Reading Philosophy in Christian Communities: Part 2—On The Importance of Philosophy for Seminary EducationPosted on February 25, 2014 by J. Aaron SimmonsIn the first post in this series, I argued that invitational dialogue is the most promising way for Christian communities (whether ecclesial or academic) to appropriate philosophical inquiry. In this post, I will turn my attention to seminary education in particular and argue that reading philosophy should be an important aspect of such ministerial training….
Reading Philosophy in Christian Communities: Part 1—On Appropriating Philosophical InquiryPosted on February 14, 2014 by J. Aaron SimmonsI went to college at an evangelical Christian liberal-arts institution. When I was an undergraduate, there was no philosophy major at my school and no professional philosopher on the faculty (this situation has, gratefully, changed since then). In fact, there was only one introduction to philosophy course offered and it was taught by a theologian. My professor was incredible and I credit him, nearly entirely, with my own choice to become a philosopher.Toward the end of the course, however, I told my professor that philosophy had hooked me and I wanted to go further in studying it. As we were finishing up our conversation that day, I asked him why the institution did not have a philosophy major since it seemed to be so deeply relevant to thinking well about religious life. He smiled and said: “Because the administration is scared of turning our students into atheists.” Though I expect he was being ironic, his comment struck me deeply that day and it has continued to trouble me ever since…
Teaching as Vocation—Part III: Formulations to RealityPosted on August 13, 2013 by David RhoadsThe following excerpts of David’s upcoming book, Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach: Reflections on Education as Transformation through Dialogue (Fall 2013 ), are used by permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers.To a person, my elementary, middle, and high school teachers in the small western Pennsylvania town of Hollidaysburg were conscientious and cared about us.Depressurizing StudentsI recall one typifying moment in which I went to a ninth grade history teacher, saying that I was afraid I might be having a nervous breakdown—going to school, doing homework, working 25 hours a week in a barber shop as an apprentice, being in the school band, and practicing for a school play at night. What Miss Ruck said to me (words I clearly recall) was unbelievably liberating and healing…