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Article Review 3

Honey Morante

International Teachers College

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Summary and Review

This article is titled, Some Theological Reservations Surrounding One Contemporary

Christian Approach to Teaching and Learning, and is written by Sean Whittle. He claims that he

has some theological reservations about [David Smith and Trevor Coolings] approach to

teaching and learning due to his findings from a Catholic Theologian Karl Rahner, regarding

integrating theology to education.

He mentions that educating people has been driven by Gods calling to spread his word.

And he argues that there is a difference between theology being the ground for teaching and

theology being integrated with education. As opposed to Smith and Coolings blended

relationship between theology and educational theory and practice, he proposes not to

indoctrinate the students but instead to educate them. He provides examples of Smith and

Coolings advice in combining theology in subjects, such as physical education: students can be

taught not just regarding their physical and emotional health, but also their spiritual well-being.

Whittle disagrees in this kind of integration because of how it is opportunistic. He believes this

to be an inappropriate use of theology because it should not be used as icing on the educational

cake, wherein subjects seem better because of the Christian themes that can be brought into

them.

He suggests not to put in specific parts that can derive from theology into subjects, but to

instead use it as an overarching framework for pedagogy. He states that theology can be used for

knowing the curriculums aims and content in general instead of nurturing faith or stimulating

faith seeking understanding, because he believes that students should have the freedom to think

through their faith (or non-faith, and indoctrinating them would ironically prevent them from

spiritual growth.
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According to his findings from Catholic theologian Karl Rahner, he suggests that schools

curriculum should make students curious about human existence and unsolved mysteries instead

of delving directly into theology because they believe that students should have the freedom in

wanting to know about God or not. Whittle concludes in stating that Christian education can

move forward by using anthropology just as Rahner suggests and other approaches that do not

involve using theological themes specifically in subjects.

Reflection and Evaluation

Unfortunately, I have mostly noticed distortions in the article than the truth. In my

practicum, I remember mentioning Gods sovereignty after teaching a lesson about the Byzantine

Empire and while I did, a student sighed loudly, indicating his contempt for hearing something

Christian. I agree with Whittle that students can be hindered from learning true theology when

teachers randomly mention a specific theological theme in different subjects, since it would risk

the possibility of eisegeting. However, I believe that it is the responsibility of Christian teachers

to share the truth about God no matter what subject they teach.

Students do have the right to choose whether to believe in God or not but I would rather

tell the students the truth about God than not at all. It is one way that we can be redemptive

teachers because when we see the fallen nature of students, we would not just sit and pray that

they would be somehow led to God, we would instead be the ones leading them to Him.

Although I mostly noticed distortions in this article, I am encouraged to think more about

what it takes to be a Christian teacher. I also need think more about how I can share Gods truth

to my students through my lessons. I am grateful that I got the chance to read this article.
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References

Whittle, S. (2014). Some Theological Reservations Surrounding One Contemporary Christian

Approach to Teaching and Learning. Journal Of Education & Christian Belief, 18(2),

191-205.
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