ATTENTIVE TO GOD: THINKING THEOLOGICALLY IN MINISTRY. Charles M. Wood and Ellen Blue. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2008, 138 pp
You are probably thinking, “Well, I can just skip over this one; certainly a book about thinking theologically isn’t for me.” Which is precisely who this book may have been designed for, those who don’t think theological thinking is for them. And there is much to frighten you away from this book. Begin with the theological pedigree of the two authors; both are professors at seminaries. The topic of theology is generally left to the purview of those that attend seminary, often because those that don’t attend seminary have enough sense to avoid it whenever and wherever possible. Admittedly, the authors intend this work to be for those learning to become theologians and to “empower the people to be in ministry themselves.”
While this is not a light and fluffy text, it is not one to shy away from simply because the words thinking and theological are used in close proximity to one another. Indeed, if you have any current or potential for a future role in church leadership, you should consider reading this text. First, while it does offer a definition and discussion of theology, it is more than accessible and comprehensible. You will be thinking, “hmm, maybe I am more of a theologian than I imagined.” Secondly, the chapters are kept very short and to the point. You will not find any 20 – 30 page sections. Finally, this book goes out on a limb and offers you “incidents and situations” for your consideration and solution. These scenarios may well be the strength of the book, for almost any church leader anywhere will be confronted with similar situations. The authors ask that you read through the incident and then consider it from the framework of:
“What is going on in this situation? How is God involved in what is going on? And What is a fitting response to what is going on?”
This concise book could be used in district or parish training sessions for church leaders. In larger church contexts it could be used for training Sunday school or other small group leaders. Clergy could use this in a training session with one another to compare and consider how these scenarios could be handled.
~Dawn Young
Rev. Dawn B. Young, Ed.D. is the Director of Christian Education for the Louisiana Conference. She is writing book reviews for Different Voice. You will find other reviews by Dawn on the Book Reviews page.