This dissertation describes a contextualized instructional design process based on key missionary-training practices that helps Beautiful Feet missionaries grow in their ministry of making disciples. The issue prompting the study was a misalignment between the current missionary-training process of Beautiful Feet and its vision and mission…

The historical and philosophical foundation of adult education finds its origins and motivations stemming from various sources nationally and internationally. However, one not to be ignored pertinent epistemology source is the overall umbrella concept of piety and devotion including the three elements of religion, spirituality, and a personal…

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the processes and practices of mysticism found within the monotheistic traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, in an attempt to identify areas where these might inform, elaborate, and deepen our understanding of profound and transformative learning theory and practice. [For the complete volume,…

Biblical illiteracy seems an increasingly significant problem in the Church today, and the problems which arise as a result of the issue have an impact on both the theology of the Church and the way the people of God live out that theology. In a culture which pushes against the biblical narrative, it is as important as ever to instill within the…

Although Traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Church Education (TCE) has been involved in literacy teaching for over two millennia, its potential as a model and an asset for adult literacy programmes has not been recognised by literacy providers. This paper examines how people of different generations acquire and practise literacy within TCE, including…

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to assess the effects of adult learning principles (ALP) in sermons on parishioners' spiritual growth. Sermons have been central to the spread of Christianity. Given the significant role sermons play in parishioners' spiritual formation and growth, examining sermons' effectiveness is…

This article explores the powerful influence that trauma can have on individuals and the ways in which this influence might be addressed in the development of adult religious education. It asks how we can facilitate deepening a person's relationship with God and others when trauma has damaged a person's capacity to relate. Suggestions are made for…

This paper recaps Henschke's 2021 CIAE Pre-conference paper on the fact that the first 200 years of the epistemology and practice of adult education in the United States was almost exclusively sponsored by the Church. Even in ancient times from the Bible book of Ecclesiastes, third chapter, there are 14 sets of things [28 in number] that God set…

This article proposes spiritual conversation as a religiously educative activity. Revelation as the relational activity of speaking-listening between the human and the divine in daily life, and education as an activity to show someone how to live and die, are key concepts for this study. This work includes a study of narrative at the heart of…

Learning design in a global classroom offers an approach to adult and higher education that is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of how God has created people to learn--one that is informed by the social and cultural context in which the learning takes place. This article introduces an approach to learning design which integrates…

Although large international studies have defined Norway as one of the most secular countries in the world, Christian folk high schools in Norway have experienced record high attendance. This paper presents case studies of the religious education (RE) and practices of two Christian folk high schools in Norway. A survey shows that students at these…

Ever since Jack Mezirow introduced the incipient, and then more developed idea, of transformative learning to the discussion on adult education more than thirty years ago, the parameters of its theory and practice have been pushed out further and further. The introduction of spirituality and learning to this discussion is not a new one, but this…

This essay advances a theory of generic criticism attuned to bodily affect. Aligning form with affect and genre with meaningful emotion, genre is described as the way in which the feeling of form is delivered to language. The primary example is Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ," which was marketed as a melodrama, but which exemplifies…

This study examined the relationship of Internet-Mediated Social Network, the formation of adult Christian community, and its affect on adult Christian growth. The researcher compared and analyzed three types of adult Christian learning communities: traditional, hybrid, and virtual. Each week over the course of six weeks, the three types of…

This article aims to explore the key concept of religious representations that reflect an individual's relational world and indicates the individual's religious maturity. While the term "representations" is originally used in psychodynamic studies, the article discusses the idea that religious representations provide important indications of an…