Milestones in Adult Theological Education
Milestones in Adult Theological Education
Milestones in Adult Theological Education
1 (2003) 7-12]
ISSN 1352-741X
Chris Peck
(Diocese of Peterborough, Bouverie Court,
6 The Lakes, Bedford Road, Northampton NN4 7YD;
Chris.Peck@peterborough-diocese.org.uk)
ABSTRACT
A personal reflection on changes and developments experienced during
twenty-five years in adult Christian education, highlighting some of the
dominant trends and debates through different decades.
Many of us are used to inviting participants in adult learning to reflect
on ‘milestones’ in their journey. When I was invited to lead a morning on
adult education for new Theological College staff, I decided to start with a
reflection on milestones in my journey through adult education since the
1970s. Several of those present encouraged me to write up the reflection
which highlights the changes and developments I have experienced in the
hope that it will stimulate you to reflect on your own journey in adult edu-
cation. They very much reflect my own context and experience as someone
who is white, male, English and coming from an evangelical background.
were arguing that people had different learning preferences. What was
important was not the dogma of adult educational theory and practice,
but the extent to which you met the varying needs of learners. This
paved the way for the focus of the next decade.
2. Reflections
In reflecting on this history, what is striking is the way in which my
experience of theological adult education practice seems to reflect the
dominant culture of the time. So, for example we can parallel it with the
radical thinking and practice of the 1970s, the confrontational politics of
the 1980s, the more realistic, consensual politics of the 1990s and the tech-
nologically dominated, complex world of the current decade. The experi-
ence I describe would therefore be echoed as much by those within
secular adult education as by those within the churches. This raises some
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Craig Y.
1994 Learning for Life (London: Mowbray).