Book Review: The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision by Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson

Let's start this post with a quick word association game: What comes to your mind when you hear the word "pastor"?  An evangelist?  A counselor?  A speaker?  An organizational leader or entrepreneur?  A moral example? 

All of these roles have their place in pastoral ministry and local church leadership.  Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson want to make sure one other component of pastoral ministry isn't ignored or forgotten amidst these other roles, though - the role of "pastor theologian."  To make their case, they've written a brief, accessible book advocating for the essential and valuable contribution a "pastor theologian" makes to healthy local church life.

BOOK INFO

The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision by Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015.

WHAT'S THE BOOK ABOUT?

In a sentence, Hiestand and Wilson are advocating for the essential and valuable contribution a "pastor theologian" makes to healthy local church life, from within the community of a local church (or, conceivably, a network of churches).  (The authors are careful to distinguish the pastor theologian role they are promoting from the "academic theologian" who spends his or her time in the setting of universities or seminaries.)  As the subtitle of the book makes clear, the authors want to resurrect an ancient vision where robust theology was produced by local church leaders, for the health of the larger church (e.g. Athanasius, Augustine, Calvin, and Edwards).

After an initial chapter that is largely introductory (chapter 1), the authors devote the next chapters to historical matters - tracing first the valuable contributions of the pastor theologian in church history (chapter 2), and then moving to the separation of robust scholarship (/theology) and local church life since the Enlightenment and the modern university (chapter 3).  The results of this separation, and the (near) vanishing of the "pastor theologian" have led to two significant errors, the theological anemia of the church (chapter 4) and the ecclesial anemia of theology (chapter 5).

The solution, of course, is the resurrection of pastor theologian.  Heistand and Wilson describe three ways this role can take shape: (1) the local theologian, (2) the popular theologian, and (3) the ecclesial theologian (chapter 6).  

The local theologian "is a theologically astute pastor who ably services the theological needs of a local church.  This theological leadership is most immediately accomplished through a theologically rich preaching ministry but also through theologically thick pastoral care, counseling, and organizational leadership.  A local theologian has a solid working knowledge of the primary Christian doctrines and is able to draw connections between biblical truth and lived experience.  Such pastors are inevitably readers and lifelong learners; they are reflective and thoughtful and understand that ideas have consequences - not least theological ideas.  They are frequently looked to by other pastors and those in their congregations for guidance and direction on theological matters.  Theological study comes easy to them, and they engage in it as a life-giving font of personal renewal" (81).  

The popular theologian "is a local theologian, yet with a broader range of influence.  In this model, the pastor theologian is a pastor who writes theology, an activity not inherent to the identity of the local theologian.  Bridging the gap between the professional theological community and the local church, the popular theologian translates academic theology down to other pastors and the laity" (83).

The role of the ecclesial theologian "will be in nearly every respect like that of the local and popular theologian.  Which is to say, the pastor as ecclesial theologian is first and foremost a local church pastor who views the pastoral vocation from a theological vantage point" (85).  Yet the duties of the ecclesial theological extend further: "With respect to his theological work, the ecclesial theologian writes theology to other theologians and scholars, drawing upon the wealth of resources found in the most enduring works of the church and in conversation with the most relevant contemporary dialog partners..." (86).

In chapters 7 and 8, the authors focus more specifically on the role of ecclesial theologian and provide some very practical steps individuals can take to move in the direction of being this sort of ecclesial theologian.  (Some of these practical steps include getting a PhD, networking, guarding your study time, and earning buy-in from church leadership.)  

The final chapter (chapter 9) lays ground for the sustainable future of the pastor theologian, with the authors giving some parting words to three groups of people: a word to professors, a word to pastors, and a word to students.

