Introducing Christian Education: Foundations for the Twenty-first Century

Introducing Christian Education: Foundations for the Twenty-first Century. Edited by Michael J. Anthony. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001, 301 pp., $29.99. Evangelical Dictionary of Christian Education. Edited by Michael J. Anthony. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001, 747 pp., $49.99.

Christian education is a multidisciplinary field of study that seeks to aid and encourage church and para-church organizations in fulfilling their educational responsibilities. The publication of Introducing Christian Education and The Evangelical Dictionary of Christian Education mark the addition of two resources in this growing body of literature.

Introducing Christian Education is indeed an introduction to the field. This collection of thirty-one chapters composed by thirty-two authors is designed to introduce the various disciplines that impact and shape one's understanding of Christian education. The intent of this volume as described by the editor is to begin "with a broad foundation of theological, historical, and philosophical basis for Christian ministry. From there is considers the contributions within the various social sciences such as sociology, anthropology, psychology and education. Each of these areas is explored through the primary lens of biblical teaching before integrating secular theories" (p. 14).

Introducing Christian Education begins as promised with a survey of the broad foundation and then successfully builds on that foundation by providing a helpful overview of the contributions of the social sciences and their implications for educational ministry. The chapters entitled "Jesus the Master Teacher" by Robert Pazmino, "The Teaching Learning Process" by Ted Ward, "Learning Styles" by Marlene LeFever, and "Adult Ministries" by James A. Davies are among the strongest entries because they offer a biblically grounded and consistent understanding of their topics that is both intellectually and spiritually challenging. Yet, while reading and reflecting on this book, I was plagued by three questions.

First, is Christian education as a discipline rooted principally in the fields of biblical and theological studies or the social sciences? The correct answer of course is "biblical and theological studies." And Klaus Issler's chapter "Theological Foundations" provides a helpful overview of the theological distinctives of evangelicalism and their implications for Christian education. Issler's approach is descriptive in nature. For example, he describes the differences between a covenantal and dispensational approach to Scripture and Christian education, yet he does not evaluate the respective theological systems. This descriptive approach does not provide a clear and coherent theological framework that allows the chapters to be woven together, leaving one with the haunting feeling that the discipline of Christian education is more comfortable as a social science rather than a theological discipline.

Second, if Christian education is rooted principally in the biblical and theological disciplines, then why is there such an intense interest in integrating "secular theories"? Yes, "all truth is God's truth" because "God is the great king over all the earth" (Ps 47:2, 7). Lillian Breckenridge captures this reality in her chapter "Cross-cultural Perspectives on Christian Education" by providing a good introduction to the issue of diversity and the challenges it poses for Christian education. She calls into question the assumptions the Western church and para-church organizations have employed and summons them to take a broader perspective in their ministries. But the "secular theories" which the authors explore in Part 2, "Developmental Perspectives in Christian Education," are accepted as valid too readily. There is no substantive wrestling or critical interaction with the presuppositions that undergird the theories under consideration. This raises a third question.

Can the task of integration truly accomplish its purpose? Shouldn't the field focus on developing a distinctly Christian approach to education that enhances the understanding of the teaching-learning process both inside and outside the covenant community? Nicholas Wolterstorff argues for such an approach in Reason Within the Bounds of Religion and challenges Christian scholars towards this end. Sadly, the integrative character of Introducing Christian Education is uneven, and sometimes the lens of biblical teaching for integrating various secular theories is out of focus.

In spite of the above questions and concerns, Introducing Christian Education is a good general introduction to the key theorists and ideas that have shaped the field of Christian education. It is a text that an instructor can build on and draw from in helping students develop a biblically and theologically consistent understanding of educational ministry.

The Evangelical Dictionary of Christian Education, also edited by Michael Anthony, is a reference volume for those interested in the field of educational ministries. The Dictionary was a massive undertaking and, in spite of some unevenness in the length and documentation of some entries, which is inevitable in such a volume, it is an excellent resource. The entries are well written and it is evident that the editor sought to guard against oversimplification of complex issues.