A Guide to Theological Reflection by Jim L. Wilson and Earl Waggoner

Wilson, Jim L., and Earl Waggoner.  A Guide to Theological Reflection: A Fresh Approach for Practical Ministry Courses and Theological Field Education. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Academic, 2020.  

Almost as if going back to my doctoral studies, Jim Willson and Earl Waggoner have provided us with a look into the process of theological reflection in ministry courses and field education. Their book is titled, A Guide to Theological Reflection: A Fresh Approach for Practical Ministry Courses and Theological Field Education, published by Zondervan Academic in 2020. It's a textbook, of sorts, but it's not overly complicated or robust. A manual might be a better way to think about the book, only add some theological and philosophical underpinnings. It's much more than a how-to, but it certainly includes instruction and examples.  

The back cover claims, "It [the book] provides direction for students, ministers-in-training, mentors, and advisors, laying a theoretical foundation for theological reflection and giving step-by-step instructions for its practical implementation." The pages between the front and back covers achieve this claim.  

The first section of the book offers a look at what theological reflection is, and in many ways, what it is not. Definitions are discussed, biblical precedence and grounding offered, and a survey of previous models provide the foundation for their Reflection Loop model. The second section--and the bulk of the book-- is an offering of tools and instruction for using, teaching, and implementing theological reflection, specifically the Reflection Loop model. In this section, artifacts (as they call them) and examples from students help demonstrate the various tools. (Full disclosure: mine and some of my peer's theological reflection during our time at Gateway Seminary were used as examples. They are genuinely from actual students using real theological tools.)  

I used something similar to the Four Task model for theological reflection during my Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), and Dr. Jim Wilson taught me the McCarty model while I was studying under his leadership at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (now called Gateway Seminary.) It was clear that Dr. Wilson was evaluating the McCarty model and working on what eventually become the Reflection Loop model. While somewhat similar to other models, the Reflection Loop does indeed add stronger components to theological reflection. And after explaining the model, the examples and instruction drive home the value of Wilson and Waggoner's model. 

Learning and practicing theological reflection was extremely valuable during my time at Gateway, and now the same tools and instruction are available in A Guide to Theological Reflection.  I can't imagine the book will be the next popular read for every-day pastors. Still, I do believe the material in these pages would sharpen the pastor in most areas of his ministry if he were to read this book and practice more theological reflection. Anyone engaging in ministry field-training should consider implementing the tools found in the pages of Wilson and Waggoner's work. And professors responsible for internships and boots-on-the-ground learning should incorporate this book into their planning and mentorship. CPE and chaplain instructors might also benefit from reading this book. Even pastors implementing internships or residencies with their churches could use A Guide to Theological Reflection. 

Purchase A Guide to Theological Reflection: A Fresh Approach for Practical Ministry Courses and Theological Field Education by Jim L. Wilson and Earl Waggoner here.