Below I've included the full Table of Contents, so you can get one more glimpse of what The Pastor Theologian covers:

• 1.  Pastor or Theologian?  A Division of Labor, a Crisis of Identity
• 2.  The Pastor Theologian in Historical Perspective: From the Apostolic Fathers to the Enlightenment
• 3.  The Great Divorce: The Demise of the Pastor Theologian in Europe and North America
• 4.  The Theological Anemia of the Church
• 5.  The Ecclesial Anemia of Theology
• 6.  The Pastor Theologian: A Taxonomy 
• 7.  The Pastor Theologian as Ecclesial Theologian
• 8.  On Being an Ecclesial Theologian in a Local Church
• 9.  The Future of a Movement, the Renewal of the Church

WHY DO (OR DON'T) I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?

Here are five (brief!) reasons I recommend this book, followed by two things I wish the book would have included.  

First, the reasons I recommend The Pastor Theologian:

1. The book calls local churches to be concerned about theology (and it calls theology to be concerned with the local church).  Theology matters, and I'm eager to recommend any book that helps us consider how to do theology well.
2. The endorsements are solid and eclectic (a healthy thing, in my opinion) - the opening pages include "plugs" from Richard Mouw, Markus Bockmuehl, D.A. Carson, Peter Leithart, Douglas A. Sweeney, R. Kent Hughes, James K.A. Smith, Kevin Vanhoozer, Scott Hafemann, and more.
3. The book is accessible - only 129 pages of text (before an appendix).  Throughout, The Pastor Theologian relies on solid scholarship but doesn't get weighed down in research or technicalities or abstractions.
4. This book "gets" local church ministry.  As much as this book promotes the role of the pastor theologian, the vision of this pastor theologian isn't some guy who sits in a room all week reading by candlelight, insulated from the realities of local church ministry.  Nor does this book advocate that the pastor theologian is the ONLY legitimate role.  Repeatedly the authors mention that this role is only one (among many) that is needed for a healthy local church.
5. Real life examples of people who model the pastor theologian role are provided.  Examples include Michael LeFebvre (Christ Church Reformed Presbyterian), Jeremy Treat (Reality L.A.), and John Yates (Holy Trinity Anglican).  In addition, Hiestand and Wilson lead a Center for Pastor Theologians that tries to put into practice what they write about in this book.

Here are two things I wish the book would have included:

1. More biblical foundation.  I love the strength of the historical case Hiestand and Wilson make, drawing attention to the contributions of pastor theologians throughout church history.  But I wish they would have preceded that with the case the Scriptures make for the necessity of theology (and scholarship) in the life of the local church.  
2. More words to those not yet convinced.  As I read the book I found myself repeatedly nodding my head and underlining content.  But I am also aware that many who don't have a "pastor theologian predilection" may not have the same reaction.  I wish the authors would have spoken to these people a bit more - especially providing some practical steps THEY can take to further explore or breathe life into this role in their local churches (even if they're not the pastor theologians themselves).

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER CHECKING THIS BOOK OUT?

Certainly, those who feel called to the role of pastor theologian will gravitate towards this book.  And may that be the case!  These people will find much that they resonate with, and a camaraderie with the authors and their ideas that can propel them forward.

But I also suggest others who AREN'T naturally the "pastor theologian type" read this book - both to better understand the important contributions the pastor theologian makes to healthy church ministry AND to creatively brainstorm how this role can and should take shape in the life of their church.

HOW SHOULD THE BOOK BE APPROACHED?

As I thought about how this book should be approached, the two words that came to my mind were "seriously" and "patiently."  

This book should be approached seriously - as the authors point out, both the church and the discipline of theology suffer when the role of pastor theologian is neglected or forgotten.  The necessity of orthodox theology for the life of a healthy church cannot be overstated.

And this book should also be approached patiently.  For those that feel called to this "pastor theologian role," the default mindset can be "let's get this started now and make sure things have 'arrived' by next week!"  But let's be more patient than that.  People may need time to get their minds around the contributions a pastor theologian will make to a church.  Indeed, they'll perhaps simply need time to get their minds around properly understanding the role itself!  Churches should be given time to talk through what implementation of some of these ideas might look like, and how they can begin to reconcile the relationship between robust theology and the ins-and-outs of church life.