• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.72
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• pp.25-48
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• 2022

This essay is a critical study of the three models of practical theology that emerged in the second half of the 20th century: the critical correlational model (Sherrill, Browning), the hermeneutical model (Groome, Gerkin), and the faith community formation model (Westerhoff, Campbell). This essay first explores the central ideas of practical theologians who adhere to each of the three models and focuses on Christian education, pastoral counseling, and homiletics. This essay then critically evaluates the three models in accordance to the following four themes: how practical theology has 1) responded to the challenges of postmodernity, 2) engaged in dialogue with different types of theology, 3) participated in interdisciplinary dialogue, and 4) understood Christian practice. In conclusion, this essay suggests that the essential tasks of contemporary Christian education as practical theology include: 1) providing an active response to many challenges of postmodern, postsecular, postdigital, and posthuman era, 2) engaging in interactive dialogue with diverse forms of theology, and 3) facilitating interdisciplinary dialogue based on transversal rationality, and 4) establishing of the concept of Christian practice at the individual, ecclesial, social, public, ecological, and digital levels.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.70
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• pp.267-302
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• 2022

Digital transformation, which is accelerating in each area of society due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is also having a profound effect on Christian education. A representative example of digital transformation is the emergence of a digital world called the metaverse. This study understands the metaverse as an expanded space for Christian education and explores digital storytelling as a method for faith formation. It is argued that the characteristics of digital storytelling through metaverse spaces are characterized by interactivity, agency, audiovisuality, sociality, and openness, and that modification through Christian educational frames is necessary in order for this approach to be appropriated to Christian educational practice. To this end, this study examines Anne Wimberly's story-linking approach, and Mary Hess' approach on digital storytelling, which is understood as a way of faith formation for the liberation and Christian vocation through storytelling in a digital space, focusing on authority, authenticity, and agency. It is argued that Christian education on the Metaverse should be a place for change in the Christian life and formation of vocation, and a space where participants' active responses to God's grace be practiced in a digital space in a reciprocal way. This means that learners are encouraged to participate in expressive and relational education that is practiced in the form of play and creation, responding to God's initiative in the metaverse. This study argues that for digital storytelling through the metaverse to become a process of faith formation, it is necessary to connect stories of participants with the story of God's Kingdom in the expanded digital world, aim for a reciprocal space through hospitality and listening, and promote immersive participation and holistic reflection.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.73
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• pp.39-54
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• 2023

In this study I want to explore faith formation through the framework of practice. First, I will describe discipleship as a lifelong process of identity formation, defining Christian religious education as a faith community's intentional work of equipping people to walk in the way of Jesus through apprenticeship in faith practices. I will argue that this process is more about the teaching of practices and engaging in theological reflection on practices than it is about dispensing correct information. This idea is not original with me, but has been expounded by many others particularly in the past decade in the U.S., as part of a larger movement within theological discourse emphasizing the centrality of practice. Second, I will describe some resources from educational theorists that can help us to understand what it means to educate through practices toward an identity as Christians. And finally, I will suggest that in our complex, broken and wounded world, as Christian religious educators we especially have a calling to equip disciples in two urgent faith practices: earth-care, and dealing with conflict.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.72
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• pp.97-115
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze the trends of Christian education research during the COVID-19 period. To this end, 172 theses published in the "Journal of Christian Education" and "Korea Society for Christian Education & Information Technology" pub-lished between March 2020 and June 2022 were analyzed according to the subfields and research methods of Christian education. As a result of the analysis, 38.5% of the total papers belonged to theories of Christian education. Papers related to practice of Christian education was 61.5%. Looking more closely at Christian education practice, papers related to classification by 'developmental stage' accounted for 25%, 'education field' accounted for 55.2%, 'function' accounted for 40.7% of the total papers. Regarding the classification of research methods, literature research accounted for 62.7% of the total studies, survey research methods accounted for 21.5%. Based on this, the main conclusions found in this study are as follows. First, the problems caused by the emergence and spread of the coronavirus began to be reflected in Christian education studies. Second, it was confirmed that the research method of Christian education, which had been biased toward liter-ature research, was recently converted from theory-centered to an attempt to balance theory and practice, and as convergence research increased, research topics and re-search methods were diversifying. Third, it was confirmed the need for category stand-ards that can analyze and classify studies in order to identify trends in Christian education research. Lastly, when considering all the papers, there are not many papers that fall under the classification by characteristics.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.78
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• pp.87-110
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to explore the educational philosophy that is the basis for the establishment of Christian alternative schools and the curriculum that is the standard for educational practice accordingly, and to understand in depth the educational philosophy and curriculum, what characteristics are common in each type in the school field. This study also explored the main factors that lead to educational practice in the curriculum. In order to explore these research questions, this study was conducted using interview that is one of the qualitative studies. The subjects of this study are 16 teachers selected from the three types of Christian alternative schools that exist in Korea. Based on our findings and discussion, this study was presented several suggestions. First, in the reality that parents are sending their children to alternative schools for their faith, school leaders and teachers must practice sincere faith education with deep reflection. Second, in order for Christian alternative schools to fulfill their responsibilities as schools and continue to provide a valuable education, it is necessary to integrate Christian worldviews and academics through cooperation with allied organizations. Third, in order to reduce the burden of parents' excessive educational expenses, there should be a civic effort to request financial support from the nation at least for school operating expenses.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.74
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• pp.33-55
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• 2023

