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“They lived in a world with challenges and concerns that don’t feel as pressing to us. So they seem less equipped to help us with ministry. Yet Ford and Wilhite show how these pastors offer wisdom for contemporary pastoral practice.” - TGC

Discussion

Fri, 08/09/24

I'm reading this book now. Should be finished with it tomorrow. I plan to write a review.

The general idea of the book: Ford and Wilhite offer a classical vision of pastoral ministry that focuses on prayer, shepherding, and preaching. To do this well according to the church fathers, one must be a pastor-theologian, pursue Christian virtues, integrate one's spirituality with one's theology, focus on the local church, and care for the souls of your congregation.

They summarize 10 virtues / characteristics of classical pastoral ministry from the writings of Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan, Origen of Alexandria, Irenaeus of Lyons, Athanasius of Alexandria, Augustine, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory the Great, and John Chrysostom.

So far so good, but there is more reliance on secondary sources that describe what these church fathers wrote than on actual primary readings (in English translation, of course). So, I am a bit disappointed by that.