More than Words: Examining Actions of Power through Extra-verbal Domains in Theological Education

Abstract

AbstractTheological education, in line with mainstream academic culture, has delivered and assessed content primarily through the exchange of words. In turn, ecclesial practice, liturgy, mission, discipleship, and general teaching in the wider church has reflected this heavy verbal (rhetorical and literary) bias. This article reviews the cultural content and power dynamics of our common modes of delivery and assessment in theological education. Exploring the call to justice, inclusion and wholeness as markers of the way of Jesus and as fundamental rubrics for theological communities we will consider: a) Philosophical and pedagogical constructs that inform the intersection of mainstream academic discourse and mainstream theological education; b) Possibilities for explicitly engaging a diversity of age, gender, culture, agency, cognition and ability as normative anthropological samples; c) Resources already present, but somewhat latent, within Christian tradition for engaging non/extra-verbal theology; d) Examples of tasks in theology which educate beyond words.