I hope you can hear me as a person with experience, and not the institution or zeitgeist you referenced. I heard you say your CPE is nearly at an end. I hope you can find some value in it that has thus far eluded you. I hope you can confront your assumptions and grow as a student and a minister...
...so that the world will benefit more from your ministry. I hope that for all students, seminary and CPE. The reason the training works is that it gives you the chance to confront things in new ways and learn. I hope you get that chance. bsky.app/profile/chap...
This is so interesting to me, because it echoes my experience in CPE to a strong degree. No where, in any of my posts, did I say “value in it has thus far eluded [me].” I actually said that I’ve learned a lot. But sweeping generalizations like that have been a big part of my experience this summer
Your experience is interesting, and yet not my own. You are also not my supervisor or facilitator, and know nothing about my pastoral engagements or my engagement in class. For that reason it's interesting that you see your being a BCC and having 10 units of CPE as somehow separating us.
In front of the throne of Christ we are peers in that we are children of God, called to our own separate ministries. Our personal academic and professional achievements do not elevate us above one another in the eyes of God. I've learned a lot from CPE, and yet I would have benefited more
from a different approach that 1) provided skills before I engaged patients, 2) placed an emphasis on patient outcomes and didn't treat them as guiena pigs, and 3) was formulated around the ministry I am being called to. And that doesn't have to be CPE! Which was my initial point.
It isn't a value judgement on your career or even CPE itself. It's a statement that this process (while helpful in other ways!) has not added to my formation as a priest or helped me understand my ministry in the parish or within the priesthood.
And yet, as a part of your development and seminary process, you will be encouraged to encounter things you consider not adding to your formation. In truth, you may not know what it has or has not added for a long time. I genuinely encourage you to reflect and keep trying. We never know what helps.
I didn't say I was elevated above you, merely that we are not peers. Your peers are your fellow seminarians and your CPE cohort. My peers are fellow board certified chaplains. I said that we are equal before Christ. I genuinely feel some reflection on why you need us to be peers would be revealing.
I would gently add that you have approached this conversation as an expert, rather than a learner. There may be a better opportunity for you to approach this process through curiosity, rather than assurance. Maybe try not responding with facts, but sitting the questions. bsky.app/profile/farr...
I'm exceedingly aware I'm no expert. I haven't claimed to be. I've only offered my own reflections on my experience and the material presented to me in class. Our exchange has honestly added to my impression that CPE is a poor fit for priests-in-training. There's no reasons professional hospital
I would also add, gently, that the currently ordained priests who are echoing my comments and concerns suggest that I'm not alone in this opinion.