United Families International

I attend quarterly board meetings and also participate with UFI's annual visits to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. To learn more about UFI and its mission, visit https://unitedfamilies.org/.

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

Forum for International Research on Education

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

Forum for International Research on Education

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.

"Serious Reflection" for Religious Educators

Religious Educator

As religious educators better understand and implement reflective practices and processes in a way that contributes to their sustained professional development, they will develop greater alignment between their ideals and their classroom behaviors. Such alignment will increase the positive impact of their classroom instruction

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

Forum for International Research on Education

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.

"Serious Reflection" for Religious Educators

Religious Educator

As religious educators better understand and implement reflective practices and processes in a way that contributes to their sustained professional development, they will develop greater alignment between their ideals and their classroom behaviors. Such alignment will increase the positive impact of their classroom instruction

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes between Students in One General Education Distance Religion Course with Students in the Same Face-to-Face Course

Religion & Education

This study compares outcomes relating to religiosity in one general education religion course. Using a validated instrument measuring affective outcomes, we surveyed 789 students enrolled in the same general education religion course at a private religious college. Two hundred sixty-nine were enrolled in distance sections of the course, and 520 were in face-to-face sections. Although no significant differences were found between groups, small differences did emerge within groups. These results have implications for distance education in which affective outcomes are important. Additional results and limitations are discussed.

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

Forum for International Research on Education

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.

"Serious Reflection" for Religious Educators

Religious Educator

As religious educators better understand and implement reflective practices and processes in a way that contributes to their sustained professional development, they will develop greater alignment between their ideals and their classroom behaviors. Such alignment will increase the positive impact of their classroom instruction

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes between Students in One General Education Distance Religion Course with Students in the Same Face-to-Face Course

Religion & Education

This study compares outcomes relating to religiosity in one general education religion course. Using a validated instrument measuring affective outcomes, we surveyed 789 students enrolled in the same general education religion course at a private religious college. Two hundred sixty-nine were enrolled in distance sections of the course, and 520 were in face-to-face sections. Although no significant differences were found between groups, small differences did emerge within groups. These results have implications for distance education in which affective outcomes are important. Additional results and limitations are discussed.

Jesus Christ and the Feast of Tabernacles

Religious Educator

When John alludes to “the Jews’ feast of tabernacles” and “that great day of the feast” in John 7:2,37, he has immediately tapped into a considerable body of cultural, social, and religious images and knowledge in the hearts and minds of an audience from the first century AD who would have been familiar with contemporary Jewish practices. However, youth and young adults in the twenty-first century are less likely to have sufficient understanding of this feast. By making the context of the Feast of Tabernacles explicit, teachers can help students better understand Jesus Christ’s declarations in John 7–8 and the miracle he performs in John 9 so they can have greater faith in him and the power of his Atonement

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

Forum for International Research on Education

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.

"Serious Reflection" for Religious Educators

Religious Educator

As religious educators better understand and implement reflective practices and processes in a way that contributes to their sustained professional development, they will develop greater alignment between their ideals and their classroom behaviors. Such alignment will increase the positive impact of their classroom instruction

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes between Students in One General Education Distance Religion Course with Students in the Same Face-to-Face Course

Religion & Education

This study compares outcomes relating to religiosity in one general education religion course. Using a validated instrument measuring affective outcomes, we surveyed 789 students enrolled in the same general education religion course at a private religious college. Two hundred sixty-nine were enrolled in distance sections of the course, and 520 were in face-to-face sections. Although no significant differences were found between groups, small differences did emerge within groups. These results have implications for distance education in which affective outcomes are important. Additional results and limitations are discussed.

Jesus Christ and the Feast of Tabernacles

Religious Educator

When John alludes to “the Jews’ feast of tabernacles” and “that great day of the feast” in John 7:2,37, he has immediately tapped into a considerable body of cultural, social, and religious images and knowledge in the hearts and minds of an audience from the first century AD who would have been familiar with contemporary Jewish practices. However, youth and young adults in the twenty-first century are less likely to have sufficient understanding of this feast. By making the context of the Feast of Tabernacles explicit, teachers can help students better understand Jesus Christ’s declarations in John 7–8 and the miracle he performs in John 9 so they can have greater faith in him and the power of his Atonement

A model of reflection for merging theory and practice in interfaith education

In Duncan R. Wielzen & Ina Ter Avest (Eds.). Interfaith Education for All: Theoretical Perspectives and Best Practices for Transformative Action (pp. 243-256). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

A Review of “Teaching the Way of Jesus: Educating Christians for Faithful Living”

Religious Education

With over 40 years as an ordained minister, nearly an equivalent amount of time teaching and training religious educators, and over a decade as editor of Religious Education, Dr. Jack Seymour’s faithful, professional, and research-savvy perspective certainly merits serious consideration of the religious education approach he prescribes for “how we educate for all of life—in families, communities, and the wider public."

