Title

Theological Reflection, Theological Method, and the Practice of Education Ministry: Exploring the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and Stackhouse's Tetralectic

School/Department

Talbot School of Theology

Publication Date

Spring 1997

Abstract

I INTRODUCTION:
THE NEED FOR THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION
IN CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
I have spent the last few years teaching Christian education in
undergraduate and graduate level programs. By its very nature
Christian education is an integrative discipline, utilizing the findings
of research in biblical studies, theology, philosophy, psychology,
sociology, education, administration, and other related disciplines.
Because of its integrative nature, the danger is always present that
Christian education may be unduly influenced by one academic
field, lose its theological foundations, and become captive to current
social science theories, or driven by short-term pragmatic concerns.
During the last century there has been considerable tension in
the field of Christian education over whether it is primarily a social
science*1 or a theological enterprise.2 It is my conviction that Christian
education needs to identify itself first and fundamentally as a
theological enterprise, but one that utilizes the findings of the social
sciences to shed light on its endeavors and further its goals. It is not
enough for Christian educators to be pedagogically, sociologically,
and psychologically astute and administratively adept. They need to
be guided by a well-thought-out theology that addresses the
fundamental questions of identity, purpose, and process in
education that is to be truly Christian.

Keywords

Stackhouse, John Gordon; Wesleyanism; Knowledge, Theory of (Religion)

Publication Title

Christian Education Journal

Volume

1

Issue

1

First Page

49

Last Page

64

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