This paper considers online pedagogy in relation to Christian adult learning and asks how this might be interpreted by theological educators. The online community of inquiry is proposed as one recognized pedagogical approach and illustrated by reference to a continuing professional development programme for online adult learners across the church…

While students of Islamic societies and cultures are aware of the influence of dynamics of honour and shame on behaviour, these factors are not always recognized by those who engage with Muslims in the UK. This paper will discuss the impact of concerns related to honour and shame on the behaviour of Muslim pupils in a Church of England primary…

This article raises a number of theological reservations about one contemporary Christian approach to teaching and learning. For many years David Smith and Trevor Cooling have played a leading role in demonstrating how Christian beliefs and theological themes might be integrated into classroom practice across the curriculum. But despite the good…

In this rebuttal to Sean Whittle), Cooling and Smith opine that: 1) Whittle's key concern is with discerning the appropriate relationship between theology and education in the context of a Christian school, 2) Whittle's criticism of our work, is that it fails to achieve a proper relationship between theology and education, and 3) Whittle…

This article is a response to Elmer Thiessen's article on evangelism in this journal. Although I agree with his general position that evangelism is an educationally justifiable activity, Thiessen criticizes comments I have made in my writings and charges me with being ambiguous. I respond to these remarks by defending the distinction that I…

Although much done in the name of discipleship and theological education pronounces lofty goals, such as movement from orthodoxy to orthopraxy, in many cases mere doctrinal assent is assumed to reflect deep change. An analysis of discipleship, worldview theory, and certain cognitive approaches to education suggests that worldview-level…

This article contributes to ongoing discussions related to the nature, scope, and methods of faith-learning integration. The "initiation" approach developed by Tim McDonough (2011) is adapted to faith-learning integration in an attempt to bridge polarizing discussions regarding indoctrination versus rational autonomy and critical…

In this paper I reply to John Tillson's critique of my book, "The Ethics of Evangelism," and Trevor Cooling's critique of my article, "Evangelism in the Classroom," both found in this issue of the journal. (Contains 11 notes.)

The integration of the Christian faith with human learning was addressed by the earliest Christian apologists and continues to be an important question for the church up to the present day. Such lengthy conversations are complicated by variations in nomenclature, attitudes, and theological assumptions. This paper attempts to clarify portions of…

Christian worldview thinking has become an increasingly prominent framework for thinking about education since its uptake by a new and rapidly growing constituency of Evangelicals. On the surface this popular surge vindicates the methodology yet the literature demonstrates a concerning lack of engagement with apparently debilitating critiques…

Recent conversations about Christian teaching and learning have discussed educating students' imaginations and desires. But how might one begin to educate desire and imagination? To answer, we narrate the experience of teaching a course, Living Well in a Car Culture, within a general education seminar required of all fourth-year students at a…

The medieval monastic movement preserved and developed reading practices--lectio--from ancient Greek pedagogy as a slow, mindful approach to reading for formation. This ancient way of reading, now better known as lectio divina, challenges the fast, pragmatic reading so characteristic of our time. We propose that the present moment may be ripe for…

This paper reflects on a visit by Christian poet John Terpstra to the final class session (on a Maundy Thursday) of my Literature and Environment course, to read his poetry suite on making a cross for his church out of a fruit-tree in an orchard being ploughed under for construction. Terpstra plays on the Stations of the Cross by interweaving the…

Most programmes of adult Christian learning today expect students to engage in theological reflection. The theoretical underpinning for this is often drawn from secular models of reflective practice, made "theological" by the subject matter for reflection. This article aims to establish an explicitly theological basis for the use of the metaphor…

Gifted students certainly present a unique set of challenges to the classroom teacher, but they generally do not require extra or different interventions in order to pass high stakes assessments. With the current focus on students with learning, emotional, or behavioral disabilities that hinder academic achievement, classroom teachers may spend…