Pastoral ministry today is often ruled by an emphasis on short-sighted
goals, pragmatic results, and shallow thinking. Unfortunately, those in
the academy tend to have the opposite problem, failing to connect
theological study to the pressing issues facing the church today.
Contemporary evangelicalism has lost sight of the inherent connection
between pastoral leadership and theology. This results in theologically
anemic churches, and ecclesial anemic theologies.
Todd Wilson and Gerald Hiestand contend that among a younger generation
of evangelical pastors and theologians, there is a growing appreciation
for the native connection between theology and pastoral ministry. At the
heart of this recovery of a theological vision for ministry is the
re-emergence of the role of the "pastor theologian."
The Pastor Theologian presents a taxonomy of the pastor-theologian and
shows how individual pastors--given their unique calling and
gift-set--can best embody this age-old vocation in the 21st century.
They present three models that combine theological study and practical
ministry to the church:
The Local Theologian--a pastor theologian who ably services the
theological needs of a local congregation.
The Popular Theologian--a pastor theologian who writes theology to a
wider lay audience.
The Ecclesial Theologian--a pastor theologian who writes theology to
other theologians and scholars.
Raising the banner for the pastor as theologian, this book invites the
emerging generation of theologians and pastors to reimagine the pastoral
vocation along theological lines, and to identify with one of the above
models of the pastor theologian.
