Being that we have been making significant changes to our Sunday school program including strategic offerings for specific genders, ages and life-stages and implementing a church-wide curriculum, I thought it might be beneficial to the body to share a review of a book I recently read on the Theology of Christian Education.
Forgive me if it sounds a bit academic, but I believe a theological understanding of the "why" behind our Sunday school and other discipleship ministries will help as we move forward with our exciting changes in the light of our new building.
Anthony, Michael, James R. Estep, and Greg Allison. A Theology for Christian Education. B&H Academic, 2008.
Michael Anthony has been a pioneering name in 21stCentury philosophies in Christian Education. He is in strong company with James Estep and Greg Allison. Anthony and Estep, being strong scholars in the field of Christian education have enlisted Allison for his expertise in theological studies. The stated, and accomplished purpose of the work is to lay a thorough systematic theological foundation for Christian education. Books that take a more biblical theological perspective permeate a search for titles. At risk of alienating some of the audience with a staunchly theologically based book, Anthony, Estep and Allison truly follow a pure systematic model through the study.
After a brief, but descriptive look at various methods for theological study: like historical, practical, biblical, exegetical, apologetical and finally, systematic, the authors give ample reason for a systematic approach to their work.
Beginning with the first chapter, Anthony defines both theology and education. They are represented as two disciplines. For the former term, the definition given by Millard Erickson is used; “that discipline that strives to give a coherent statement of the doctrines of the Christian faith, based primarily on the Scriptures, placed in the context of culture in general, worded any contemporary idiom, and related to the issues of life.” And “in its most basic form, education can be understood as the intentional process of facilitating preferred learning.”
Chapter two declares the need of incorporating these two studies into one approach toward Christian education. In Estep’s calculation, if education is distinctively Christian, it must be “theologically informed; that is, [it arises] from Christian theology, [is] defined by it or directly refer[s] to the content in Christian theology.”
Estep continues in the following chapter to develop the principles for a theology of Christian education. “Scripture is the primary lens through which the Christian educator perceives and prescribes the character of education in the church.” The two primary reasons given for regarding Scripture as foundational to Christian education are its claims to revelation and inspiration.Allison and Anthony expound in chapter four, on the correlation between revelation in Scripture and Christian education, giving much attention to the ramifications of general revelation, special revelation, and what they call “the doctrine of Scripture” or bibliology. This chapter marks the beginning of each subsequent chapter following the commonly used topics of systematic theology, each being titled “The Triune God and Christian Education”, and “Christology and Christian Education,” Pneumatology and Christian Education” and so on. For the sake of time, this portion of the chapter summaries will be condensed with the understanding that the issue of format is addressed here.
As to the Trinity, Estep uses chapter five in a bit more of a generic sense. He relates who God is, and “presents the rationale for a God centered approach to education by identifying the educational implications of our belief in the Christian God.” In the sixth chapter, Anthony shows the relationship between Christology and Christian Education by looking at Jesus as the master Teacher. “Unlike others of his day Jesus possessed and talk with moral authority, let an uncompromising lifestyle consistent with his teaching, demonstrated an authentic simplicity for all to see, and directed his teaching to an unlikely audience.”
In the following chapter, Anthony connects the Holy Spirit, who is the illuminator of the scriptures to Christian Education byshowing His role in the preparation of the heart of the teacher and learners, as well as His application of God’s Word in their hearts. Humanity and sin, according to Allison in chapter 8, are imperative theological studies, as we must know whom we are trying to educate. Man is finite and relational and needs to be in awe of an infinite God. This happens as we incorporate theology at every level of our Christian education programs.
Allison’s writing in chapter nine describes the drama of Salvation as having six implications for Christian Education ranging from “Offering a wide variety of educational initiatives” to “Aiming toward an eschatological goal and blessing.” The correlation between the doctrine of the church (ecclesiology) and Christian education is Estep’s focus in the next chapter. Excepting a broader look at Christian education’s role in the church, he mentions that it has a role in the community, is not just a program in the church, and helps the church to know how to become the church. In the 11th and final chapter, Estep challenges churches toward approaching all of their education programming in a theological manner. The chapter provides very practical advice to pastors and teachers about how to holistically develop a theological system for Christian education. “The key to the holistic approach is to recognize that each form of education must be centered on the ultimate purpose of education, bringing glory to God. If the objectives are mistaken for the purpose it would be disastrous for the Christian and the congregation.”
Being a Pastor over educational ministries at Triad, I am always looking for fresh resources. Being a person who has a strong interest in seeing church done in a more biblical, missional, and even organic way, the final chapter was refreshing in that it helped connect what I have known about Christian Education for quite sometime with the way it should be done “as the church” not just “in the church.”
My personal formula for discipleship is "biblical teaching + appropriate relationship x the work of the Holy Spirit = Discipleship (spiritual growth). It is imperative that the church community at Triad get involved in Sunday School and Life Groups to gain the the first two components of this equation and to be asking of The Lord for the Spirit to work growth in them.