Toward a Commons of religious experience: Theological education and the practice of theology

In North America denominational and church-sponsored universities continue to thrive. Yet many struggle to maintain their Christian identity and fulfill their mission amid an increasingly diverse student body. As recognizable expressions of how their religious sponsors carry out a sense of who they are and what they are called to be, Christian universities must be seen as Church practices. This is particularly so in how theology and religious studies are presented. How do university professors, academically oriented and committed to advancing scholarship in their discipline, respond to the requirements of good teaching and create the conditions for authentic learning in their students? A new educational context challenges us to experiment with pedagogies that engage students in the study of religion and theology in a way that makes room for the plurality of backgrounds and experiences they bring to the classroom, while honouring the integrity of the subject matter. Seeing the practice of theology as a dynamic dialogue with contemporary culture and the construction of new insights and innovative appreciation of ancient truths and realities allows the teacher to create a "commons of religious experience" where students encounter living traditions of faith and make sense of their own lives and the worlds they inhabit.