‘&lt;i&gt;Quis custodiet ipsos custodes&lt;/i&gt;?’ (Juvenal &lt;i&gt;Satires&lt;/i&gt;:§345) (Who guards [nurtures] the guardians?): Developing a constructivist approach to learning about ministerial and spiritual formation

Graham A Duncan

doi:10.4102/hts.v68i1.1251

Abstract

The main purpose of this exercise was to develop an improved model of ministerial and spiritual formation in the training of ministers in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa at the University of Pretoria. This is a perennial problem in many churches where there is a general dissatisfaction with the products, (i.e. ministers) not only in terms of personal spirituality but in their inability to minister effectively in the many diverse situations to which they are called or appointed. The exercise of power becomes an issue in a vocation which is premised on servant ministry and so Juvenal’s quotation is apt as it is expressed as ‘Who can be trusted with authority/power?’.

Highlights

Kretzschmar (2006:341) stated that the Christian church in Africa is currently experiencing a shortage of spiritually aware, competent, credible and prophetic leaders.In accepting the general truth of this statement, the main purpose of this exercise was to develop an improved model of ministerial or spiritual formation in the training of ministers in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa at the University of Pretoria, in a context in which ministers of a number of churches study
The problem inherent in ministerial formation is a perennial problem in many churches where there is a general dissatisfaction with the products in terms of personal spirituality, but in their inability to minister effectively in the many diverse situations to which they are called or appointed
The learners need fresher input – their own, on which to base their own personal development. Because their experience in ministry was limited, their practice needs to be developed through experimentation so that it might be ‘meaningful and relevant to [their] experience’ (McNiff 2002:8). This needs to be guided, inquiry-based learning which requires a variety of teaching methods all of which demand learner participation: The students are presented with problems to be solved, the learning process is emphasised, and the teacher becomes a guide through the process

Summary

Introduction

Kretzschmar (2006:341) stated that the Christian church in Africa is currently experiencing a shortage of spiritually aware, competent, credible and prophetic leaders. 1998), Shared Praxis (Groome 1980, 1991), Constructivist Learning theory (Gagnon & Collay; McNiff 2002), Multiple Intelligences (Gardner 1983), Collaborative Research (Cooper 2000–2006), Holistic Learning (Copley 2009), Multi-cultural education (Gorski 2004b & 2004c), teaching and learning strategies including Herrmann’s Whole Brain Development Theory (De Boer, Steyn & Du Toit 1999), Kolb’s (1984) learning style model and Felder’s (Felder & Soloman n.d.) learning styles and strategies This approach will not be premised on a know-everything approach but will concentrate rather on developing a model or methodology on which ministry practice (engagement) can be based which includes the growth of knowledge, skills and values

Aim

Conclusion