Theology as the Basis for Christian Education -- By: H. Norman Wright

Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 128:510 (Apr 1971)
Article: Theology as the Basis for Christian Education
Author: H. Norman Wright


Theology as the Basis for Christian Education

H. Norman Wright

[H. Norman Wright, Assistant Professor of Religious Education, Talbot Theological Seminary, La Mirada, California.]

Where is the theology in the educational program of the local church? It is frequently discovered in one of three embarrassing positions: (1) churches take for granted that a “theological content” is in existence and usage, (2) no thought, consideration, or heed is ever given to theological content either in the initial founding of an educational venture or in periodic examination and review, or (3) theology as content is left to the pastoral teaching and preaching as the sole avenue of transmission.

Yet a program of Christian education is in reality not a Christian education unless there is a sound theological basis and thrust in the totality of the pedological encounter.

Is the professional Christian educator or teaching layman cognizant of the theological nature of the teaching ministry? Can they immediately and precisely indicate where the theological content is in evidence in the methodology, curriculum, or educational philosophy of the program? Conflict and puzzlement does exist in some minds when theology and Christian education are merged for discussion purposes. There are those who lack the ability to bridge the gulf between the two disciplines. But theology is the core, the foundation, and the source for all the content of the teaching. Theology is essential to and inseparable from Christian education.

There are several suggested reasons for the apparent lack of integration of theology and Christian education. First, the former position of theology as a discipline may have contributed to the current state of affairs. One Christian educator wrote, “Theology was once ‘the queen of the sciences.’ As all roads once led to Rome, so

all roads of learning once led to theology. A medieval wood cut illustrated learning as a house consisting of several rooms. These rooms represented the seven liberal arts, the comprehensive and full extent of human wisdom. The tower room, which was reached after one had passed through all seven was termed—Theology. In short, all learning served theology, the wisdom or knowledge about God.”1 But since then theology has fallen from its pinnacle and has gradually been isolated from the liberal arts and in some sense from the main paths of life itself. Educators have cited many reasons for this: (1) theology as a discipline was not that concerned with this world while man was, (2) theology warred with science and democratic processes, and (3) of importance to the Christian ...

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