Unit 3 – Rank, Talk, Write

I really enjoyed reading Kathleen A. Cahalan’s article, Integrative Knowing and Practical Wisdom. Mainly because it fit in with what I do as a living – a pastor. What I enjoyed most is that it really put me in my place in regards to constantly learning, having a mentor, actually practicing what to say instead of just relying on my own skill. Eventually getting to the point where one hopes people would say, “how did this priest learn to be this kind of minister? (Cahalan, 2017, p. 116)

This is the central question that Cahalan asks as she is comparing our the priest presided over two funerals that she attended. She breaks down this section of her article into five headings. I have posted these in the order of importance to myself.

The Intelligence Of Practice

The title pretty much says it all: the more you practice the more intelligent you will become in what you’re practicing. Why this is number one for me is that while I need to practice my career I also need to practice continuing to follow the One who called me to this. For me, this is a lifelong practice.

In The Beginning

In this section Cahalan is stating that we all start out as novices. As a young novice we usually follow the rules and the liturgy laid before us as well as the examples of our elders (p. 118). However, if you’re an adult novice, as in an older novice, you will learning in “incremental fluctuations” as Cahalan says. This usually happens because one is taking on a new perspective in life, as well as challenging personal and culture assumptions (p. 120).

Competence in Practice

While this section doesn’t come next in the article, it is my third favourite. This is because I believe that you need to become competent in your own style before you can advance in it. This is what Cahalan is saying in this section – that once you’re competent you don’t need to act and do as others you admire do because your own style will start to come forward (p. 124).

Advancing In Practice

Now one can advance because they are competent. As Cahalan says, “Practice builds intuition; reflection on practice builds judgment” (p. 121).

Another Kind of Competence: Expertise or Unknowing?

In this area Cahalan is showing us that there are many professions that strive for expertise by having many areas of knowing, whereas, sometimes we tend to forget and lose the ability to slow down and contemplate what God is doing (p. 126).

While I did put these in the order in which I ranked them, there is one question that comes to mind. This is the question I leave with you: Is this all learned or can some of these traits come naturally as a church leader? Is there a given time when you’re a novitiate or are some novices for a very small amount of time? I ask this because I believe there are differences in regards to church leaders when it comes to natural ability v. Learned ability.

References:

Cahalan, K.,Foley, E. and G. S. Mikoski eds. (2017). Integrative Knowing and Practical Wisdom in Minding the Gaps: Integrating Work in Theological Education. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.