Benjamin L . Hartley
I joined the faculty of Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri in the autumn of 2024 as Professor of Contextual Education, Mission, and United Methodist Studies.
In 2023-2024 I served as President of the American Society of Missiology. The theme for my presidential year was "Mission with Children, Youth, and Young Adults."
I have previously served on the faculties of Seattle Pacific University School of Theology (2021-2024), George Fox University (2016-2020), and Palmer Theological Seminary, the Seminary of Eastern University (2005-2016). At George Fox University I served as a Fellow in the William Penn Honors Program where I facilitated "great books" seminars in Medieval Studies and 20th Century Thought. For eleven years at Palmer Theological Seminary I also served as Director of Methodist Studies.
I am an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church and have written a dozen or so articles and one book on the diaconate.
Recent scholarship has been focused on themes related to the life of 1946 Nobel Peace Prize laureate John R. Mott. I am writing a biography of Mott that is still a few years away from completion. In June, 2024 my ASM presidential address was entitled, "John R. Mott amidst the Students: Missiological and Historical Gleanings for Today." It will be published in an upcoming issue of Missiology: An International Review. In August, 2024, I presented a paper on Mott's work in the field of formal diplomacy as well as "public diplomacy" in the early 20th century at the Oxford Institute for Methodist Theological Studies in Oxford, England. In September of 2024, I have been invited to give an address at Humboldt University in Berlin on Mott's involvement in war for a conference entitled "Christian Internationalism in War and Post-war Times, 1890-1930."
Finally, I am an exceedingly infrequent writer of blog posts, but those may be viewed on my website, https://missionandmethodism.net/.
Phone: 4846803286
Address: St. Louis, Missouri
USA
In 2023-2024 I served as President of the American Society of Missiology. The theme for my presidential year was "Mission with Children, Youth, and Young Adults."
I have previously served on the faculties of Seattle Pacific University School of Theology (2021-2024), George Fox University (2016-2020), and Palmer Theological Seminary, the Seminary of Eastern University (2005-2016). At George Fox University I served as a Fellow in the William Penn Honors Program where I facilitated "great books" seminars in Medieval Studies and 20th Century Thought. For eleven years at Palmer Theological Seminary I also served as Director of Methodist Studies.
I am an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church and have written a dozen or so articles and one book on the diaconate.
Recent scholarship has been focused on themes related to the life of 1946 Nobel Peace Prize laureate John R. Mott. I am writing a biography of Mott that is still a few years away from completion. In June, 2024 my ASM presidential address was entitled, "John R. Mott amidst the Students: Missiological and Historical Gleanings for Today." It will be published in an upcoming issue of Missiology: An International Review. In August, 2024, I presented a paper on Mott's work in the field of formal diplomacy as well as "public diplomacy" in the early 20th century at the Oxford Institute for Methodist Theological Studies in Oxford, England. In September of 2024, I have been invited to give an address at Humboldt University in Berlin on Mott's involvement in war for a conference entitled "Christian Internationalism in War and Post-war Times, 1890-1930."
Finally, I am an exceedingly infrequent writer of blog posts, but those may be viewed on my website, https://missionandmethodism.net/.
Phone: 4846803286
Address: St. Louis, Missouri
USA
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Papers by Benjamin L . Hartley
In German and Scandinavian countries there exist training programs of both a practical and academic nature for the study of religiously motivated social welfare work (diakonie in German). While not mission training programs per se, to the extent that religiously motivated social welfare is part of God’s mission these programs warrant consideration by the APM. This paper will first provide a historical overview of the multi-layered meaning behind the Greek term diakonia which inspires these training programs. Linguistic research published twenty-five years ago on diakonia by Roman Catholic biblical scholar John N. Collins has caused the term and – by extension – these training programs to become more ambiguously defined. The state of the ambiguity will be discussed as it exists in some World Council of Churches documents and elsewhere. The paper concludes with a discussion of how our understanding of diakonia based on Collins’s research may prompt re-assessment of some definitions of mission and ministry put forward by Titus Presler and others in recent years.
This paper draws upon a revised interpretation of diakon- terms in the New Testament provided by John N. Collins. It examines how the stories of the choosing of the seven (Acts 6:1-7), Stephen’s speech (Acts 6:8 – 7:56), and the evangelistic ministry of Phillip (Acts 8:4-40) together provide a fresh impetus for understanding expressions of the United Methodist diaconate today - in both its lay and ordained expressions. It is suggested that these stories offer fertile ground for crafting a “rule” for the United Methodist diaconate as a missionary Order.
In German and Scandinavian countries there exist training programs of both a practical and academic nature for the study of religiously motivated social welfare work (diakonie in German). While not mission training programs per se, to the extent that religiously motivated social welfare is part of God’s mission these programs warrant consideration by the APM. This paper will first provide a historical overview of the multi-layered meaning behind the Greek term diakonia which inspires these training programs. Linguistic research published twenty-five years ago on diakonia by Roman Catholic biblical scholar John N. Collins has caused the term and – by extension – these training programs to become more ambiguously defined. The state of the ambiguity will be discussed as it exists in some World Council of Churches documents and elsewhere. The paper concludes with a discussion of how our understanding of diakonia based on Collins’s research may prompt re-assessment of some definitions of mission and ministry put forward by Titus Presler and others in recent years.
