Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
oversight of this work has written of
the “common standard of formation”
which it hopes will flow from a single
suite of awards:
The discernment of the House of
Bishops, the training institutions
and the General Synod at the
present time seems to indicate a
deep desire to emphasise unity
and to bring into clearer focus
the common elements of our
training. This is in part a natural
development after a generation
of emphasising local and diverse
patterns of training. It is in
part a response to the rapidly
changing context for mission
and the need for the Church of
England as a whole to be able
to respond to those changes
with confidence and creativity.
It is in part also simply good
stewardship to be able to make
the best use of limited resources
and to encourage collaboration in
teaching and learning. 20
151 The working party has also written of
the potential for the single suite of
awards to play a part in the learning
and formation of the whole people of
God:
The possibility of a common
suite of awards for different
forms of training and formation
opens up the real possibility of
pathways to Diploma, Degree
and Masters level with a focus
on lay discipleship rather than
just a focus on recognised lay or
ordained ministry, and of shared
teaching and learning in this
across a number of institutions.
Several of our present
institutions have indicated that
they believe the degrees we
offer will become increasingly
attractive to independent
students in the coming years
because of the funding changes
across Higher Education
generally. 21
152 The working party has been clear
about the level of excellence which
will be sought from the university
partner:
This suite of awards would
not in any sense be a lowest
common denominator or lower
value set of awards than those
currently available in any part
of the sector. We are looking
for a robust partnership with
a strong HE provider such that
these awards become the Gold
Standard for lay and ordained
learning and formation for many
years to come. 22
153 The working party has also been
clear about its wish to proceed “in
as ecumenical a way as possible,
20
“Formation for Ministry: Phase 2 Report”, 16
21
“Formation for Ministry: Phase 2 Report”, 34
22
“Formation for Ministry: Phase 2 Report”, 8
704 Conference Agenda 2012