The Oldest New Idea: Lifelong Learning and the Future of Theological Education

The fastest growing education modality in theological schools is currently non-degree and lifelong learning programs, which have grown an astonishing 53% in the past three years. The start of contemporary lifelong learning for ministry can be said to go back to 1968, with the National Council of Churches decision to support it institutionally. Or, it could go back to 1960, with the first research project to map and discuss it - or the 1950s and the rise of professional education. Maybe its origins lie in the first study of seminary’s effectiveness, published in 1934? Perhaps the origin goes even further back – to the formation of early Christians in the first centuries of the Church. Contemporary programs are built on the shoulders of previous efforts to ensure that the faithful and the communities they serve are well formed and scaffolded. To what degree are current trends in non-degree education a return to origins, and what might this tell us about possible futures for theological education? Presented by Helen Blier (Columbia Theological Seminary).