Forming a Theological Imagination

The Diocese of Waiapu is currently developing a formation track for any and all members of the parishes of our diocese that may be interested. The desire is to establish a space in which the essential heart of theology and of our practices as a church can be discussed and embedded, especially for those involved in ministry. This will see offerings of study in the areas of theology, biblical studies, ecclesiology and church history, alongside smaller papers in pastoral care and the leading of worship.

As this is developed, we are looking to trial two of these courses - Reading the Bible and The Prayer Book: Rubrics, Rites and Reasons. Reading the bible is a 15-week course, while The Prayer Book is 5 weeks. They will be delivered by the Reverend Deborah Broome and by Alan Burnett.

These courses have an expectation of approximately 2 hours of study a week, broken down into 45-minute lecture and a fortnightly gathering with others to discuss the teaching and content. There are minimal assessments, primarily geared at helping you to wrestle with the content.

We are looking for a cohort of up to 20 to undertake the journey of these first papers with us to identify the bugs in the system, areas we need to develop and change and to assess how feasible the requirements are alongside current life activities and commitments. The papers will begin on Monday, July 14. Those registered will have more information about small groups and pathways to access the content.

If you are interested in supporting us through this development stage, please contact office@taradaleanglican.church to register and we will confirm your enrolment. We hope this programme will fill up quickly, so let us know as soon as possible. There is no cost for those who belong to an Anglican parish in Waiapu.

In 2026 this programme will become a standard requirement for those engaging in licenced lay ministry that do not have any other form of theological education.

To view more about the overall programme and the intentions we have for it, click here.