Engaging Mind and Culture
The Goal
“Two percent of the people think;
three percent of the people think they think;
and ninety-five percent of the people would rather die than think.”George Bernard Shaw
Why think? Because you know how powerful thoughts are. Because you know that a single idea can redraw the map of the world . . . and change the destiny of a life.
You know that ideas matter in ministry. You have witnessed the ruin that results from wrong thinking. And how truth can liberate. You want to be part of the 2% solution. Talbot can help.
Engaging Mind & Culture is a Doctor of Ministry track designed to give you the tools you need to engage the minds you minister to. And those you would like to. It will give you unprecedented access to the resources of the world's largest Christian Philosophy program. This is an opportunity to be mentored by some of the ablest minds in evangelicalism today: J.P. Moreland & Garry DeWeese. Their goal is not to help you mind your ministry, but to help you minister with your mind.
Videos
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The Strategy
Year One: Understanding Worldviews & Culture
During the first week you will gain confidence in engaging worldviews in a manner that is culturally relevant and theologically and philosophically informed. We will examine the nature of a worldview, and probe the foundations of the two major worldviews that rival Christianity and shape our culture: naturalism and postmodernism. We will also interact with the strengths and weaknesses of the emergent church movement and address open theism. Time will also be given to a rising influence in our culture: Islam. You will learn some of the ways Christians can reach the Muslims in our culture.
During week two, you will learn how to think Christianly in the midst of worldview conflict and cultural chaos. Four areas of conceptual clarity will be examined: (1) crucial notions in metaphysics relevant to preaching, the nature of reality, and about the reality of truth, love, life after death, and God Himself; (2) crucial notions in epistemology at the center of cultural conflict, (3) the nature of consciousness and human persons, and (4) important issues in science and religion, reductionism, and the Intelligent Design debate.
Year Two: Tools — Engaging Worldviews and Culture
This residency begins by giving you the tools needed to lead in the areas of ethics and politics. You will learn how to help people to think ethically by evaluating relativism, moral absolutism, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics, and considering their impact upon character development and discipleship. You will also learn about issues such as abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, capital punishment, just war theory and homosexuality. Since we live in a political world, we will look at the different views of the Kingdom of God, the church/state relationship, Christian political engagement and social justice.
The second week will shift to an examination of specific cultural issues and voices. You learn about and discuss culturally significant books, movies, events and leaders. You will also learn the nature of the modern secular university, how it developed, why it is so hostile to Christianity, how it impacts your church and what you can do about it.
Year Three: Application — Reclaiming Worldviews and Culture
The first week you will gain skills needed to defend your faith and to equip your church for boldness in evangelism and cultural engagement. You will form answers to issues such as the existence of God, pluralism and the exclusivity of Christianity, challenges to the historical Jesus, the problem of evil, and the fairness of hell.
During the final week you will learn some of the practical ministry implications of what you have been studying. You will examine the nature of spiritual formation and discipleship, learn how to discern the voice of God and His guidance, how to foster a healthy, balanced experiential knowledge of God and His Spirit within your religious tradition as well as the criteria for discerning answers to prayer. You will also learn how to preach apologetically and how apologetics and worldview can be applied to youth ministry.