THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME

To teach the Bible to students of theology at tertiary level (university/seminary/(Bible/Mission) college) is at the best of times fraught with difficulties. Combining the initially often intellectually a-critical religious sentiments of students with the demands of biblical/Old Testament/New Testa...

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Main Author: C. Lombaard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2021-06-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/5404
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author C. Lombaard
author_facet C. Lombaard
author_sort C. Lombaard
collection DOAJ
description To teach the Bible to students of theology at tertiary level (university/seminary/(Bible/Mission) college) is at the best of times fraught with difficulties. Combining the initially often intellectually a-critical religious sentiments of students with the demands of biblical/Old Testament/New Testament studies as science (language skills, exegetical methodologies, critical theories, hermeneutics of understanding and of relevance) is characterised by some difficulties, which lead to various and some extreme reactions among students. The balance between spirituality and exegesis is not always easy to maintain for many teachers of theology. These problems are in some respects compounded in Open and Distance Education and Learning institutions such as the University of South Africa, where direct contact with students and, hence, spiritual formation (undertaken either implicitly or explicitly) is limited and media-ted. Yet, new times also hold new promises. This contribution outlines an intellectual matrix of these problems and dynamics, with possibilities offered that align well with the more faith-positive cultural sentiments currently dawning internationally, known as post-secularism.
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spelling doaj-art-be4ceb56cc0c4811b8d919965fac03202025-02-11T09:37:18ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892021-06-0110.38140/at.vi.5404THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIMEC. Lombaard0University of Pretoria To teach the Bible to students of theology at tertiary level (university/seminary/(Bible/Mission) college) is at the best of times fraught with difficulties. Combining the initially often intellectually a-critical religious sentiments of students with the demands of biblical/Old Testament/New Testament studies as science (language skills, exegetical methodologies, critical theories, hermeneutics of understanding and of relevance) is characterised by some difficulties, which lead to various and some extreme reactions among students. The balance between spirituality and exegesis is not always easy to maintain for many teachers of theology. These problems are in some respects compounded in Open and Distance Education and Learning institutions such as the University of South Africa, where direct contact with students and, hence, spiritual formation (undertaken either implicitly or explicitly) is limited and media-ted. Yet, new times also hold new promises. This contribution outlines an intellectual matrix of these problems and dynamics, with possibilities offered that align well with the more faith-positive cultural sentiments currently dawning internationally, known as post-secularism. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/5404BibleEducationSpiritualityPost-secularity
spellingShingle C. Lombaard
THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME
Acta Theologica
Bible
Education
Spirituality
Post-secularity
title THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME
title_full THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME
title_fullStr THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME
title_full_unstemmed THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME
title_short THE BIBLE, OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING, AND SPIRITUALITY: POSSIBILITIES IN A POST-SECULAR TIME
title_sort bible open and distance education and learning and spirituality possibilities in a post secular time
topic Bible
Education
Spirituality
Post-secularity
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/5404
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