By Soroj Mullick, SDB –
Christian education, a part of a wide-ranging educational programme, compatible with Christian faith, is not directly intended to foster Christian faith, but becomes a partner of education for the person’s integral development, founded on the Word of God and Christian faith experience within a cultural context.
As a theological praxis, it expresses the Christ event and is related to such an event in content and in a socio-cultural, politico-economical and religious context with certain perspective and structure. Christian education, therefore, highlights Christ’s relationship with culture whereby, educational theories elaborate on praxis. The challenge is in contextualising Christian education in order to be faithful to the experience of Christ’s revelation in history.
Human sciences construct theories, models, methods, paradigms and myths drawn from one’s own culture, and they serve as interpretive frameworks and as a whole constitute the reality; serve as a lens through which experiences are defined and a worldview is established.
Christian education initiates personal Christ-experiences and helps to integrate such experiences into the anima and contribute towards social development. It is an expression of the prophetic spirit that sheds light on the Logos in the present, in order to find the right path for the future through critical openness.
It is life-oriented and aims at nurturing a synthesis between culture and faith, between faith and life for social changes through dialogue with other religions and cultures. It keeps the centrality of the person and builds an environment congenial to one’s total development. Sarvodaya and the Revisionist models, that correlate Christian tradition and Christian education, are thought to be ideal for such development through the process of inculturation.
Amidst the secular outlook and disinterest from the part of the Government and parents, a God-oriented Curriculum and Value based Education is the need of the hour, never compromising with Catechism and moral Science classes. Parents have to instill a lifelong love for God, and learning about Him.
Schools are to be first of all humane and spiritual mentors. It is time to infuse in the students the love for God and live the values of their religion in their daily activities. In a competitive world a good education is needed for good jobs, position and success. Children’s dreams and aspirations are shattered by parents’ dream for them.
Additionally children are trained in sports, game, dance, music, etc. often in order to keep them busy and ‘distracted’ from the ‘evils’ of the society. They want their children to have further degree, knowledge, skill and confidence. The ICSE and CBSE boards in Christian schools are sought after.
At the end, though these students who may be intellectually capable, are often spiritually poor, morally unbalanced and socially unfit. The purpose of education is to form their characters and be a life-changer: “Education is not preparation for life: education is life itself” (John Dewey). Further, Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Though Christian education contributes to the integral formation of the young, yet, it faces practical problems that limit the enhancement of such formation within the formal educational setting. Education has to centre on the development of the whole person through a holistic and integrated approach: the content of education is present, but importance is on how, through which process and in what context, this content is being imparted.
There is a secularist trend in Christian education, pushing God out of the personal, social, political and educational spheres of human existence and experiences. A Christian theological approach to education will deepen one’s understanding of the divine Revelation through spiritual-religious experiences, whereby a holistic Christian education is intended to manifest the divine nature in the person through an improved curriculum and pedagogical method based on sound theology.
The CBCI final statements and the national educational policy, reveal the lack of a common policy on the theological principles, objectives and content. In the present socio-economic context of India, the Gospel has to determine a system of Christian education which will promote justice – peace. Therefore, Christian education is envisioned as a liberative dialogical process of creating reality.
To be continued…
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].