Page 93 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Christian Psychology alive

Does this stuff work? Will it work for me? a topic that connected to central tenets of Chri-
There are many ways to be an authentic person stian faith, being empirically explored and cli-
as a theological educator. One way authenti- nically applied.
city is displayed by an instructor is by sharing The course was redesigned to make Forgiveness
one’s own struggles living out the Gospel. Hess its main theological topic, reconceptualized
& Brookfield (2008) use the metaphor of the more as an interactive seminar where in-depth
theological educator as a river guide, bringing treatment of a particular topic becomes a means
students through the rapids and pools of their of explaining a larger subject area. Gradually I
subject matter as an experienced companion on have developed a course which includes a mix-
the journey. ture of readings, papers, journals and class as-
Discussion-based teaching has been noted as signments that centre on the rich topic of for-
one of the most important critical learning me- giveness theologically and psychologically.
thods used in theological education (Brookfield, Like most instructors I struggle with questi-
2008), and plays a major role in this writer’s ons of how much material to cover, (after all
classes. the course still tries to be broader than just
forgiveness), how much reading is sufficient to
“…all are teachers in some way, just as all are ground students in the subject matter, and sin-
learners—we all “ know as we are known.” ce the course is offered as a one week modular,
Indeed, the fundamental task of a teacher in how much pre-course work is realistic to expect
this kind of process is to get out of the way students to do prior to the intensive classroom
sufficiently to allow learners to engage the
central topic.” (Hess, 2008:53) experience? The course has evolved over time
on these questions.

History of the course Some of the changes that have occurred inclu-
“Theological Issues in Counseling” was a course de:
originally designed to give seminary students • Reducing lecture time. Students are capable
enrolled in our counseling program an overview learners and have good texts they are expec-
of theological themes that typically underlie cli- ted to analyze.
ent problems. (It should be noted that it is a 3 • More reflective journaling assignments re-
semester hour course out of a 20 semester hour lating to spiritual and professional formati-
Biblical/Theological required cluster, which in- on.
cludes basic theology, spiritual formation and • Using guided discussion in class to help
Biblical Studies.) Up until this point, the course students develop critical thinking, create a
had been a survey course, with special emphasis sense of ownership for their own learning,
on integrating the Imago Dei and the doctrine and to facilitate learning from one another
of sanctification. I was frustrated with the sylla- as well as from the formal texts.
bus as it seemed to be too broad, and with the • Focusing on a single subject area (for-
theology text books I was using as they seemed giveness) and going deeper rather than
too disconnected from application in pastoral trying to skate over the gamut of theological
care and professional practice. In 2000 I atten- issues relating to counselling.
ded the AAMFT Annual Conference in Denver, • Employing guest speakers who also dia-
Colorado. The American Associates for Marria- logue with students about their own for-
ge and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the leading giveness journeys, as well as exposing the
professional organization for Marriage and Fa- class to films such as “The Straight Story”
mily therapists in North America. Among the and “Magnolia” illustrating forgiveness pro-
workshops I attended there was one on “For- cess.
giveness after Extramarital Affairs”, by Fredrick
Di Blasio, a Christian Professor of Social Work Jacobson (2008:80) comments that “A more ro-
at the University of Maryland. This was my in- bust way of being a teacher may be to slow the
troduction to the thriving field of forgiveness pace at which students are being bombarded
research. I was immediately hooked: here was with information and instead structure lear-

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