This study aims to explore the direction of Christian public practice in the post-COVID era, seeking to overcome the uncanny feeling caused by increased division and exclusion during the pandemic period. Firstly, we will investigate the unequal impact of COVID-19 on the labor market and examine ways to achieve economic justice in the post-COVID era. Subsequently, we will deliberate the role of Christianity in establishing publicness in the digital world and virtual spaces. Finally, viewing COVID-19 as a catastrophe caused by an anthropocentric worldview and exploitation driven by greed, we will explore the tasks of Christianity to overcome the crisis of the Anthropocene. Christian public practice should fulfill its mission of care and stewardship not only in social context but also in an ecological dimension. The author proposes "planetary citizenship education" for a harmonious relationship between human species and the Earth they inhabit.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.63
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• pp.407-433
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• 2020

South Korea is currently facing multiculturalism, appropriately demanding broadened view and access to the study of Unification, especially in terms of who should be the subject. In congruence, recent Unification Education studies are proposing values stressed in Multiculturalism to function as the core ground, upon which other traits and contents are to follow. Similarly, Christian Education field is also reflecting the recent trend, welcoming 'everyone' to participate in preparing reunification of Korean Peninsula. However, most studies consist of suggesting and introducing directions for new approaches, not so much of dealing with systems or guidelines for practical practices. Information provided in fragments can rather cause confusion in understanding the concept, and lack of specific guidelines can soon lead to poor performances. In this study, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is introduced as a methodology to be examined, whether it could effectively embody and systemize the newly emerged Multicultural Christian Unification Education. Therefore, the purpose of this study is 1) to generalize the concept of Christian unification education introduced in the multicultural era and 2) examine whether UDL is suitable for uniformizing and spreading the Multicultural approach of Christian Unification Education. Specifically, this study highly focused on examining whether UDL is a suitable methodology to achieve the goal of Multicultural Christian unification education, while uniformizing the diversities within multicultural Christian Unification Education. Through a thorough research, it was proved that the purpose and characteristics of multicultural Christian unification education are similar to those of UDL in that both focus on accepting heterogeneity as something "different" rather than something "wrong." Also, it was found that the application of the theory and guidelines of UDL can effectively unify while respecting the diverse methodologies used in Multicultural Christian Education.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.74
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• pp.57-80
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to review the practicality of Christian education for sustainable development in a rapidly changing world. The first part of this study identify the concept, meaning, and direction of implementation of "Sustainable Development," which has been studied and published around UNESCO since the early 1980s, and present practical strategies for the sustainable development of Christian education. This study chronologically selected five major reports published by UNESCO--"Our Common Future"(1987), "Agenda 21"(1992), "UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014"(2002), "Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action Programme for Education for Sustainable Development 2015-2019"(2014) and "Education for Sustainable Development 2030"(2020)--and examined the concept and meaning of "Sustainable Development"(SD). At the same time, in relation to "Education for Sustainable Development"(ESD), the occurrence, change, and implementation method of "Sustainable Development Goals"(SDGs) were examined and presented. This study derived three Christian educational implications necessary to properly establish the next generation of faith, based on a leadership development strategy using the concept of sustainable development, For the sustainability of Christian education, the foundation of education based on the correct biblical interpretation of cultural mandate is first examined, and then the need for curriculum development and class design is proposed using various types of indicators and educational modules. Finally, specific practices for the development of educational leadership to revitalize Christian education are presented through a multi-dimensional approach.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.72
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• pp.273-291
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• 2022

The Industrial Revolution brought great development to the whole human history by the improvement of productive capacity. However, high speed development absorbed just on growth gave rise to resource depletion attack and economical inequality. If it might be neglected human society will meet unsustainable development situation. So UN has made effort to make sustainable development(SD) through global band together. SD concept considers it important to promote current development not giving damage to next generation's development. Then economy, environment and social integration should be harmonized and it demands governance for its actualization. SD gets to be a matter of common interest in education. New Millenium development Goals make African poor countries that are in blind spots of development advance toward gradual sustainable development by supporting programmes to these countries. Thus sustainable development education(SDE) is for future. It has an aim to give suitable education for all people who are all over the world. SDE tries to make health society and successful economical life for all. The concept of SD is found in the essential aims of Christian school and Christian education seeking justice and shalom. Christians are called as transformers for servant mission giving recover in corrupt world. Firstly, Christian school practise this mission making students think on Christian perspectives. Then it makes students serve for environment, economical fairness, social integration with servant mission. Also Christian school has a mission to seek both justice and shalom as a praxis beyond the intellectual dimension of education until fulfilling justice and shalom for all who are all over the world. Thus it can be that Christian school is an important educational institution for realizing sustainable development in that it is always to seek justice and shalom through restoration on the Christian educational perspective.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.62
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• pp.285-311
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• 2020

Many people are suffering from the economic crisis and poverty that are deepening due to the recent spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. In this situation, this study focuses on the biblical Jubilee in order to seek how "Jubilee justice" can be realized in the modern context. The Law of Jubilee consists of four contents: the liberation of slaves, debt remission, land return and fallow. Ultimately it aims to prevent human slavery and preserve equality. Nevertheless, the thought of Jubilee has been distorted theologically and situationally, and as a result, it has been overlooked in the field of Christian education, and there is a limit in Christian practice for social justice. The thought of Jubilee, however, can be an alternative to overcome various problems of modern society such as the issue of the privatization of Christianity or the deepening of polarization caused by neoliberal globalization and can contribute positively to the practice of social justice. In other words, the thought of Jubilee can act as a biblical initiative in reforming wrong laws and establishing institutions for the poor on the institutional level; on the personal level, it can be a great motive in terms of the change of perception and the practice of the sharing economy. Jubilee education, which aims for Jubilee justice, helps to break the misconceptions and change the existing meaning perspectives on the basis of various interdisciplinary knowledge and supports social behavior for transforming social structure through activation of public opinion and fund raising at the practical level. Therefore, the learners of Christian education can play a public role in transforming the unjust society.