School of Theology 2022

In July 2022 the annual Oak Hill School of Theology was hosted in person and live online at Oak Hill College. The theme was  ‘“Like the brightness after rain”: the godly exercise of pastoral authority’.

It draws on the last words of king David, who says in 2 Samuel Ch.23 that someone who rules in righteousness and in the fear of God is “like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain”. We delight in such beautiful leadership when we find it, and we grieve when it goes missing. But then David adds something. He says that a godly leader is “like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.” So a godly leader is not only something beautiful. They also do something… or rather, God does something through them. He brings growth and fruitfulness.

At this School of Theology we explored this beauty and fruitfulness as it should characterise the godly exercise of pastoral authority in churches. Churches need leaders. Jesus the Chief Shepherd appoints under-shepherds for the good of his church. So how are they to exercise the pastoral authority he gives them in a way that reflects his character? Along the way, as we thought through these things, we will inevitably reflect on some underlying reasons why leadership in the church can turn ugly, dispiriting and damaging, rather than beautiful, refreshing and nurturing. And we landed by considering how a richly biblical, theological and historically-aware understanding of pastoral authority helps that authority be exercised in Christ-like ways, for the good of God’s people, in the details of church life.