Research Committee Update

 

Members of the ATFE Research Committee (Karen Jones, Bill Kondrath, Don McCrabb, Herb Fain, and Joe Tortorici) met over the July 6th weekend. Several other members really wanted to be present but summertime conflicts or prevented them. Focus was on sharing and providing feedback on each others research proposals and writing for publication. It was a very fruitful time together, and it was agreed upon to continue such yearly meetings to further advance research and writing in field education.

The committee reviewed, discussed and provided helpful feedback on the following submissions: Lisa Withrow (in absentia): Abstract of a paper on globalization and Wesley’s social ethics which she will present at the Oxford Institute this year; Herb Fain: “A Theologian’s Perspective on Globabilzation” (renamed during the meeting “A Pastor’s Perspective on Globablization”); Bill Kondrath: “Change Theory”, Chapter 6 of a book on contextual field education which will be published by the Alban Institute early in 2008; Don McCrabb: shared two articles, “Eleven Characteristics of Excellent Pastors” and “Pastoral Vision: A Characteristic of Pastoral Excellence” which he wrote and were published as part of the “Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Project”. They can be found at www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/spe/articles. Joe Tortorici: “Preparing to Minister in a Global Reality”, an article prepared for publication based on his recent research on immersion programs, and “Intercultural Immersion Education at ATS Seminaries: A Case Study of Pedagogical Best Practices”, a draft of a research proposal.

Don McCrabb reported on his research into finding a text which would be instructive for all ATFE members wanting to do research. The book highly recommended by social researchers is Earl Babbie’s The Practice of Social Research (11th Edition). It’s an expensive item. It was highly suggested that we recommend its purchase to our seminary libraries.

The committee discussed several other suggestions which have been forwarded to the Steering Committee for discussion and decision.