Shared narrative: Story brokering as an approach to contextual learning at seminary

This thesis explores what happens when a contextual learning experience is developed that has seminary students engaged as story brokers for the purpose of learning imaginative approaches for ministry in a postmodern world. Eight first year Gettysburg Seminary students participated in a semester long learning experience that had each of them intentionally seek out a place to inhabit outside of the church. Through these "cultural encounters" the students explored the stories of people who are trying to make ultimate sense of their lives apart from the faith tradition. The students functioned as story brokers as they integrated these stories with the biblical stories, their own personal stories and the theological doctrines that were formed within the stories of their own tradition.; The students functioned as story brokers as they first paid attention to what was happening in their context. They evoked stories and listened carefully to what and how the story was told. As they gathered and interlaced these stories with the biblical story, they discerned a preferred, emerging story and told that story. This larger multi-perspective story emerged as a shared narrative that reflected the realities of both a post Christendom culture and a God who is present and actively working in the world today. As the students explored these intersecting stories their imaginations for ministry were cultivated.; The data sources included discussion notes from weekly meetings, coaching sessions and online conversations. Sermons, essays and evaluations were also evaluated. The research demonstrated that the contextual learning experience created an awareness of postmodern culture, provided opportunities to discern how God is at work in the world, impacted the students' teaching and preaching by encouraging a respect for diversity, strengthened pastoral identity, nurtured spiritual formation and helped the students learn imaginative approaches for ministry in a postmodern world.