boston is a great town! I hope you have a wonderful time. Will be following you studies (here, and in the published work).

    God go with you.

    -Kurt

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  2. Blessings to you, Lindsay, and Ginny as your journey continues. I am interested to see where your research leads.

    Peace,

    Paul

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  3. Chris - glad to hear about the work you're going to do. It is extremely relevant. Our church is doing some re-visioning/strategic planning and we keep coming back to this tension - "Can we focus on being missional while also focusing on spiritual growth? Is doing one overlooking or hindering the other?" To put it another way, some folks have a Young Life background and relational evangelism is what 'it' is all about. Other folks really value spiritual growth (disciplines, Sunday School) and think that the young life thing is a possible outgrowth of a vibrant spirituality for those gifted in outreach.
    The implication is that the two may inform one another, but they are separate (and sometimes border on competitive when we start thinking about how we allocated resources). We are looking always for ways to integrate them better.
    Bobby

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  4. Chris, this is an incredibly exciting project! Your passion for the church's call to discipleship and mission to be a blessing is inspiring in every way. I know Ryan, especially, will miss having you guys in close quarters, but hopefully your work will come back to bless our little community in our attempts to be faithful to this call.

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  5. Chris (and Lindsay) -

    Though I don't know you well (and only for a short time in '06), good on you for pursuing this! I thought your purpose statement for the PhD work was fantastic. This part:
    --
    "The primary catalyst for my desire to pursue doctoral study is my mounting distress over the two-headed failure of the American church: typical congregations neither bless their communities nor produce Jesus-like people. "
    --
    ... is right on. I'll be thinking about this phrase throughout the day. Blessings to both of you and well done.
    grace and peace
    Andy Cornett
    PS I finished at Wheaton in '97 - you?

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  6. Chris, What an articulate statement of the vision you are drawn to. I do see this as a logical extension of your Wheaton training. May this be a rich time of learning for both of you, Jim Wilhoit

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  7. Dr. Wilhoit - thanks for the affirmation, and your investment in me at Wheaton.

    Andy - I graduated in 2002 from Wheaton. I'm glad the comment resonated.

    Bobby - I'm sure you can't do spiritual formation (ie make Jesus-like people) without enrolling folks in missional activity (like relational evangelism). The idea that anyone could be mature, but non-missional is ludicrous, as I'm sure you agree. I love your emphasis that they're aren't two things. They are really one thing - living in the Kingdom of God. Willard's Golden Triangle of Spiritual Formation is one way of thinking about this. (Missional activity belongs in both the 'disciplines' and 'circumstances of life' areas).

    Willard told me that the primary place a person is called to mission and ministry are the places they actually are...home, work, school, neighborhood. Churches are misguided if they're trying to become missional by drawing attention to service projects, trying to get more people to donate an hour a week, and failing to teach and commission members to be the light and grace of Christ in the places where they actually spend their life and with those people.

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  8. Almost three years later, as I'm looking back on my coursework and exams and developing a prospectus, this statement holds up pretty well to my sense of calling and intended research.

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