Teaching across Cultures

Description

The growth of the church around the world has led to an increased need for qualified theological educators, both locally and from the global community. Yet teaching cross-culturally is fraught with overlooked challenges, and lack of cultural sensitivity can undermine educators’ credibility, distort their message, and threaten the fruit of their ministry.
Teaching across Cultures is a deeply practical guidebook for teaching theology beyond one’s own cultural context. The first section of the book provides a rich theoretical framework for cross-cultural engagement, exploring the intersections of theology, anthropology, and pedagogy. It is followed by over thirty country-specific reflections as local contributors provide practical guidelines for living, teaching, and ministering within their contexts. The only resource of its kind, this book is straightforward and easy-to-use while providing a powerful reminder that transformative teaching has humility and careful listening at its core. It is a must-read for anyone embarking on the joyful journey of cross-cultural ministry.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Education
• Philosophie et théologie
• Adult

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 05 novembre 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781839735264
• Langue: English

Extrait

Theological educators worldwide have greater opportunities to teach interculturally than ever before, especially through distance learning options that are increasing daily. Even with the greatest of intentions, many educators still lack an adequate understanding of their students’ contexts. Teaching across Cultures is a timely tool which offers critical ways to examine educational contexts in advance and depicts real-life insights from numerous local voices. Please do not set foot into another culture’s classroom without this teaching resource.
Michael A. Ortiz, PhD
International Director,
International Council for Evangelical Theological Education
Any given chapter in this book is worth the price of the book. Such is the quality throughout. The authors deliver a penetrating critique of the frequent unconscious cultural assumptions and blinders accompanying the cross-cultural teacher. Insights flow liberally and coherently from these global veterans shedding light on more sensitive cultural teaching leading to more desirable outcomes. Reinforcing themes emerge from the insights, but perhaps the most compelling is the need for humble listening for those aspiring to teach in another culture. The distinctive last section, “Local Voices,” contains faculty from thirty countries offering insightful points for cultural understanding for anyone teaching in that respective region. The authors reveal a passionate and urgent desire that the gospel of Jesus Christ be heard clearly within one’s own cultural framework. Their wisdom guides us to that end . . . for the glory of God. Highly recommended.
Duane H. Elmer, PhD
G. W. Aldeen Professor of International Studies, Retired,
Distinguished Professor of Educational Studies, Emeritus,
Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois, USA
For those willing to learn with humility as they serve and equip others, Teaching across Cultures: A Global Christian Perspective will prove to be an invaluable resource and insightful guide for effective cross-cultural teaching ministry. The book makes a unique and strategic contribution by providing theological educators with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of language, culture and context generally, as well as specific guidance regarding what to do and what to avoid when teaching in more than thirty representative cultures from across the Majority World.
Paul Branch, PhD
President, Central American Theological Seminary (SETECA)
General Secretary,
Latin American Association for Evangelical Theological Education
At last there is a book written by four top-notch theological educators that will help those who wish to teach across cultures. With the increasing internationalization and globalization of theological education, Christian higher education institutions across the world will welcome students and faculty members from different cultures. Many institutions will engage in cross-cultural faculty exchange programs. This book is certainly a must-have resource for all serious educators.
David Tarus, PhD
Executive Director, Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa
Teaching across Cultures is an exciting and valuable resource that will help cross-cultural teachers hear what Majority World educators say they need to know. They will hear how crucial humility is and see what it looks like in practice. Wherever they plan to go, this volume has a representative regional voice. Commencing with a powerfully told story that illustrates common faux pas and redemptive steps, this book has useful questions for reflection at the end of each chapter. This book will help cross-cultural teachers navigate the borderland between cultures. It will be an essential resource for Theologians Without Borders as we orient scholars before short-term visits for teaching across cultures.
Ian Payne, PhD
Executive Director, Theologians Without Borders
