Original Research

The education of prospective ministers as an invitation to life: Moving from moral failure to moral excellence through a process of moral formation

Louise Kretzschmar
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 49, No 1 | a1868 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v49i1.1868 | © 2015 Louise Kretzschmar | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 24 July 2014 | Published: 17 March 2015

About the author(s)

Louise Kretzschmar, Department of Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology, University of South Africa, South Africa

Abstract

This article discusses the importance of the moral formation of students who are in training for the Christian ministry. Moral formation is defined and its importance is discussed with reference to the scholarly debate, both in South Africa and elsewhere. The complex nature of moral formation, the individuality of students and the multiplicity of contexts in which formation takes place are noted. A model that has God’s grace and human volition at its core and discusses the goals, obstacles and means of moral formation, is presented. It extends beyond a ‘head, hearts and hands’ approach and discusses the crucial areas of thinking, being, relating and doing. It seeks to avoid the extremes of both indoctrination and laissez-faire non-involvement with ministerial students.

Die opvoeding van voornemende predikante as ‘n uitnodiging tot die lewe: Beweging vanaf morele bankrotskap tot morele uitmuntendheid deur middel van ‘n proses van morele vorming. Hierdie artikel bespreek die belangrikheid van morele vorming van studente in Christelike bedieningsopleiding. Morele vorming word gedefinieer en die belangrikheid daarvan word bespreek met verwysing na die wetenskaplike debat in Suid-Afrika en elders. Die komplekse aard van morele vorming, die individualiteit van studente en die veelheid van kontekste waarin vorming plaasvind, word genoteer. ‘n Model wat God se genade en menslike wilsinspanning as kern het en wat die doelwitte, struikelblokke en middele tot morele vorming beskryf, word voorgelê. Dit strek veel verder as ‘n ‘kop-, hart- en hande’-benadering en bespreek die kritieke areas van denke, wese, verhoudings en handel. Dit streef daarna om die uiterstes van indoktrinasie sowel as laissez-faire onbetrokkenheid teenoor teologiese studente te vermy.


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Crossref Citations

1. The theological curriculum for twenty-first century ministry: a UK perspective
Kirsten Birkett
Practical Theology  first page: 1  year: 2019  
doi: 10.1080/1756073X.2019.1638576