Religious Educators and Change

Abstract

AbstractDo religious educators as administrators make for better agents of change? As more religious educators come into administrative positions in theological higher education, this article probes the religious educator and change. The article begins by examining religious education and its aims. It then offers different change theories and subsequently problematizes them as the article argues that community is foundational to change for religious educators of color and female religious educators. The article continues by introducing metaphors to speak of the religious educator and concludes with reflections as to why religious educators in administration present a persuasive possibility for change.Keywords: Religious educatoradministrationchangecommunityreligious education Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Statement and declarationThe author has no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.Notes1 I acknowledge there are differences between religious education and Christian education, particularly in content, pedagogy, and sources of authority. However, the overall concept, mechanisms, and structures of something as particular as Christian education fall under the broader understanding of religious education.Additional informationNotes on contributorsMark Chung HearnMark Chung Hearn is Dean of Academic Affairs at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA, USA. E-mail: mhearn@cdsp.edu