New Theology Initiatives!

THE CTSF is on hiatus for the remainder of Spring 2007.

In the meantime, check out this news:

NEW THEOLOGY INITIATIVES: Beginning this coming Fall (2007) Denver Seminary will offer a concentration in Theology in the M.Div. program, and beginning in Fall 2008 we will offer a major in Theology in the M.A.(Academic) degree program. In support of these initiatives, there will be significant increases in Theology course offerings — that is, additional new courses — over the next 3-4 years.

Interested? Contact any member of the Theology Faculty: Dr. Buschart, Dr. Chung or Dr. Payne.

 

Next Meeting Thursday Feb. 15th

Bring your lunch and a friend, and join us for the next CTSF noon-hour conversation:

Christians and  Single-issue-Politics…. The Morality of Single-issue Voting.

Thursday, Feb 15, Rm 101, 12-12:50pm

Reading (as a conversation-starter only): The Morality of Single-Issue Voting .

 

Spring 2007 Schedule

For Spring 2007  we will continue to meet on THURSDAYS, once a month,  from 12:00-12:50pm

Topics will be announced soon!  

Our first meeting for Spring term will be February 8th: (Special Speaker TBD)

Find the full schedule here.

 

Evil and Suffering:Thoughts on Military Service and Warfare

Thursday, November 2nd 12-12:50 PM in Room 101

Student Presenters:
Matt Farmer, serves in U.S. Air Force
Ben Peters, serves in U.S. Marine Corps and has served in combat in the
Middle East

 

Calling and Vocation pt.II – Summary and Continued Discussion

Today’s discussion was intended to shed light on the questions and problems that arise for two groups:

1) those who have concluded there is no biblical prohibition on women in regard to preaching or teaching.

2) those who have concluded there is no biblical prohibition on women in regard to Sr. leadership.

and in particular, how these questions and problems affect a woman’s engagement in not only discerning her calling and vocation, but in preparing for and engaging in ministry.

It was recognized that many will still want to debate the relevant biblical texts, and that discussing “what happens” when a woman preaches or leads might not be a relevant discussion for those who do not believe they should. Nevertheless, for others, these factors do play a role in discerning calling and vocation.

What other observations and questions came to mind that we were not able to discuss? What follow up conversations would you like to have?

 

“Calling and Vocation, pt. II”-Optional Pre-discussion Reading

Please visit Scot McKnight’s Blog and Read his recent posts on Women in Ministry, noting the issues and questions that seem to be most prevalent  and most crucial in these discussions.

Just a heads-up: we will not be discussing the exegesis of key texts on women in ministry so no need to brush up on your best argument for the meaning of Greek words, cultural context, and so on. Students get a chance to do this in Christian Ethics and Modern Culture. Let’s discuss this on a different level, please. We will be considering how women discern their calling and ministry direction, and the significance of gender-inclusive leadership in the body of Christ.

~Susan Arnold

 

Calling and Vocation – Pt. 1

Calling and Vocation PowerPoint – Don Payne

Summary of a few points from today’s discussion:

• The range of vocational choices available to us is historically unprecedented.  Most people in the world do not have or have not had the luxury of thinking about their sense of “fulfillment” in what they do.  They are preoccupied with surviving or getting by.
• Having to work apart from a sense of value or calling can be experienced as a tremendous loss or “death” when we have previously known the joy of that integration.
• It is easy to avoid taking responsibility for our lives and decisions by hiding behind passionate requests that God show us what to do.
• God has given some the gift of simply enjoying or delighting in what we do.  As Christians we can come to a place of thinking differently about others and ourselves in the context of what we do, as well as our tasks in and of themselves.

Question for continued reflection: In what way(s) does our understanding of calling and vocation reflect or affect our understanding of God? 

 

Calling and Vocation

In preparation for our September 7 discussion on “Calling and Vocation,” I would encourage you to read Dan Allender’s reflection on God’s call. The link is below. This will not constitute the framework for our discussion but will provide one model for consideration.
http://www.mhgs.edu/edge/views.asp?m=&newsid=20

 

Fall 2006

The CTSF Committee has published the schedule for Fall. It can be viewed by clicking the link on the right.