What MotivatesChristian Education Practitioners?Revd Dr Howard Worsley, Canterbury Christchurch UniversityChristian Consultants’ Network Day in Rugby19th April 2013

The Current Context in Education• Church Schools and the Dearing Era (2001-

2011)

• Secularist moral high ground•Media portrayal of religious extremism

• A call for explicit Christian distinctiveness• Theological Reflection from Lee Abbey

3 Key Theological Drivers

•1) The Character of God apparent in the educational context.

a) God’s Generosity and Graciousness,b) God’s Extravagance,c) God’s Affection for children,d) God’s Sovereignty,

3 Key Theological Drivers

2) The Overarching Action of God in the world of education.

• a) God Forgives,• b) God Redeems,• c) God operates with Grace,

3 Key Theological Drivers

3) The Specific Mission of God seen in schools and universities.

a) God has made us for community and it is here that God most choses to show giving,

b) God’s desire is for all people to learn, c) Teaching is a gift of God,d) God delights in engaging in risk and

vulnerability

Character 1a)God’s Generosity and Graciousness, & 1b)God’s Extravagance,

1c) Character God’s Affection for children,

1d) Character God’s Sovereignty,

1) Questions to ask on God’s Character within education• 1a) Is it possible for a teacher to be too

generous? (How is generosity to be balanced?)• 1b) In the school context, what is the point at

which extravagance needs to be measured against frugality?• 1c) Discuss the complexities of affection at

school.• 1d) To what extent is God’s sovereignty

constrained by human responsibility?

2a) Action God Forgives,

2b) Action God Redeems

2c) Action God operates with Grace

2) Questions to ask on God’s Action within education• 2a) Is there an ‘unforgivable sin’ in

education?• 2b) Christians believe that God can

redeem all things, but can a school always be redemptive?• 2c) One school of thought describes God’s

grace to be ‘irresistible’. Discuss this in your educational context.

3a) Mission God has made us for community and it is here that God most choses to show giving,

3b) Mission God’s desire is for all to learn, & c) Teaching is a gift of God

3d) Mission God delights in engaging in risk and vulnerability

3) Questions to ask on God’s Mission in education• 3a) To what extent can a school be a type

of Church?• 3b) Does the idea of God learning add to a

theology of education?• 3c) When is a teacher also a learner?• 3d) Discuss the problem of risk and

vulnerability in a ‘health and safety culture’.

Bibliography available