Pedagogical values in teaching public theology: Resonances from an underground seminary

Abstract

AbstractThis article is a reflection on the teaching of public theology in two very different contexts: in a Protestant seminary in the US (1985–2019) and an underground seminary in Nazi Germany (1935–1937). The author analyzes her teaching career over years of change, both institutional and social, that challenged pedagogical methods to remain relevant and effective. Yet informing and shaping her pedagogy were five values that remained constant throughout: contextuality, democratic participation, collegiality, dialogue, and inclusion of diverse voices. These values resonated with another theological school in another time and place—the underground seminary at Finkenwalde in Germany, created by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 1935. It trained students for the Confessing Church until it was shut down by the Gestapo in 1937. Moving into a future in which pedagogical methods are changing and instructors are retooling to learn new technologies and teaching skills, these core values remain as touchstones in shaping curriculum and the educational experience.