Editor's Notes

Case Studies

A Dane with the Danes

Leland Elhard, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus Ohio

A young pastor visits the home of one of the women leaders of her new congregation.  During the visit she seeks to develop some relationship with the woman’s distant-appearing husband when suddenly he offers two alcoholic drinks customary to their shared Danish culture.  The pastor accepts the drinks and then wonders what she has done.

Could I Have Done More?

Lyle Pointer, Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, Oklahoma

A pastor who loses a close friend to death wrestles with ministry to non-Christians, evangelism, respect for privacy and personal freedom, and his own spiritual readiness.

Called to Ministry?

Kenneth L. Swetland, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts

A successful businessman enters seminary to take up a second career in ministry and encounters a loss of status, income, and free time.

"Don't Come Over and Help Us!"

Alan Neely, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey

Serious objections are voiced by Thai Karen Church members when a group of Karen seminary students from Myanmar come and utilize ancient myths in dramas designed to present the Christian message.  The church is divided as to whether the gospel is being compromised.

Fire the Minister?

Karl E. Peters, Rollins College, Orlando, Florida

The lay moderator of a medium size church encounters increasing opposition to the pastor he has previously supported.  The moderator considers ways to achieve conflict resolution as the pastor increasingly alienates members of the church.

Giving Thanks

Alice Frazer Evans, Plowshares Institute, Simsbury, Connecticut

A Korean-American urban pastor attempts to deal with a misunderstanding and miscommunication in a confrontation between Korean businessmen and an African-American community.

Good Morning, Sarah

Dolores E. Lee McCabe, Eastern College, St. Davids, Pennsylvania

A university administrator/counselor attempts to be with two students who are married, HIV Positive, and have just lost a child to AIDS.  Forced to face their tragedy without adequate financial resources, the students also reflect on the ways of God.

Jakub's Wake-Up Call

William R. O'Brien, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

A committed Christian struggles with the dislocation and exploitation of his people and the environmental degradation caused by a transnational mining operation in West Irian, Indonesia.

The Man Born Blind

James L. Resseguie, Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Findlay, Ohio

The man born blind in John 9 recites his story and new found faith, raising a number of critical social and theological issues.

"Phyllis Crowder is Pregnant!"

Alan Neely, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey

A missionary wife has an affair with a national pastor who is her language teacher and becomes pregnant.  A mission agency executive is faced with the task of ministering to her and her husband as well as following the agency's policy regarding immorality. 

A Place for Reconciliation

Robert A. Evans, Plowshares Institute, Simsbury, Connecticut

A South African seminary faculty is divided over the seminary's role in the rebuilding of a community devastated by the economic and political repercussions of apartheid.

Sacred Sites

Alice Frazer Evans, Plowshares Institute, Simsbury, Connecticut

An Australian pastor must decide on his denomination's role in a dispute between the Australian government and an Aboriginal community's claim of sacred land.

The Troubled Internship

Donna Duensing, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California

A seminary director of field education feels an old anger rising up within her when called on to intervene in a situation where a male supervisor is accused of abusing his power in relation to a female intern.

"You're Fired!"

Kenneth L. Swetland, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts

A seminary intern encounters difficulties in his ministry in a local church.  The director of supervised ministry at the seminary attempts to reconcile the intern and his supervising pastor.

Resources

"Teaching" Cases for Religious Studies

Alice Frazer Evans, Plowshares Institute, Simsbury, Connecticut

Alice Evans has prepared this up to date listing of resources for teaching cases.  Included in this listing is information on where to find individual cases and catalogue of in and out of print case books.