An Evolving Inquiry of Monastic Spiritual Care for Aging Inmates

This investigation involved focus-group inquiry of the Oblates in Prison Program, a faith-based ministry founded on monastic principles in the Rule of St. Benedict. Data from a Benedictine Order monk and program coordinator, ordained prison minister, and lay ministry volunteer were collected. Participants were asked a series of questions regarding the spiritual care of aging prisoners. Responses were coded and cross-compared for thematic content. Of central thematic importance was implementation of a spiritual care model using traditional monastic rules for daily living. A second theme centered on purposeful rebuilding of self-renewal through stability and obedience. A final emergent theme encompassed institutional acceptance in the provision of religious sacraments, sacred texts, and artifacts. Results highlight the broader implications of providing spiritual care and outreach to aging prisoners. The role of restorative justice for successful delivery of faith-based spiritual care for improved rehabilitation of aging inmates will be further addressed.

Apostleship and the Authority of Change

In addition to baptism, a second foundational narrative that demonstrates Joseph Smith’s authority was the establishment of the Mormon apostleship. His translations and revelations called for major initiatives that required increasing amounts of commitment from his adherents, but with these major initiatives, the revelations also required a certain amount of malleability. Smith established certain forms of authority, such as priesthood and sacraments, through his revelations and then molded and reformed them through additional revelations to meet the evolving needs of his church. In doing this, Smith demonstrated his ability to control the narrative and shape his authority. As his theology developed and his lay ministry expanded, his prophetic leadership adapted. It was the malleability of his leadership that enabled the relationship between hierarchy and democracy to adjust and find stasis on the waves of change. To demonstrate this point, this chapter explores one of Smith’s most radical concepts of authority—namely, apostleship—in its nearly superfluous beginnings and its ultimate importance within Mormonism.

Catholic Theology since Vatican II

This chapter discusses the ways in which the documents decreed by the Second Vatican Council stimulated theological writing in Scotland and created a climate for their implementation in the Catholic Church up to the first decade of this millennium. It looks at the theological impact of academic Scottish Catholic theologians and at the theological documents of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, including the statement on the morality of nuclear arms and the two teaching documents produced in collaboration with the Bishops’ Conferences of England and Wales and of Ireland—One Bread, One Body, and The Gift of Scripture. It also shows how the theology of the Council documents has influenced the areas of religious education, lay ministry, and collaborative leadership, and has led to closer cooperation with other churches and academic institutions. Finally, it laments that there is no longer a locus for seminary education in Scotland.

“The church must always be reformed”

This paper explores how the Protestant territorial churches in Germany deal with the so-called “visitation” – an instrument aimed at developing and inspecting the church and its local parish. We analyze (1) how and to what extent the visitation is used for program development and improving the church, (2) how church officials (ministry) and volunteers (lay ministry) are involved in the visitation process, and (3) how these people communicate with each other. After presenting an organization theory perspective on churches and church communities, we illustrate our arguments using case studies in four selected territorial churches – “Landeskirchen” – in Germany. The findings reveal that the visitation serves as a multifunctional instrument for both the church as an organization as well as the church community as an interaction system. The dual nature of the visitation as a tool for inspection and organizational development produces “useful insecurities”, which can create room for informal, trusting exchange among church members. Some unintended side effects also occur, including “window dressing” and a sense of “artificial naturalness” during the visitation. Our findings suggest that the different functions of the visitation are the result of shifting expectations as the visitation is imbued with new functions. While this increases organizational opportunities, it also leads to a further increase in expectations. The findings are potentially of interest to other organizations rooted in a community and personal beliefs.

Luther’s Legacy: Rethinking the Theology of Lay Discipleship 500 Years after the Reformation

The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is significant in many respects, not least in providing an opportunity to revisit Martin Luther’s emphasis on the role of the laity. Yet his legacy of a positive and theologically robust understanding of vocation as located in the everyday world as well as the religious life has only sporadically informed the church’s understanding of lay ministry, and has frequently been frustrated by clericalism and institutional inertia. By revisiting some modern theologies of the laity from the mid-twentieth century, and in dialogue with a recent Church of England report, this article will suggest some ways in which understandings of lay ministry and discipleship might be renewed. A focus on a learning church, education for discernment and a worldly, missional ecclesiology will help to direct the church to a vision of an empowered, confident and theologically literate laity.

Becoming a missional church: The struggle of the Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa or Paris Evangelical Missionary Society in Meadowlands, Soweto

The existence of the Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa (LECSA) and Paris Evangelical Missionary Society (PEMS) in the western areas of Johannesburg, South Western Township (Soweto) and, more poignantly, Meadowlands and their forced removal experience are succinctly captured. The struggle of the LECSA and PEMS Meadowlands Parish in becoming a missional ecclesia in a sea of missional challenges in her context is vividly spelt out. They, inter alia, include constitutional matters, language policy, finances, ministerial preparation, lay-ministry development, institutionalisation of ministry, unity issues, prophetic ministry, mission and evangelism. The researcher, then, proposes an intervention – of course not a perfect one – that perhaps will galvanise the LECSA and PEMS Meadowlands Parish members to improve on what they have been doing and become a missional ecclesia in her context, Meadowlands.

Continuing Education for Lay Ministry: Providers, Beliefs, Issues, and Programs

Research into continuing professional education (CPE) has been a constant for many professionals, including those pastors and clergy who work in religious organizations. Continuing education for lay ministers (non-ordained) in churches, however, generally has not been given this close scrutiny or attention. This article reports on research conducted with 35 leaders of lay ministry education programs in Canada, to provide information on their (a) demographics as a group (b) attitudes toward church and church bodies, and the amount of support they received from the community, and (c) programs and their participants. This study contributes to an understanding of continuing education for lay ministry.