Continuing ministerial development for clergy

Continuing professional development programmes are common these days across most employed groups, and reflect the need to maintain and develop professional competence beyond initial training. The church has followed this pattern, and every Church of England diocese has some form of provision. However, from a cursory review via the internet, such provision very often seems rather narrowly focused. Common topics include leadership, conflict management, first incumbencies and pre-retirement....

Diocesan budgets, one suspects, are under pressure, and training and development may be thought expendable, or something that can be run in-house. The needs of MSE/WPs are not obviously provided for. Nor do programmes appear to be aimed at helping conscientious parish-based stipendiary clergy remain alert to wider social realities which impact those to whom they minister.  Do you have accounts of excellent CMD provision, or suggestions for new content and provision? 

Does CMD (inadvertently) perpetuate clericalism? An interesting article from Neil Burgess.

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