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In this essay the authors posit that interprofessional education is inherently "post-modern"and thus will incorporate educational priorities compatible with postmodernism, and that practical theology is the preferred method for interprofessional teaching and learning when theology and ministry are explicit participants. In advancing this argument they draw upon their experience in team teaching an interprofessional course in pastoral ministry and social work designed for students pursuing a joint degree in these two fields. They provide an overview of the contemporary postmodern context and interprofessional education as an emerging paradigm in higher education, a brief description of the major components of the joint course, and an exposition of appropriate educational priorities.

A persistent question for pedagogy is that of whether and how the content of a course ought to shape the teaching method. Both the understanding of practical reason and the substantive concepts of modern Catholic social teaching support a classroom dynamic of a relatively egalitarian dialectic. The author grounds the case for this pedagogy in the understanding of practical reason as found in Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, and shows that such an understanding is continued in modern Catholic social teaching. He then shows how the social teaching's substantive move to a more egalitarian social theory reinforces the egalitarian mode of reasoning. The author and others are attempting to practice this pedagogy in the context of the University of Notre Dame's new Program in Catholic Social Tradition. The investigation as a whole raises the question of whether colleges and universities that have actively maintained religious affiliations have a decided advantage in sustaining an academic culture where faculty and students can practice practical reason.

This article is based on an analysis of a qualitative research case study involving three British adult educational-theological sites which were experimenting with collaborative learning. The focus of this practice-based research was listening to and observing adults engaged in collaborative learning in order to elucidate what they perceived to be some integral values inherent in this learning approach. 'Experiencing Shared Inquiry' emerged as one of the hallmarks of collaborative learning. The dynamic engagement of hearts and minds in collaborative learning harnesses the collective wisdom of God's people. Two movements are enfolded within 'Experiencing Shared Inquiry': stimulating thinking through dialogue process and drawing upon the resources of the learning community.

Doctoral students in Bible, theology, ethics, history, preaching, worship, pastoral care, and Christian education come together for a required seminar in teaching. Assignments include reading and discussion, student-led teaching demonstrations, and the 'metaphorical mapping' of each student's field of study. In developing their 'metaphorical maps' students use artistic and expressive media to demonstrate their understanding of their field. The assignment has been successful in establishing an open and mutually respectful climate in the classroom, in fostering a pattern of critical reflection on teaching, and in demonstrating appropriate inclusion of personal experience in the academic classroom.

This note examines some pedagogical strategies for the formation of students who read the Bible both confessionally and critically. Some students in both church-related and secular colleges and universities enter courses with confessional views of the Bible that inspire a literal interpretation of the text, what the author calls a flat reading. Teachers struggle to lead students to a more nuanced view of the text in a way that is both sensitive to the students' development and academically responsible. The author indicates how he approaches this challenge through: (1) a discussion of texts that have been used to enable students to see the nature of the biblical text and to transform their understanding of it; (2) a description of techniques and exercises that work toward the same goal; and (3) reflection on the application of sociological research on group change in the transformation of individuals.

This paper reports on a project undertaken as part of a wider group exploration of feminist pedagogy. It reflects on the issues this raised in teaching a course on contemporary biblical criticisms, an area of biblical studies where questions of power and ideology are frequently asked of texts. The project therefore asked the question whether there was a match or mismatch between the teaching process and the content of the course. Of particular concern was the understanding of the role of the teacher, the lecturer's 'what am I doing in this class?' question. The move to open up the student space led to the matter of boundaries. Who decides upon and regulates the limits of what can be discussed? What allows trust in a class and how does one deal with feelings and emotions? This paper engages the class members on all these issues, drawing on their comments gained from the questionnaire that was part of the project design.

Two theologians teaching religion at the same college engage in a dialogue about differences in their understandings of teaching religion in order to explore serious pedagogical and theological issues. Their reflections on their teaching touch on issues of learning goals, institutional identity, student freedom, faculty self-revelation, and the liberal arts that most teachers of religion face. Along the way, they explore the relation of pedagogy to theological topics like grace and ecclesiology. We invite readers to join the conversation begun in this article by engaging Webb, Placher, and one another through the public discussion list we've created for this article on the Wabash Center Discussion Forum at http://ntweb.wabash.edu/wcdiscus/.

At the same time that teachers in theology and religion have been encouraged to consider how their personal identities affect their teaching, there has also been increased interest in active learning strategies. This essay argues that these two initiatives may be in conflict if the communal commitments of the instructor do not mirror the democratic commitments inherent to most active learning pedagogies. As a teacher of theology and ethics who is ultimately not committed to democracy but to the Kingdom of God, I have sought to develop learning strategies which avoid student passivity while focusing on the church as a foretaste to God's Kingdom. My consideration of this dilemma has drawn me to the educational philosophies of both John Dewey and Stanley Hauerwas, and in response to them I outline an active learning strategy which envisions the Christian church as a living tradition with students as dialogue partners and contributors to it.

This article explores the resources that the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer can bring to the challenge of teaching theology to undergraduates. The author offers a sympathetic reading of Gadamer but is influenced by the insights of liberation theology. In this interpretation of his work, Gadamer's contribution lies in his emphases on intersubjectivity and on praxis as the goal of historically conscious understanding — and thus of historically conscious theological education. To suggest what philosophical hermeneutics can tell us about the process of teaching and learning in theology, this essay examines Gadamer's approach to historicity, conversation, truth, objectivity, subjectivity, practical wisdom, and praxis.

The author describes a positive turnaround that occurred in working with both the Prophets unit of her Hebrew Bible course and the Paul unit in her New Testament course. She initiated this turnaround by challenging the students to take over the teaching of those units through small group presentations. The emphasis on length and creativity in these presentations prompted some exemplary work on the part of students. And students now identify these units as both the most memorable of the course and where their most effective learning takes place.