This article argues that three dimensions of relevance can be identified for the academic study of religion as it is taught at the university: (1) Foundations; (2) General Education; and (3) Application. The analytical distinction of these dimensions also reveals that they are inextricably linked and co-dependent. This model may help to sort out…

This article is about the death of a graduate school for spiritual formation and theological education. I ask what the death of this school can teach us about teaching theology and religion for the sake of student transformation and more loving pedagogies. I also ask how, when an institution dies, it can die beautifully. The underlying thesis of…

Hindu sacred scriptures are a rich interweave of cosmological revelation that is embedded in melopoeia (melodic poetry) and sung in designated meters during rituals, liturgical services, festivals, and personal prayers. Revelation is conveyed through enigmatic dialogues, debates, parables, anecdotes, legends, and narratives. These occur between…

Theological education faces the task of forming leaders and scholars with the capacity for personal and social transformation. This effort requires a deeper understanding of habit formation as both problem and potential. Utilizing the example of how racism functions through embodied habits, this article emphasizes bodily awareness and repeated…

This article considers how the practice of "ungrading" in the homiletics classroom can function not merely as a pedagogical technique, but as a theo-ethical practice. Grounding ungrading in theological ethics in addition to critical pedagogical theory can lead us toward a pedagogical practice that builds anti-racist and decolonial spaces…

This paper addresses a surprising phenomenon in the evangelical theological classroom. Evangelical theological students often approach theology as an exclusively analytic subject, failing to use imaginative criteria in "doing theology." Specifically, they fail to use their literary imaginations or what some call narrative imagination.…

Although the goals of consensus-based decision-making (CBDM) and the academic theological classroom are quite distinct (most notably that in the classroom, there is no need to come to a group decision), both share the aim of honoring all voices and perspectives and ensuring that marginalized voices and experiences are elevated. It is an important…

This article explores the delivery and pedagogy of initial ministerial training for lay and ordained candidates in the Church in Wales by its training arm, the St. Padarn's Institute. I discuss how logistical challenges force us into a more pragmatic approach where practical considerations are as influential as philosophical and pedagogical…

Much knowledge production, both academic and non-academic, is driven by a need to simplify the world in order to enable people to navigate the complexities of everyday life. Such simplifications not only risk offering less reliable representations of the world, they can also turn into disruptive and harmful images of the world. In this article,…

This essay addresses the importance of in-class exercises that intentionally lead students into moments of self-encounter, and demonstrates how theology classes can incorporate such exercises. It does so by outlining three specific examples from three different class settings. These exercises facilitate students getting to know themselves deeply…

Given that spiritual formation of students is a key pursuit of theological training and in light of the evolving landscape of Christian spiritual formation, designing an effective educational model for the goal of students' formation is challenging. This article explores the educational means and factors of self-awareness that enhance spiritual…

When you think back to your own experiences as a student, what was meaningful? Memorable? Had a lasting effect? Who are the teachers that stand out? And why? Throughout our lives, we have instructors both in and beyond the classroom, and upon intentional reflection, we can pick up on some qualities that make certain teachers more effective than…

Perceptions about remote theological education inevitably cluster around questions of embodiment, community, and unity. The letters of the apostle Paul have quite a bit to say about these themes. This essay examines Paul's treatment of distance in the formation and education of Christians, focused around the image of the "body of Christ"…

This article reflects on an instructor's experience of incorporating an optional assignment in a theology class wherein students are invited to learn a new athletic skill, journal while doing so, and then theologically reflect on their experience. It begins with the instructor making a case for the need to bring the body back into the classroom.…

Peer teaching among students has a powerful role in the learning process and has been studied and recognized as an effective teaching method. Research on peer teaching applied in different contexts has shown that learning through the process of teaching others increases students' academic performance. In Indonesia, some research on peer teaching…