Christian Learning Research Articles

Integrating the Gap Between Faith Education and Christian Learning in the Indonesian Context with a Christian Worldview

In Indonesia, there is a striking contrast between faith education and Christian learning, which raises major questions regarding integration. Faith education is often associated with worship and character formation in the church, while schools are expected to strengthen Christian values. Understanding Christianity in the concept of worldview is very important, stressing the Christian's responsibility to live in the world, not of the world. This research used qualitative methods, including surveys and thematic analysis, which produced three main findings. First, faith education is usually carried out in religious schools, in line with specific religious doctrines, whereas Christian learning involves systematic exposure to Christian teachings. Second, religious education in Indonesia aims to overcome inter-religious disorders, while Christian education seeks to understand God's will. Research puts forward the concept of a universal worldview as a means of bridging this gap. Three proposed approaches are Teaching for commitment, Teaching for commitment Teaching about commitment, and Teaching from commitment.

Post-Modernism, Deconstruction of Christian Religious Education, and Cultural Projection in Central Kalimantan

The purpose of this research is to examine cultural participation in Central Kalimantan in the context of Christian education, whether as a curriculum, subject, or livelihood of Christian learning, in the midst of the postmodern wave. The aim is to explore postmodernist ideas in Christian education that are non-totalitarian, acknowledge the non-homogeneity of truth, and allow for diversity and freedom of thought. This research method prioritizes postmodernist thinking and culture in Christian religious education through a literature study. Secondary sources are taken from journal references (Scopus and Sinta) and several dissertations related to Christian education. The main sources for analysis are books by Karl Henri Nouwen, Franz-Magnis Suseno, Polanyi, and Jean-François Lyotard. The language used is clear, objective, and value-neutral, with a formal register and precise word choice. The logical structure ensures a clear and concise flow of information with causal connections between statements. The text is free from grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation errors. The text adheres to conventional structure and formatting features, with consistent citation and footnote style. No changes in content have been made. The results indicate that postmodernism, which rejects grand narratives and totalitarianism, as well as the omission of imperialism in Christian education, plays a role in the form of a living culture in Central Kalimantan. This culture emphasizes the balance of life, respect for creation, and the ritualistic and spiritual sacredness of religion, which are reflected in education, including Christian education

Zoom as an Instructional Tool in Teaching Reading Among Kindergarten Learners During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Zoom as an instructional tool in teaching reading among kindergarten learners of the three identified private schools, namely the Sae Young Christian Learning Center Inc. (SYCLC)., Thrice Admirable Montessori School (TAMS) and Seed Childhood Education and Learning Center Inc. (SCELCI) during the School Year 2020 - 2021. It utilized a quasi-experimental design to gather the needed data on the effectiveness of Zoom as an instructional tool in teaching reading among kindergarten learners in the three identified schools. There was a total of 30 Kinder 2 learner respondents. Each school has five (5) learners for modular instruction and another five (5) for blended instruction. Results showed that the reading performance of the kindergarten learners during the pretest and post-test was between “Good” and “Easy.” It was found that there is a significant difference in the reading performance of both the pretest and post-test in TAMS and SCELCI, while there is no significant difference in both the pretest and post-test in SYCLCI. Lastly, the effectiveness of Zoom as an instructional tool in teaching reading among kindergarten learners of the identified private schools was very satisfactory. Thus, the researchers recommend using the Zoom application as an instructional tool for teaching reading among kindergarten learners.

Seeing All Things in Relation to God

This essay argues that a theology of the intellect is key to understanding the being and calling of a Christian University. It seeks to provide an understanding of the unique foundation and shape of Christian learning by showing that the intellect is a divine gift. Christian thinking and scholarship begins with the mystery of the triune God because the principal object of Christian thinking is the triune God and God’s action in and through Christ. Setting the intellect within the history of God’s reconciliation of all things in Christ lays bare the underlying rationale for Trinity Western University’s guiding vision: “every graduate is equipped to think truthfully, act justly, and live faithfully for the good of the world and the glory of God.”

Ann Loades as practical theologian and Christian educator

ABSTRACT This article attempts to frame the theology and teaching of Ann Loades within the categories of practical theology and Christian education. After outlining the author’s academic relationship with Loades, the author analyses the meaning of the phrase ‘practical theology’ and some aspects of the debate surrounding the term. He contends that Loades’s wide-ranging reflections on the practices of Christian prayer and spirituality, worship and liturgy, and ethics and belonging may be regarded as examples of such a practical theology. The author’s concept of ‘ordinary theology’ is then employed as a bridge into an exploration of Christian learning and teaching, which draws parallels between both Loades’s interpretation of a ‘learning Christ’ and her perspectival account of spiritual vision, and the views of other Christian educationalists and theologians. Although Ann Loades did not inhabit the rather specialised worlds of practical theologians or Christian educationalists, her work has much to contribute to both.

