Center for Pastor Theologians
| Established | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Location | |
Co-Founder and President | Todd Wilson |
Co-Founder and Executive Director | Gerald Hiestand |
| Website | www |
The Center for Pastor Theologians (CPT) is a broadly evangelical organization.[1]
Background and Goals[edit]
The idea for the Center for Pastor Theologians was conceived by Dr. Gerald Hiestand in the fall of 2004 during his transition from full-time pastoral ministry to graduate school. The transition left him with the distinct impression that much of what was taking place in the academy did not always translate easily into the life of the church. Increasingly convinced that the unique—and often diverging—social locations of the academy and the local church lay at the root of the disconnect, Hiestand began to appreciate in fresh ways the benefit of uniting theological formation and pastoral ministry—a union typified by many of church history's greatest pastor-theologians: Athanasius, Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Edwards, Wesley, and more. Hiestand began to envision a theological society that would pull together pastor-theologians dedicated to producing ecclesial theology—a theology born out of the context of the local church, and directed toward the ecclesial community.
In 2005, William Edmondson and Jonathan Cummings understood the vision and the three men began working together to develop what such a theological society might look like. In 2006, Dr. Todd Wilson joined the group and a workable vision began to take shape. A few months later, the Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology (SAET) was born. Dr. John Yates joined the board in the Summer of 2009, and Dr. Michael LeFebvre joined the board in 2012.
Formally incorporated in 2006, the CPT underwent numerous mission shifts before sorting itself out in its current form. In 2013 the SAET was renamed the Center for Pastor Theologians (CPT).
In 2015, the CPT hosted its first theology conference at Calvary Memorial Church. The CPT Conference now occurs annually, bringing together pastors, scholars, and academics for robust dialogue on various theological topics.
Leadership[edit]
The CPT currently has three staff:
In 2006, Dr. Gerald Hiestand became the Executive Director. He is also the pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois.
In 2015 Zach Wagner became the Managing Director.
In 2018, Dr. Todd Wilson, who had served as Chair of the Board, was appointed the first president of the Center for Pastor Theologians.[2]
Programming and Publications[edit]
The Center's offices and programming are hosted at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois.
Pastor Theologian Fellowships[edit]
The CPT hosts four pastor theologian fellowships, with 15-20 pastor theologians in each fellowship. Admission into a CPT Fellowship is by application and invitation. Each Fellowship meets once a year for a three-day theological symposium. Symposia are held for four fellowships, groups of roughly 15 pastor theologians each, who gather to discuss a theological text with a noted theologian. For each symposium, several fellows are likewise commissioned to present papers on the topic, which are then made eligible for publication in the Bulletin of Ecclesial Theology, an annual journal published by the CPT. Additionally, at each symposium fellows solicit feedback on personal projects.[citation needed]
Annual Conference[edit]
The CPT Conference is held annual every October in Oak Park (Chicago).
References[edit]
- ↑ "Center for Pastor Theologians". Center for Pastor Theologians. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
- ↑ "Todd Wilson to be Installed as President of the Center For Pastor Theologians". The Center for Pastor Theologians.
External links[edit]
- The Pastor, the Academy, and the Possibility of Ecclesial Theology: The Center for Pastor-Theologians | Trinity Newsroom
- About
- Ecclesial Theology and Academic Theology: Why We Need More of the Former
- The Loneliness of the Pastor-Theologian
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