Despite extensive research regarding the application of Transformative Learning Theory in adult education, there is very little literature promoting applying these principles and practices within Christian Worship Studies. Transformative Learning Theory is an educational theory that researches and promotes perspective-changing teaching and…

Twitter offers an engaging way to introduce students to reader-oriented interpretation of the Bible. The exercise described here introduces students to the idea that the reader has a role in the production of a text's meaning, which thus varies from reader to reader. Twitter enables us to capture the real-time thoughts of a variety of…

Teaching the Torah in liberal settings demands a set of skills and a sophisticated knowledge of the Bible. It presupposes an open approach to the text that posits multiple interpretations, and demands close reading and explication of the text as in a literary-critical approach. In this article, the author describes the knowledge and beliefs of six…

The dissimilarity that exists between the historical and cultural situation of North American college students and the world described by the biblical authors poses a problem for theological and religious education. While the biblical authors tell fantastic stories of miracle and magic, the scientific and technological paradigm prevalent in…

The Human Timeline invites students to physically re-create biblical history. Each student holds a card that denotes an event randomly selected from the biblical timeline. They then arrange themselves chronologically to learn the correct flow of biblical history. Because of the movement involved and the arbitrary layout of the cards among their…

This article begins by recognizing the increasing use of film in Religion, Theology, and Bible courses. It contends that in many Biblical Studies (and Religious Studies and Theology) courses, students are neither taught how to view films properly, nor how to place films into constructive dialogue with biblical texts. The article argues for a…

This manuscript is an edited transcript of a panel discussion held at a Society of Biblical Literature conference (Boston, Massachusetts, November 22 to 24, 2008). Alice Hunt begins the discussion by summarizing the content and significance of a new book by Dale Martin, "The Pedagogy of The Bible" (Westminster John Knox Press, 2008) in which he…

This paper originated in a Wabash-funded colloquium organized by Richard Ascough and Leif Vaage, on the theme: "Teaching the Bible for Leadership in the United Church of Canada." Professors teaching biblical studies at United Church seminaries and theological schools met over three years to share pedagogy, things that have worked and not…

The article begins with two brief theoretical descriptions of a pedagogy of desire vis-a-vis the Christian Bible. The first of these is a poem; the second summarizes the conversation constituted by four quite different books: the "Confessions" by Augustine of Hippo, "Freud & Philosophy" by Paul Ricoeur, "Pedagogy of…

The paper examines the implementation of an external written curriculum in the classroom. The study is based on observation of and interviews with 26 Israeli Bible teachers who followed a formal curriculum and used a teachers' guide. The study identified three types of curriculum narrative: the frame narrative, the task narrative, and the…

This paper explores the use of Peter Berger's theory of religion and its features of alienation and dealienation to lead students to the critical awareness of the role that human beings play in the construction of social worlds, including most especially our religious worlds. After summarizing Berger's theory of the alienating and potentially…

Discusses multiculturalism's growth, particularly in the religion field. Cites biblical passages that reflect multiculturalism. Suggests advancing multicultural religious education by starting with people, identifying relevant study themes and stressing process as well as content. Recommends learning about cultures as a step toward returning to…

Discusses an approach to the study of the Bible through psychodrama. Argues that such an approach makes biblical stories and their characters real by investing them fully with humanity. Concludes that a psychodramatic approach to the Bible is a strenuous exigesis through which it is possible to look past surfaces into an inner world. (SG)

Discusses different biblical translations throughout history in the context of the imminent publication of the New Revised Standard Version of the "Bible." Contends that in the present time, religious educators confront unprecedented disclosures about scripture based on ecumenical and interrelgious scholarship. (DB)

Criteria for choosing biblical reading materials for children are described, including story content, vocabulary, denominational biases, illustrations, and intended use of the materials. An annotated bibliography is provided which includes evaluations based on the criteria mentioned. (CLB)