Challenges for Theological Education

CHALLENGES FOR THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN THE 21st CENTURYnBased on the book: Theological Education in Contemporary AfricanEdited by Grant Le Marquand and Joseph D. GalgalonPrinted in Eldoret, Kenya. !!"nPapers #ro$ the Li$uru %onsultation on &heologi'al Edu'ation at (t Paul)s *nited &heologi'al %ollege in +airobi%li'k to edit Master subtitle style NEED ORIENTATED CURRICULAWith special reference to the situation in sub-Saharan Africa START WITH THE NEEDS OF THE LEARNERn&he 'urri'ulu$ should be de,eloped from the starting point of the needs of the learner, irrespective of the contentand boundaries of existing subjects -De.ey, /01:1"2 THE CHALLENGE OF SPRITUAL FORMINGnRE!ECT"#$%n&here is the emphasis given during training' "s it in the intellectual training or in the spiritual and character building' "s it in both' SPIRITUAL MATURITYn34uite o#ten, theologi'al 'olleges take the spiritual $aturity o# their students #or granted.5 n6 (a$$y GithukunMany students are still in#ants in spiritual and li#e issuesn&heologi'al 'olleges should in'orporate into the progra$$e o# studies 'ourses and e7perien'es in .hi'h spiritual #or$ation o# the students is enhan'ed Encourag s!"r"tua# $atur"t%n&hrough Bible studyn&ea'hing on the habits o# %hristian li#enPra'ti'al spiritual .orknLi#e in prayern38n the end the 'hur'hes $ay #ind out that they ha,e ordained 'andidates .ho during their years o# training did not gro. to the $aturity o# a $inister o# Jesus %hrist5 6(a$$y Githuku TRAINING OF LAY CHURCH WOR&ERSn&heologi'al 8nstitutes should ad$it and train lay $en and .o$en .ho ha,e a 'all to ser,e the 'hur'h in $inistries other than the ordained $inistry.n&hese people 'an be o# good use in the lo'al 'hur'hes a#ter 'o$pletion o# 'ourses.n&hey .ill bring the realities o# the .orld into theologi'al 'olleges UR'AN MISSIONSn&he $a9ority o# theologi'al institutes are $ore rural orientated : this should 'hangen*rban $issions should be part o# 'urri'ulu$ : here li#e is $ore 'o$ple7, people are $ore busy, $ore indi,idualisti'.nPeople are 'ro.ded in slu$s and use less their $other tongue Curr"cu#a s(ou#) * $or r#+ant to n)sn%ourses rele,ant to the needs o# the 'hur'hes should get priorityn%ourses should be e,aluated #or their rele,an'enBe#ore a ne. 'ourse is introdu'ed it should be e,aluated 'are#ully #or it)s rele,an'y

NEW COURSES SHOULD INCLUDE,n&heology o# De,elop$ent,n%rises Manage$ent, nPea'e and ;e'on'iliation, nLa., nMission and E,angelis$,nEle$entary ?