Skip to main content

Is Talk of ‘Christian Education’ Meaningful?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Christian Faith, Formation and Education
  • 582 Accesses

Abstract

Those who find the phrase ‘Christian education’ meaningful may nevertheless mean quite different things when they use it. Others have argued that what is good or bad in education has logically nothing to do with Christian faith so that it is strictly meaningless to talk of Christian education. Others claim that Christian or any other faith-based education is necessarily indoctrinatory and therefore fundamentally anti-educational. In contrast with these reductions of meaning or claims of meaninglessness or necessary indoctrination, I propose a holistic form of Christian education that has as its main aim the promotion of shalom and is relational in pedagogical approach and appropriate for plural contexts and not only those of Christian schools or churches.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Brueggemann, W. (1982). The Creative Word: Canon as a Model for Biblical Education. Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buber, M. (1937). I and Thou. New York: Scribner.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooling, T. J. (2012). The Distinctiveness of Learning in Church of England Schools. In H. Worsley (Ed.), Anglican Church School Education: Moving Beyond the First Two Hundred Years. London: Bloomsbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Copson, A. (2012, February 25). Humanist Views on Education [blog post]. Andrewcopson.net . Retrieved March 15, 2017, from http://andrewcopson.net/2012/02/humanist-views-on-education/

  • Deardorff, D. K. (2017). The BIG Picture: Reflections on the Role of International Educational Exchange in Peace and Understanding. In J. Mathews-Aydinli (Ed.), International Education Exchanges and Intercultural Understanding: Promoting Peace and Global Relations (pp. 11–20). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Heie, H., & Wolfe, D. L. (Eds.). (1987). The Reality of Christian Learning. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirst, P. H. (1971a). Christian Education: A Contradiction in Terms? Faith and Thought, 99(1), 43–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirst, P. H. (1971b). Mr Robson, Mr Adcock and Christian Education – A Reply. Faith and Thought, 99(3), 187–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirst, P. H. (1972). Liberal Education and the Nature of Knowledge. In R. F. Dearden, P. H. Hirst, & R. S. Peters (Eds.), Education and the Development of Reason (pp. 291–308). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macmurray, J. (1991). Persons in Relation. New York: Humanity Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meek, E. (2011). Loving to Know: Covenant Epistemology. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, P. J. (1983). To Know as We Are Known: A Spirituality of Education. San Francisco: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, P. J. (1998). The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, D. Z. (1970). Faith and Philosophical Enquiry. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polanyi, M. (1958). Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-critical Philosophy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwehn, M. R. (1993). Exiles from Eden: Religion and the Academic Vocation in America. New York: OUP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shortt, J. (2014). Bible-Shaped Teaching. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shortt, J. (2016). Education for Shalom: Dimensions of a Relational Pedagogy. In P. M. Bamber & J. C. Moore (Eds.), Teacher Education in Challenging Times: Lessons for Professionalism, Partnership and Practice (pp. 58–68). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. I., & Shortt, J. (2002). The Bible and the Task of Teaching. Nottingham: The Stapleford Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whatiflearning. (2017). Are These Teaching Practices ‘Distinctively Christian’? [online]. Retrieved March 15, 2017, from http://www.whatiflearning.co.uk/big-picture/christian-distinctiveness

  • Williams, R. (2013). The Person and the Individual: Human Dignity, Human Relationships and Human Limits [online]. Retrieved March 15, 2017, from http://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/publications/2012/10/01/the-person-and-the-individual-human-dignity-human-relationships-and-human-limits

  • Wolterstorff, N. (2002). Educating for Life: Reflections on Christian Teaching and Learning. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolterstorff, N. (2004). Educating for Shalom: Essays on Christian Higher Education. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Shortt, J. (2018). Is Talk of ‘Christian Education’ Meaningful?. In: Stuart-Buttle, R., Shortt, J. (eds) Christian Faith, Formation and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62803-5_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62803-5_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62802-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62803-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics