In this episode, we dive into Edward Farley's seminal work, Theologia, which critically examines the state of theological education, particularly in North American Protestant seminaries. Farley argues that the current challenges in clergy formation stem from the historical "disappearance" and "fragmentation" of theologia—a unified, sapiential, and personal knowledge of God—from its central role. We explore how Farley traces this decline through three historical periods of American theological education: from pious learning to specialized scholarship, and ultimately to professional education, where the curriculum prioritizes ministerial tasks over deep theological understanding. This episode unpacks Farley's diagnosis of the problem, setting the stage for his proposed recovery of theologia as the essential foundation for meaningful reform.

This is a book review or commentary on an academic subject with content curated by Ivelisse Valentin-Vera and recorded with the power of NotebookLM to ensure every AI generated conversation is accurate, deep and accessible, and does not represent the opinion of the authors.

www.ivelissevalentin.com

Disclaimer: This episode features a book review or commentary recorded with AI. Please note that book reviews are protected by fair use laws, as they typically involve critique, commentary, and transformative content. This review does not reproduce the original work in its entirety and aims to provide an analysis and personal opinion. The content of this podcast is not monetized.