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When I was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the title given to me was teaching elder. I mourn the loss of the title in our denomination because it was a reminder of the importance of education to Presbyterians. We require the rigorous education of our clergy, which includes studying scripture in its original languages, along with a plethora of other subjects, from ethics to polity. But educational rigor is not just for pastors. The Great Ends of the Church (Book of Order, G-1.0200) presuppose the education of all the saints, and chapter six of the Directory for Worship spells out what is meant by Christian nurture. “The church offers nurture to those entering the community of faith, preparing for baptism, including them in the life of the community, welcoming them to participate in its worship and to come to the Lord’s Table, assisting them to claim their identity as believers in Jesus Christ and equipping them to live as commissioned disciples in the world” (Book of Order, W-6.2001). The foundation for our emphasis on education is more compelling than the Book of Order. We prize education because Jesus did. While many passages are applicable to education, my favorite is Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” Wisdom, gratitude and singing—as a teacher, believer and musician, I like this a lot. The educational program of any church should be the most exciting part of what happens there, including members of all ages and offering a diversity of experiences designed to engage learners in different kinds and different levels of learning. I believe that education in the church can be all this and more. What has Elaine learned about education in the church? How does your church measure up with education in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? Find out in the July/August 2006 issue of Horizons. Call 800/524-2612 Elaine McRobbie is a doctoral student in gifted education at the University of Kansas. She was ordained in 1979 and is a former vice moderator of the Churchwide Coordinating Team of Presbyterian Women (1991–1994). |
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