Another look at education from a Christian stewardship perspective

Johannes L Van Der Walt

doi:10.4102/koers.v77i2.428

Abstract

Despite the current postmodern aversion to large-scale philosophies, another look at Christian stewardship education has become necessary. Christian educators need a reminder in the prevailing socio-political conditions in South Africa about the intricacies of their calling and duties towards the upcoming generation. The article commences with a discussion of education in general and then goes on to argue that the ‘thin’, minimalist and universalist language of modern day secular pedagogical theory should be augmented, or preferably replaced, by the ‘thick’, maximalist and particularist language of education theory rooted in the Bible. The article highlights a number of key concepts associated with Christian stewardship education and concludes by observing that, whilst an entire book (once again) could have been written on the subject, the discussion of a few key issues with regard to Christian stewardship education can serve as a reminder to Christian educators about their pedagogical responsibilities.

Highlights

Introduction and backgroundFor various reasons, the scholarly discipline known as Philosophy of Education has since the early 1990s all but disappeared from the encyclopaedia of education disciplines in South Africa.1 Its gradual loss of popularity in South African teacher education programmes in favour of disciplines such as Citizenship Education, (Social and Theoretical) Foundations of Education, Life Orientation and Critical Theory can arguably be ascribed to the advent of a postmodern attitude in which the value of ‘grand narratives’ in the form of systematic philosophies of education is questioned (Parkin 2011:156−7; Tripp & Tripp 2008:15; Col 2:8)
The scholarly discipline known as Philosophy of Education has since the early 1990s all but disappeared from the encyclopaedia of education disciplines in South Africa
Christian educators have seen since 1994 how neo-liberal and neo-capitalist political conditions have eroded the Christian ethos of school and family education and what inroads influences from public media such as television, newspapers, journals and social communication media have been making on the ethos of child-rearing

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and backgroundFor various reasons, the scholarly discipline known as Philosophy of Education has since the early 1990s all but disappeared from the encyclopaedia of education disciplines in South Africa.1 Its gradual loss of popularity in South African teacher education programmes in favour of (new) disciplines such as Citizenship Education, (Social and Theoretical) Foundations of Education, Life Orientation and Critical Theory can arguably be ascribed to the advent of a postmodern attitude in which the value of ‘grand narratives’ in the form of systematic philosophies of education is questioned (Parkin 2011:156−7; Tripp & Tripp 2008:15; Col 2:8). An important point that is frequently overlooked, probably due to one-sided concentration on the stewardship task of the educator, is the fact that the educand has come into this world equipped with special potential and gifts which flow from the human being’s special status and dignity as the image of God and for which he or she should exercise responsible stewardship.

Results

Conclusion