The statement that's stuck most with me so far in the pastoral training program is from Phil, the supervisor for the downtown group:
"In the past, the supervisor would try to break you [the students] down [psychologically] and then rebuild you back in his/her own image." A very powerful statement. Then he went on to explain that the model we'll be operating under in this current unit is very different. They [the supervisors] want to honour who we are as people: our gifts, our desires, our talents, our strengths and our weaknesses, and work with that in a process of self-discovery.
In my own theological paradigm, I hope that what he meant is that we're all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6), and this image needs to be guarded and built up, not torn down. And in fact, a part of our image does need to be torn down - the part that does not conform to the goodness, truth, and beauty of God - but God does this work. He is the one who will "transform" us from "one degree of glory to another" (II. Corinthians 3:18).
Thus far my experience has been very positive. I get along with everyone, although I did have a little "conversation" with Jun yesterday in response to some things he said that made me feel uncomfortable.
"In the past, the supervisor would try to break you [the students] down [psychologically] and then rebuild you back in his/her own image." A very powerful statement. Then he went on to explain that the model we'll be operating under in this current unit is very different. They [the supervisors] want to honour who we are as people: our gifts, our desires, our talents, our strengths and our weaknesses, and work with that in a process of self-discovery.
In my own theological paradigm, I hope that what he meant is that we're all created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6), and this image needs to be guarded and built up, not torn down. And in fact, a part of our image does need to be torn down - the part that does not conform to the goodness, truth, and beauty of God - but God does this work. He is the one who will "transform" us from "one degree of glory to another" (II. Corinthians 3:18).
Thus far my experience has been very positive. I get along with everyone, although I did have a little "conversation" with Jun yesterday in response to some things he said that made me feel uncomfortable.
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