Course Code: BME01

Introduction to Christian Education

BD II, Semester II, 4 Credit Hours, Senate Paper.

Course Objectives

1. To help the students understand the nature of Christian Education by looking at the history of Christian Education critically. (What is Christian Education?)
2. To help the students understand the purpose of Christian Education about the Indian Realities today. (Why do we need Christian Education?)
3. To help the students understand the learners and their developmental needs about the Indian context (Christian Education for whom?)
4. To help the students to understand the educational ministry of the church in the field of secular education.
5. To help the students to equip themselves with various methods and means of Christian Education in India today. (How to go about Christian Education?)

Methods of Teaching

• Lectures
• Workshop on Teaching
• Practice Teaching
• Preparation of teaching materials

Course Requirements

• Final Examination: 100%

Course Outline

I. Introduction

1. 1The Definition, Scope and Objectives of Education
2. What is Christian Education?

II. The Nature and Purpose of Christian Education: A Brief Historical Survey

1. Education in the Hebrew-Judaistic Tradition.
2. Education in the New Testament Period (Jesus and the Apostles).
3. Christian Education in the Early Church (post-NT times).
4. Christian Education during the Reformation.
5. Christian Education in the Modern Period.
6. The Origin and goals of the Sunday School Movement.
7. Nature and purpose of Christian Education during the Missionary Movements in India.

III. Christian Education Agencies in India

1. India Sunday School Union (ISSU)
2. Christian Education Department of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (CEEFI)
3. All India Sunday School Association (NCCI)
4. Vacation Bible School (VBS)

IV. Understanding the Learners

1. Factors influencing learning.
2. Stages of growth and development about learning
   1. Cognitive Development—Jean Piaget
   2. Moral Development – Lawrence Kohlberg
   3. Faith Development – James Fowler
   4. Emotional Development – Eric Erickson
   5. Relationship between cognitive development and religious thinking – Ronald Goldman
3. Developmental needs and their effect on motivating behaviour.

V. Use of Bible in Christian Education

1. Types of literature in the Bible
2. Designing curriculum appropriate to the stages of cognitive, moral, faith and emotional development
3. Methods of teaching appropriate to the stages of development

VI. Methods of Teaching and the Use of Audio-Visual Aids

1. Telling Methods
2. Showing Methods
3. Doing Methods
4. Group Methods
5. Methods about the developmental stage of learners

VII. Role of Family in Christian Education

1. Worth of the child in the family
2. Value system of the family
3. Spirituality and Christian family
4. Family Worship and Christian Education

VIII. Organizing and Administering the Educational Programmes of the Church

IX. Christian Education in Emerging Context

1. Cultivating respect for people of other faiths and ideologies.
2. Nurturing Christian faith and commitment in an inclusive framework.
3. Fostering an understanding of the uniqueness of Christ and the mission of the church appropriate to the pluralistic context of India.
4. The role of Christian institutions in fostering justice, peace, and integrity of creation.
5. The role of Christian education in fighting caste, patriarchy, and poverty.

Bibliography

Essential Readings

• Eavey, C.B. History of Christian Education. Chicago: Moody Press, 1964.
• Groome, Thomas H. Christian Religious Education. New York: Harper and Row, 1980.
• Prabhakar, Samson, ed. Essays on Christian Education and Liturgy. Bangalore: SATHRI, 2003.
• Seymour, Jack and Miller, Donald. Theological Approaches to Christian Education. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990.
• Taylor, M.J. An Introduction to Christian Education. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1966.
• Taylor, M.J. Foundation for Christian Education in an Era of Change. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1976.

Suggested Readings

• Butki, Donald J. Religious Education. New York: Harper and Row, 1982.
• Boys, Mary C. Biblical Interpretation in Religious Education. Birmingham: R.E. Press, 1980.
• Cully, I.N. Imparting the Word: The Bible in Christian Education. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.
• Cully, I.N. Christian Child Development. NY: Harper and Row, 1919.
• Cully, I.N. The Dynamics of Christian Education. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958.
• Erikson, Erik. Childhood and Society. NY: W.W. Norton, 1963.
• Foster, Y.E. Christian Education Where the Learning Is. New York: Prentice Hall, 1968.
• Fowler, James W. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1981.
• Goldman, Ronald. Religious Thinking from Childhood to Adolescence. New York: Seabury Press, 1965.
• Goldman, Ronald. Readiness for Religion. London: Routledge and Regan Paul, 1965.
• Kuhn, M.E. You Can’t Be Human Alone. New York: NCC of USA, 1969.
• Le Bar, L.E. Education that is Christian. New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1968.
• Little, Sara. Learning Together in the Christian Fellowship. Richmond: John Knox Press, 1968.
• Miles, M.E. Learning to Work in Groups. New York: Columbia University, 1971.
• Mii i, R.C. Christian Nurture in the Church. New York: Scribner, 1971.
• Mii i, R.C. Education for Christian Living. New Jersey: Englewood Cliffs, 1956.
• Neville, G.K., and Westerhoff, J.H. Learning through Liturgy. New York: Seabury Press, 1978.
• Paulus, N. Introducing Christian Education. Madras: CLS, 1986.
• Rybum, W.M. The Theory and Method of Christian Education. Madras: CLS, 1960.
• Saunders, D.J. Visual Aids for Village Workers. Jabalpur: CARAYS, 1968.
• Seymour, J.L. Mapping Christian Education. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.
• Souza, Cyril. Catechesis for India Today. Bangalore: Kristujyoti, 1994.
• Westerhoff, J.H. Generation to Generation. Philadelphia: United Church Press, 1974.
• Whitehead, Alfred North. The Aim of Education and Other Essays. New York: The Free Press, 1968.

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