(5) Current social issues and problems (poverty, homelessness, hunger, racism, injustice, addiction, crime, illegitimacy, child abuse, environmental pollution, war and peace, etc.); ways in which the church and Christian individuals have addressed and may address these; current concerns particular to major ethnic groups in the USA.  [big snip]

The GBEC [] intend[s] ...to examine how the Candidate has integrated his or her knowledge in the various canonical areas. It aims to evaluate [] the perception and analysis of issues in the several areas; the application of training and resources; the demonstration of knowledge and pastoral sensitivity; and the articulation of views.

I guessed correctly that the key thing was going to be assorted aspects of post-modern political correctness and “social justice.” What’s fascinating is how they hide it as just one point amongst the others and then focus on “perception” of issues and “integration” of responses. IOW, you will not pass unless you can find away to apply the real stuff to what actually matters to our church.

Fair enough, but glad I left many years ago.

The GBEC and its GOEs are among the most expensive and useless activities of TEC. Fifteen years ago, I wrote a series of letters to the GBEC asking for data on, among other things, the reliability and validity of the tests, the accountability of the readers, the relationship of test performance to actual performance in ministry and several other issues, including information about the budget and how the money was spent.  I would usually receive a lengthy response which in essence acknowledged that no studies on the reliability and validity of the tests was done, GBEC was bound not to disclose the identity of the readers, nor could they provide information about how readers were judged and held accountable. After three years, I gave up. In those days, GBEC was particularly concerned about wasting paper. The real problem goes deeper. In my view, it is a corrupt process that requires considerable transparency. 

BTW, I passed all 7 of the GOEs my first time through. It wasn’t sour grapes that caused me to question them.

Check the 2013-15 Budget line for GBEC and GOE.

How did Peter and Paul score on their GOE’s?  Anybody?

They aced biblical content.

Someone once told me that the best way to study for the Contemporary Society section of the exam was to read a years’ worth of editorials from the New York Times.

#5 Dr. S—I bet they could have written the questions and graded the papers on Contemporary Society/ Racial and Minority Groups.