Teaching across Cultures is more than a book about theological education or simply about education. It is a necessary resource for everyone who undertakes a cross-cultural task, whether teaching, missions, or business. The central objective is “humble listening.” Both the testimonies and theoretical developments on cross-cultural education from the first chapters, as well as the contributions of thirty-one global contexts, constitute a unique conceptual and experiential richness. But the great contribution is to insist on listening as a first step. Those of us who teach are tempted to try to have all the answers, when the important thing is to know how to listen to all the questions. Teaching across Cultures is a scholarly and testimonial work, but above all, it is an invitation to a change of attitude.
Norberto Saracco, PhD
Rector Emeritus,
Facultad Interamericana de Estudios Teológicos (FIET Theological Institute)
Here – at last! – is a gently instructive “manual” for teaching with the mind of Christ: with humility. Its surprise feature is a “Lonely Planet” equivalent for sensitive and successful teaching as a “foreigner” right across the continents. Great is the kingdom value in this wise guide! Those setting off from anywhere to serve in seminaries anywhere, shouldn’t leave without it in their backpacks.
Havilah Dharamraj, PhD
Head of the Department of Biblical Studies,
South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, India
This book is timely planned, thoroughly researched, and concisely written to fill a huge gap in theological education as it attempts to be more globally relevant in the borderless world we live in now. The authors have skillfully shared theory and knowledge, and their genuine experiences in this regard, and further took time to listen to theological educators from around the world so as to provide a model of “humble learning” which promises greater transformative impact for both teachers and students for the common goal set before us. It is a must-read book for theological educators if they want to be effective for their calling in cross-cultural contexts.
Jung-Sook Lee, PhD
Church History Professor and fifth President,
Torch Trinity Graduate University, Seoul, South Korea
Majority World theological institutions have been blessed by having visiting professors, especially coming from the West. But in several instances, these guest teachers have failed to understand the cultural dynamics of their host nation. Some have used the same kind of teaching methods popular in their home context that are not directly transferable to Majority World cultural teaching methods. As a result, many cross-cultural teachers have failed to be effective in their teaching methods and to bring a lasting impact on the lives of their students. In Teaching across Cultures , Perry Shaw, Cesar Lopes, Joanna Feliciano-Soberano and Bob Heaton have given us a great resource that will bridge the gap in teaching across cultures. The book is not only filled with theoretical principles but also filled with practical guides from grassroot voices who receive teachers from different cultures. The authors have given us a treasure and I highly recommend it for any aspiring cross-cultural teacher.
Frew Tamrat, PhD
Principal, Evangelical Theological College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Would that this accessible, earthed and practical primer on cross-cultural teaching in theological education settings had been available when I launched into my theological education teaching venture “back then”! Being alerted to the key principles and country-specific examples of their outworking would have enhanced my teaching effectiveness from the go, and saved me from quite unnecessary pitfalls of commission and omission. I highly commend this volume to both first time cross-cultural teachers and those like me whose students and colleagues in various countries would benefit from having a cultural-awareness (re)calibration check-up.
Allan Harkness, PhD
Founding Dean,
Asia Graduate School of Theology Alliance, Southeast Asia
Teaching across Cultures is a timely reminder of a long time need to recognize that learning is culturally conditioned. The four authors have clearly emphasized that cross-cultural teaching and learning can be rich, transformative and valuable for one’s growth in discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this book which actually is a tool for everyone who wants to pursue training in discipleship and theological teaching, whether one is an expatriate or a native who teaches in a multicultural setting. It has excellent articles dealing practically with essential themes in this endeavour. The writers provide crucial learning experience for faculty training and forums by having exercises for reflective learning. The second section provides a variety of local settings and practical guidelines. I consider it a privilege to endorse and recommend this work to the theological fraternity globally who want to be incarnational in theological education.
Ashish Chrispal, PhD
Senior Advisor, Overseas Council
Stepping into the classroom is a challenge anywhere. Stepping across the thresholds of culture to enter that classroom requires a roadmap. Teaching across Cultures gives you a roadmap to navigate your entry into the cross-cultural theological classroom. Becoming a humble listener and learner, as well as a reflective practitioner, are key lessons pointed to. Alongside of the years of cross-cultural teaching by the authors, you get to listen to the voices of thirty local teachers give their “word to the wise” for teachers who communicate God’s truth cross-culturally in classrooms across the globe. What a resource for every global theological educator! I wish I had read this volume before I taught my first cross-cultural theological class – I had to learn these lessons the hard way.
Paul Allan Clark, PhD
Education Consultant, Overseas Council
As an Asian woman I was deeply touched by this book and greatly appreciate it. Teaching across Cult