Cullinan, Alice R. 2001. The Role
of Schooling in Christian Education as Spiritual Formation. Review and
Expositor, 98: 395-410
Notes:
“Formation is the process by which the
person is taught and/or learns how to allow the new nature, empowered by God’s
Spirit to be in control of the life” p.397
“Gangel and Wilhoit discuss the contrast
between regeneration and spiritual formation:
- Regeneration describes a work
completely carried out by God, whereas spiritual formation requires the
believer’s cooperation with God.
- Regeneration is instantaneous and
complete, while spiritual formation is progressive and incomplete.
- Regeneration is a gift from God,
and spiritual formation results in part from obedience and faithfulness to
Him” (Gangel and Wilhoit ,41-43)” p. 397
The Schooling Model: What went wrong?
- Sunday school was developed to
reach out to the unchurched children. Its objective is to reach the lost,
not for spiritual formation.
- The division between the ‘clergy’
and the ‘laity’. The clergy is supposed to do all the work of teaching.
- May be the result of the type of
training the clergy received at the seminaries.
- “rise of secularism and shift that
has taken place in the church” p.399. The church is no longer the center of
social activities. Spirituality is no longer the toic of conversation.
- the parents has given the role of
teaching spiritual values to their children to the church.
- “Perhaps churches has fallen into
teaching and preaching cheap Christianity, making few demands on their
members” p.400
- “Perhaps traditions has become the
teacher, with few persons asking the hard questions of life anymore.” P.400
“We may be confusing the definition/goal
of spirituality with the means to attain it. The means are many; the goals may
not be. Perhaps the goal of spirituality could be stated simply as “Christ in
you, the hope of glory”(Col.1:27)” p.404
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