A Conversation about Competency-Based Theological Education (CBTE) with Dr. Kenton Anderson, President of Providence University College and Theological Seminary in Otterburne, MB
In episode 5 of The Thinking Teams Podcast my guest is Dr. Kenton Anderson, President of Providence University College and Theological Seminary. We spent some of our time talking about ideas and stories he presents in his book, Theological Education, co-authored with Greg Henson. Having reviewed it for Faith Today I was keen to ask him to describe Competency-Based Theological Education (CBTE). His premise is that traditional model of theological education is problematic. Instead, schools should consider adopting a CBTE approach to pastoral formation.
Dr. Kenton Anderson answers the question: What is Competency-Based Theological Education?
Competency-Based Theological Education, according to Kent, is reverse engineered theological education. He believes the system of theological education needs to work backwards from the church to the school. The school serves the church and works to provide educated and equipped leaders who can be trusted by the churches and agencies where they serve.
In the clip below, Kent use the term, “products” for students. Since we were short on time time I did not get to ask why he chose this term. I can only assume he did not mean to suggest education and people are commodities. This is a very real danger for theological educators, especially when the focus shifts from educating students toward staying in the black. While I do not think Kent meant it in that way, it is worth thinking about how terminology both shapes and reveals the the subjects we discuss.
Kent sees the church as the beginning and the end of theological education. Students should be educated and equipped within that context rather than extracting them to sit in classrooms and be lectured at by professors. The full episode provides a lot more from Kent. As you await that episode, here he is describing Competency-Based Theological Education (CBTE):
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