Pedagogy of the Spirit: Comparing Evangelical and Latter Day Saint Youth Self-Reported In-Class Spiritual Experiences

Religious Education

This study statistically analyzes data from 756 evangelical and Latter-Day Saint youth regarding their perceived in-class spiritual experiences of twenty items related to Christian theology. The data indicates similar spiritual outcomes between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences between eleven of the twenty spiritual experience items. However, evangelical participants most highly reported affective spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes, while Latter-Day Saint youth most highly reported action-oriented spiritual outcomes and least commonly reported cognitive spiritual outcomes. Action-oriented spiritual outcomes constitute the greatest difference between the two groups. We explore how the differences between evangelical and Latter-Day Saint pedagogy and theology might account for these differences.

Five Books about Religion, Young Adults, and Secondary Education

Religious Education

The authors believe that schools are an under-utilized resource for one of the most important dimensions of religious education: meaningful mentoring relationships between teenagers and adults. This article reviews five recent books that are helpful for surveying the rocky, yet fertile, land that is the ground upon which religious education and schools meet. This intersection can be a valuable ecological resource for the respective missions of religious education, youth ministry, and democratic society. The Schools Task Force believes that the educational and institutional nature of schools can be a leading voice in the contemporary challenge to create environments conducive to spiritual growth in souls.

A Review of “Teaching and Learning in College Introductory Religion Courses”

Religious Education

When the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from University of California, Los Angeles released the findings of their survey, “Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose,” in 2005, many higher education faculty across the United States were surprised to find that students desired and/or expected their higher education experience to include, or at least allow for, a spiritual component of some kind. TheHERI project reminded us—as we often need to be reminded—that the students sitting before us are not just brains and minds, but hearts and souls as well. In the book under review here, Dr. Barbara Walvoord offers us a deeper look into one of theHERI report’s fundamental questions: “What in the undergraduate experience facilitates or hinders students’ spiritual/religious quest?” (HERI, 2).

The Pedagogy of Jeremiah: A Teaching Model for Religious Educators

Religious Education

Several scholarly commentaries concur that we know more about the life and character of Jeremiah than any other Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. His personality, his mission, and his unwavering determination undergird his urgent message to the people of the declining southern kingdom of Judah to have their own encounter with the Divine so they might avoid destruction. Modern religious educators, whether in secondary or post-secondary settings, can increase their professional and ministerial effectiveness by thoughtfully considering the pedagogical practices and attributes that Jeremiah modeled.

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes in Face-to-Face Versus Online Delivery of a Religion Course

John Hilton III (ed). Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education (pp.186-206). New York: Routledge.

A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

Forum for International Research on Education

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.

"Serious Reflection" for Religious Educators

Religious Educator

As religious educators better understand and implement reflective practices and processes in a way that contributes to their sustained professional development, they will develop greater alignment between their ideals and their classroom behaviors. Such alignment will increase the positive impact of their classroom instruction

Comparing Spiritual Outcomes between Students in One General Education Distance Religion Course with Students in the Same Face-to-Face Course

Religion & Education

This study compares outcomes relating to religiosity in one general education religion course. Using a validated instrument measuring affective outcomes, we surveyed 789 students enrolled in the same general education religion course at a private religious college. Two hundred sixty-nine were enrolled in distance sections of the course, and 520 were in face-to-face sections. Although no significant differences were found between groups, small differences did emerge within groups. These results have implications for distance education in which affective outcomes are important. Additional results and limitations are discussed.

Jesus Christ and the Feast of Tabernacles

Religious Educator

When John alludes to “the Jews’ feast of tabernacles” and “that great day of the feast” in John 7:2,37, he has immediately tapped into a considerable body of cultural, social, and religious images and knowledge in the hearts and minds of an audience from the first century AD who would have been familiar with contemporary Jewish practices. However, youth and young adults in the twenty-first century are less likely to have sufficient understanding of this feast. By making the context of the Feast of Tabernacles explicit, teachers can help students better understand Jesus Christ’s declarations in John 7–8 and the miracle he performs in John 9 so they can have greater faith in him and the power of his Atonement

A model of reflection for merging theory and practice in interfaith education

In Duncan R. Wielzen & Ina Ter Avest (Eds.). Interfaith Education for All: Theoretical Perspectives and Best Practices for Transformative Action (pp. 243-256). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.