From time to time in these postings, I’m hoping we can take a step back and explore new models for educational ministry. This is one of those days. Several years ago, I was privileged to hear the attached paper presented at the Religious Education Association’s annual meeting. I hear a lot of academic papers presented, but this particular one has stayed with me and sparked creative ways of thinking of our process of Christian education and the roles that we play in guiding others in faith.
This was written by Barbara Fears, a PhD candidate at Garrett Evangelical Seminary in Evanston, IL. Fears has taken the historical process of the Underground Railroad that helped slaves gain their freedom in the United States and used this as a basis for an educational model based on the major roles of those involved with this movement to freedom. She was willing to share her copyrighted work with us at hope4ce with the stipulation that it not be printed and distributed as it will become a part of her dissertation.
As you are reading it, consider what role you are most likely to play of those detailed. Since this is an intergenerational model, what would you anticipate that Christian education would look like based on this model?
Kathy Dawson, Associate Professor of Christian Education, Columbia Theological Seminary
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