The Emancipation of Christian Learning in Anglican Parishes, from the ‘Lay’ Era to Another Discipleship Era without the ‘Lay’ Tag

AbstractDiscipleship is a key topic for the worldwide Anglican Church. Approaches to Christian learning have varied over the centuries. The time has come to liberate Christian formation, education, and training from the constraints of the clergy and laity dualistic narrative, where lay people are defined negatively as Christians who are not clergy, not ordained, and not qualified. Inequality of discipleship exists in this clergy/laity disposition. The laity need to be educated. The paper explores the biblical, theological, and educational background for the need to emancipate Christian learning in parishes from the ‘lay’ era, with its limitations on Christian growth, to another ‘discipleship’ era where equality of discipleship exists, like the early church prior to around 96 ce. Disciples know that they are learners and ministers and engage in Christian learning as people who are ordained through baptism-confirmation, commissioned through Holy Communion, and qualified through their Christian faith, abilities, and skills, uniquely participating in the missio dei. The implications are discussed and illustrated in three practical examples of ‘emancipatory space’: A Learning Community Approach; Theology and the People of God; and Democratizing Christian Learning. The Church is called to help people become and be disciples, not laity!

The Rhetorical Arts in Late Antique and Early Medieval Ireland, by Brian James Stone

The Rhetorical Arts in Late Antique and Early Medieval Ireland, by Brian James Stone

Continuous assessment of Peter Senge's learning organization model for improving the quality of Christian higher education in Indonesia

AbstractThis paper briefly discusses Peter Senge's Continuous Assessment Learning Organization Model for Quality Improvement, and describes how it is implemented in improving the quality of education by Christian Religious Colleges in Indonesia. The main conclusion of this paper is that Christian Religious Colleges in Indonesia must develop an organizational culture where continuous assessment for quality improvement is part of everyday practice in schools. To achieve this, it is proposed that schools should become learning communities based on Peter Senge's Learning Organization model. While this paper is not based on research, the main implication is that every school should seek creative ways to implement Peter Senge's Continuous Assessment Learning Organization Model for Quality Improvement according to its culture and spirituality. A second implication is a Christian learning organization should be a prayer‐defined organization. Every activity, every decision should be informed by prayer and be done in prayer, seeking the will of God, his approval, and his glory. Prayer should play a key role in any assessment. This conceptual paper is original as it explores the fit of applying Peter Senge's Continuous Assessment Learning Organization Model with seeking the will of God, his approval, and his glory for quality improvement in Christian Religious Colleges in Indonesia.

Frailty and Redemptive Flourishing: Learning Through Lived Experience

This article presents an extended meditation exercise on Christian learning through the lived experience of frailty. It was composed at various points of calendar distance from the author's experience of sudden cardiac arrest. The structure of the meditation conforms to a catechetical–doctrinal framework, appealing to didache, didaskalia, and didasko. An original poem by Dan Haase is referenced and included in the appendix.

At the Border of Christian Learning: Islamic Thought and Constructive Christian Theology

For Christian theology to learn from Muslims, it cannot simply cross over into Islamic thought by reading Muslim texts or appropriating Islamic ideas. The Christian theologian must find a way to attend to the history of Christian-Muslim polemics in a non-confrontational fashion that still accounts for disagreement and difference. Many Muslim voices offer profound and challenging questions concerning Christian theology. This essay proposes that Christian theology can engage with Islamic thought as a key resource in the theological quest for a more truthful and just witness to God.

A Faith-Informed Model for Experiential Learning Applied to Faith Integrated Service-Learning

In this article, we propose that Christian college and university professors make use of experiential learning, particularly in the form of academic service-learning, in their academic courses. Accordingly, this proposal emphasizes faith-integrated service-learning, aiming for a distinctly Christian approach that goes beyond mere acts of Christian kindness. This article offers, therefore: (1) an argument for experiential learning in the context of faith-based learning, (2) a pedagogical model that resembles Jesus’ own use of experiential learning with his disciples, (3) the application of this model to faith-based service-learning, and (4) the attendant recommendation that faith-based service-learning incorporate both relevant knowledge and wisdom from the Christian faith and faith-informed critical reflection. Practical suggestions and illustrations are offered for each phase of the model being proposed, as applied to an academic service-learning project in a Christian college course. This article presents the model that was introduced to the participants in the Faith Learning in Action (FLA) project that was the basis of the articles included in this Theme Issue of the Christian Higher Education journal. Christian educators, curriculum designers, and faculty developers who are compelled by a vision for more holistic Christian learning, across the disciplines and professions, will find some assistance here.

Monitoring dan Evaluasi Penyelenggaraan Relawan Guru Pendidikan Kristen dan Katolik BKGS Salatiga

Primary schools lack Christian and Catholic teachers so there are volunteer teachers of the religious teaching staff. The volunteer has not enough education and teaching experiences. Therefore, provision is important both from a spiritual perspective, introduction to vision and mission, core values of BKGS, and as well as intellectually Christian and Catholic learning methods. The method that we used was to distribute the instrument to partner schools. The activity is carried out in several steps: Preparation, Implementation, Evaluation, and Reporting. The outcome and achievement are the performance of BKGS volunteers who are placed in schools, especially primary school in Salatiga, are classified good. This activity implies that teachers can improve learning strategies in schools through evaluations.

