Training in context: some questions answered
What's the difference between context-based and college-based training?
If you are a context-based student you are fully part of the Trinity College community and you do the same study programme as college-based students. However, in context-based training you do most of your practical training and most of your reflection on practice in a particular area (the context), working closely with your Trinity team, supervisors and tutor. In college-based training you do your practical training and reflecting in a less concentrated way in different places and with different teams of students, or individually.
What will the structure of the week look like if I'm in context?
This depends partly on your context and how you arrange your timetable. Basically you will live in your context area and be involved in that community. Monday is a study day which can be spent studying at home or in college. Tuesdays and Thursdays are college teaching days, and we have our main communion service on Thursdays at 5.15pm. Wednesdays are spent largely in your context. Fridays are college community days when we are involved in activites together (Bible expositions, Gospel in Action, etc). On Sundays you will attend worship in your context church. This includes the major church festivals such as Christmas and Easter. Saturday is a rest day.
But I've worked for a church for the past few years. I'm burned out. I want to devote this time at college to studying.
This is a common reaction to context-based training (CBT), but we're not convinced it's a good reason for NOT doing CBT. The thing is, many people who come to Trinity are in this same boat: they've been fully immersed in ministry in the run-up to coming to college. That is usually a natural part of preparing for ministry training!
However you look at it, this time at college is never going to be 'time out' from practical ministry, nor should it be. College-based students also do practical ministry training in placements and missions. And if we are Christian, we will be ministering wherever we are. That's our calling.
The difference between the ministry you have been doing up to this point and CBT is that with CBT you are learning, doing and reflecting all at once, which makes for a very rich learning experience. So you could be learning the theology of baptism in lectures in the morning, then going out on a baptism visit in the afternoon, for example. CBT is not just about getting practical experience, but about doing your theological training in a way that is collaborative and relevant, with a group of fellow-learners who will be reflecting and growing alongside you. It will probably be good to choose a context that gives you a new and different experience from whatever you've had before - and if you've been in full-time ministry, it will be great to have you contributing from your prior experience.
You'll be given plenty of time to complete your studies well. A key role of your tutor is to work with you to ensure that this happens. And you'll be given academic credits for the work you do in context.
Isn't CBT really for less academically able students?
No. Some of our most able academic students have trained in context (including those doing higher research degrees) and have done very well. We want all our students to be academically stretched and trained in a theology that is applied, relevant and missional. CBT is ideal for that. If you're in context, you do the same academic work and get the same qualification as college-based students, and in addition you do both practical and academic work with a sharp and applied focus.
If I do context, I'm afraid I'll be too busy.
Context-based training is committed and fully engaged, but so is college-based training. In context you get built-in times for reflection and opportunities to assess how you are spending your time and energy. In ministry in general there is always a need prayerfully and wisely to work out our priorities and time commitments based on God's calling for our lives. With CBT you start doing that from the very beginning, You'll also get the support of your close group of peers and your tutor and supervisors in the process. We value you as a whole person and it's important to us that your relationship with God and with your family and friends grow and flourish while you're in context.
Isn't CBT for activitists? I'm more of a reflector.
CBT suits many different learning styles. It is not all activity. Regular times of group and one-to-one reflection and of theological reflection ensure this.
I've been involved in 'church' for many years; I just want to get out and do mission!
CBT is not all based on 'church activities'. There are plenty of opportunities to explore mission and ministry in a variety of contexts, both those connected with the established local church and the new things God is doing 'at the edge'. All our contexts fully address the Ministry Division requirements for training - which is both church based and out in the community. The supervisors and church contexts are carefully chosen on this basis.
Are we able to choose which context we go to?
You are welcome to choose a context. In fact it's important that you feel called to a particular context or another. We will discuss it with you, and there is the opportunity during our Open Days to talk to students who are training in context. We also hold Open Days that are specifically geared to those who are interested in training in context, when you can visit some of the contexts. However, some students have preferred to be assigned to a context where they are most needed.
What about my spouse? Will my spouse still be able to join in regular college activities such as Connect (the spouses' group)?
All spouses are welcome to join the Connect activities. There is a variety of activities at different times of day on different days of the week so that most people can come to something if they would like to. We hope that those who live at a distance from college will be able to share cars.
Would I have to follow the context-based track for the whole of my time at college, or can I change to college-based, or vice versa?
It is in theory possible to change, but there may be housing implications as you would have to move to live in your context location. Our experience is that it's better to choose context from the start, if that is the direction in which you are being drawn.
Go on then, sum up for me the benefits of CBT.
- The opportunity to gain a thorough, comprehensive and integrated training in leadership, mission and practical skills.
- Learning as part of a small, closely-knit team of fellow-students who get to know and support each other over a number of years.
- A welcome for families and a chance for your spouse to become involved in the ministry of the context in which you are placed.
- The opportunity to be rooted in a community with real needs. contribute to that community and be involved in long-term mission.
- A chance to 'do ministry' as you learn and reflect, rather than having to 'store up' what you're learning until your next placement or curacy. So you mix academic and practical trraining in a coherent way over the whole of your time at Trinity.
- You begin to develop good patterns of lifelong learning, study and reflection and activity with support from others.
Is context for everyone?
Trinity College is committed to training on both college and context-based tracks. Currently about one third of our students train in context. We hope that you will feel a definite call to one track or the other. What we can say is that our experience over the past four years is that context-based training is an innovative, effective and exciting way to train for ministry. Choosing CBT is a decision you're unlikely to regret.
