Archive for the ‘ Blog ’ Category
A Friend not an Example Teachers in theological education are often told to be examples for their students. Of course, there is truth in this but in its historical manifestation in theological education, it is a teaching concept from above, all part of the old pattern of the “delivery of my riches” teaching style. It [ READ MORE ]
Successful or Useful? Success is attractive. It is a “suitcase” word which is packed with different content by those who use it but its general use is with a reference to us – how others and society perceive us. As the job of theological educator has become professionalised, so has the temptation to think about [ READ MORE ]
Bad Students Church history is full of bad theological students who went on to do good things for the kingdom. David Brainard, missionary to the North American Indians, was dismissed from Yale College in 1739. David Livingstone, the missionary explorer, was the subject of an unfavourable report from the informal academy of Rev. Richard Cecil [ READ MORE ]
Beautiful Lectures Our fathers (and theirs before them) generally had two criteria to judge theological lecturing -“is it true?” and “Is it useful?” But that this is not enough. Your lecturing may well be true and useful, but is it beautiful? (Happily, I ask the question about our lecturing not ourselves.) Beauty, in fact, is [ READ MORE ]
Teaching is Ministry Jesus is not the best model for theological educators today. Of course, he is the peerless example of holiness, prayer, humility and many other vital issues for theological educators. He also called the disciples whom he taught, his “friends” and that close, involved, yet hierarchical, relationship needs to be explored for our [ READ MORE ]
Reading the Wrong Books Theological educators are great readers. Books are the tools of our trade. We collect them, read them and often write them. They are status symbols, they impress students by filling our shelves and our lectures. We may not be better Christians but we have read so much more than our students. [ READ MORE ]
Many lecturers today powerpoint their subjects to an early grave. They then shovel in a few podcasts, You Tube video clips, websites, an interactive CD or two and press the earth down with the module’s Facebook page. What is wrong with the use of modern technology in teaching? Nothing at all, of course but, if [ READ MORE ]
Laughter is a funny thing. It is a good communication tool; it relieves pressure and relaxes the listener. C.H. Spurgeon once explained to his students how he used humour in the pulpit to get his point across. He said that if you try to force open a live oyster or clam you may well not [ READ MORE ]
Nothing could be more fundamental for theological education but I know of no writings on the subject. Excitement is somewhere between awe and fun, sharing characteristics of both but transcending each. It is a joyous agitation of spirit caused by God and truth on the one hand and possibilities on the other. It is at [ READ MORE ]
When you come to think of it, the coffee break in a theological college or seminary is a strange thing. We call a halt to lecturing and training the future leaders of the churches in order for us all to imbibe a drug together, and then resume our activities. Coffee breaks seem to have [ READ MORE ]
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