Assessing Christian learning: Towards a practices-based approach to faith, vocation, and assessment

This essay proposes that efforts at assessing the contribution of faith-based schools to faith formation be grounded in an account of student vocation framed by Christian practices. We identify gaps in research on assessment of school effectiveness and suggest that a focus on the present vocation of students may fruitfully connect faith and school-based learning practices. On this basis, we describe a framework for viewing assessment through a practices lens by identifying Christian practices that orient learning practices. We also briefly introduce the Practicing Faith Survey, a new tool based on this approach.

Discipleship in Three Dimensions: Implications for Home, School and Church as Learning Institutions

This article intended to explore the three mentoring aspects as discipleship dimensions within the three Training avenues, attempting to show the significance of each one. ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬Literary method was engaged in this study whereas bibliographical data were collected to placate the concern. The article was divided into two major parts. The first part disclosed the prominence of the three mentoring dimensions; rational, relational and missional which began with evaluation aspect. In this study, the three dimensions work as catalysts for the growth of any Christ’s follower. The second part discussed the prominent training avenues for the faithful and trustworthy disciples. This part displayed the family, the church and the school as the precious avenues for mentoring and discipleship. It is anticipated that this paper will contribute to the knowledge and skills on how to enhance students’ commitment to faith in Christian learning institutions. As far as discipleship is concerned, the study is in harmony with the following statement, “prevention is better than cure.” For the bright future of the Christian church, students need to be guarded morally before it is too late.

A Study on the Christian Learning Environmental Arrangement in Church Educational Space

A Study on the Christian Learning Environmental Arrangement in Church Educational Space

PENGGUNAAN METODE EKSPOSITORI PADA MATA PELAJARAN PAK DALAM MENINGKATKAN PRESTASI BELAJAR SISWA DI SD INPRES PONDANG

In the learning process that involves material, methods, media props and so on must also experience changes towards renewal (innovation). Based on the problems seen, it is related to the improvement of Christian learning achievement by applying expository teaching models to grade VI students of SD Inpres Pondang. The purpose of this study in order to determine the increase in Christian learning achievement after applying expository teaching model. In this study using action research and data obtained from formative tests, observation sheets of teaching, and learning activities of students. The results of the study found that student achievement has increased from cycle I (51%) to cycle II (89%). Through this research, it can be said that the expository teaching model can positively influence achievement, interest, attention, and participation, learning motivation of SD Inpres Pondang students, and this learning model can be used as alternative learning of Protestant Christianity.

Assessing Christian Learning: Vocation, Practices, and Investment

This paper describes a new initiative co-funded by the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning at Calvin University and Cardus. The initiative builds upon past Cardus work on assessing Christian school outcomes as well as the Kuyers Institute’s work on Christian pedagogical practices. The project has developed a new online assessment tool to help Christian secondary schools assess the Christian formation that they seek to offer their students and review their own educational practices. This tool, the Practicing Faith Survey, will be piloted in an initial cluster of schools in 2020. It asks students to self-report on their investment in faith-informed practices that are integral to the student role and uses their responses both to provide formative individual feedback and to offer schools aggregate data on this form of student investment. Here we will unpack some key ideas that have informed our work, focusing in turn on questions concerning faith, vocation, and practices.

The Sculptor and His Stone: Selected Readings on Hellenistic and Christian Learning and Thought in the Early Greek Fathers, ArchbishopChrysostomos (ed.), James Clarke and Co., 2016 (ISBN 978‐0‐227‐17622‐1), xii + 166 pp., pb £15

The Sculptor and His Stone: Selected Readings on Hellenistic and Christian Learning and Thought in the Early Greek Fathers, ArchbishopChrysostomos (ed.), James Clarke and Co., 2016 (ISBN 978‐0‐227‐17622‐1), xii + 166 pp., pb £15

A symposium on teaching virtue: Interdisciplinary perspectives on pedagogy, liturgy, and moral formation

Theologian Paul J. Griffiths has argued that thinking about Christian learning “must begin from thinking about the liturgy.” This comparison between learning and liturgy invites reflection upon the...

Reformation Humanism: Reading the Classics in the New Theology

ABSTRACTScholarly discussions on what constitutes Christian humanism in the Renaissance and Reformation periods have typically concentrated on its manifestations before 1536, when Erasmus died. In this period, the old arguments for the reading of the Classics once set out by Basil and Augustine still predominated. Calvin’s teaching on the Fall and the noetic effects of sin, however, provided another basis for the incorporation of pagan thought into Christian learning. Christians who followed Calvin benefited from his precise and comprehensive theological position on the place of worldly knowledge in God’s original creation as a means for justifying their study of the Classics.