This paper draws upon a revised interpretation of diakon- terms in the New Testament provided by John N. Collins. It examines how the stories of the choosing of the seven (Acts 6:1-7), Stephen’s speech (Acts 6:8 – 7:56), and the evangelistic ministry of Phillip (Acts 8:4-40) together provide a fresh impetus for understanding expressions of the United Methodist diaconate today - in both its lay and ordained expressions. It is suggested that these stories offer fertile ground for crafting a “rule” for the United Methodist diaconate as a missionary Order.
Among individual contributors to educational theory, Ivan Illich (1926-2002) stands out as perhaps the most controversial critic of missionary practice, but his writings on the philosophy of education most famously articulated in Deschooling Society (1971) continue to be influential. Other leaders in adult education such as Paulo Freire, Parker Palmer, Susan Daloz Parks, and Ted Ward have likewise made important contributions in educational theory and practice and have, in different ways, transformed the teaching of mission. I benefited myself from the influence of Professor Ted Ward at Michigan State University even after he left that institution in the courses and programs related to the field of international development which still bore his imprint.
Our conference on June 19-20 at The University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minnesota explored the connections among the above areas of inquiry by inviting three plenary speakers who were not self-described missiologists but were nonetheless sympathetic to the goals of our professional society.
We had three plenary speakers at the 2014 Conference. (Short bios of these three individuals are provided elsewhere in this volume.) Dr. Mary Hess gave a lively and challenging presentation entitled “Adult Learning in a World Leaning into God’s Mission.” Her presentation contained a number of short video clips about social media, contemporary shifts in epistemology, and thoughtful questions as to how best teach mission in light of these dramatic changes in western culture today. Dr. Daniel Born’s presentation was an analysis of missionary fiction and discusses the Great Books Foundation’s method of “shared inquiry.” Time restraints on his presentation prevented him from sharing at length about this method of teaching at our June gathering, but he does this in the paper included in this volume. Finally, Dr. Grace Cajiuat’s interactive presentation encouraged participants at the APM to reflect on important interpersonal and intercultural questions about our teaching – especially in how we encourage learning in classrooms of increasing diversity. Because of the nature of Dr. Hess’s and Dr. Cajiuat’s presentations we are not able to reproduce their contributions as they were presented. Youtube videos obviously cannot be portrayed in any book, and copyright restrictions on other images prohibit us from reproducing them. A brief summary of their presentations is provided here with a listing of internet URL’s for some of the video clips.
Our 2014 APM gathering continued the practice of the last several years of inviting persons to present papers in parallel paper session “tracks.” This year we had fifteen papers organized into five tracks:
1) Classroom Case Studies and Strategies for Mission Education
2) Theological Considerations for Mission Education
3) Rethinking the Mission Curriculum
4) Anthropological/Sociological Considerations in Mission Education
5) Mission Education Outside the Classroom.
Twelve of the fifteen papers presented at our June 2014 gathering are included in this volume. Three of our participants chose to publish their work in other venues, and so their work is not included here.
This volume is available through free download at the link below.
From the moment the 1996 General Conference of The United Methodist Church reordered its ministry and adopted the new Order of Deacon, there has been much speculation on the meaning of the new Order, how it should be developed, and what difference it should make. (Some saw no reason for the new Order or could not grasp the reason for such an Order, and others thought they knew all the answers and have judged the establishment of the deacon on their understandings.)
The Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministries in the Division of Ordained Ministry has the responsibility of resourcing the church in the establishment of the deacon and was very conscious of these varied responses to the new Order. They decided that an appropriate way to assist the church would be to develop a vision statement and then lead toward that vision. After much study and struggle, the following vision statement was adopted as a work in progress.
The ministry of the deacon (diaconate) distinctively embodies and gives leadership to servant ministry of compassion, mercy, and justice. Laity and clergy are transformed through worship which connects faith and daily life so that the people of God serve a hurting world as faithful disciples.
The section was aware that if the new Order of Deacon was to develop appropriately, enhanced understandings of how the Order connected to church traditions were needed. Much study, work, and reflection on the purpose and work of the deacon must take place.
It was realized that one of the most important groups of teachers would be the present ordained deacons in full connection. Their work and the fact that each one is appointed to a local church makes them crucial as interpreters and teachers on the new order.
The Deacon: Ministry Through Words of Faith and Acts of Love, is a resource for the deacon and for the church. It will assist with the dialogue and reflection on the Order and help the church be more effec- tive as a lay-centered, lay-led body that is missional at its very core.
Carefully studied, the work will help the reader reflect on biblical images related to the ministry of the deacon. The relationship of worship and service, so distinctly linked to this new Order, is prominent in the scripture study. In addition, the authors have amplified the images with models from the lives and ministries of deacons at work today.
Paul Van Buren and Ben Hartley have produced a superb work by providing insights on how the United Methodist deacon can relate to a world in need and provide a needed flexibility in ministry similar to that of the early days of Methodism on the frontier of the United States.
I believe one of the most significant elements of this booklet is the scriptural visions of the deacon. The writers have effectively enhanced the church’s dialogue by sharing scriptures that reflect servant leader- ship.
This book will be useful if deacons, elders, and all church leaders will study it for understandings that will shape the day-to-day work and rela- tionships of the deacon. That study and dialogue will assist the church in solidifying a paradigm of leadership. —Jimmy L. Carr, Associate General Secretary Division of Ordained Ministry Section of Deacons and Diaconal Ministries