Criticizes how Catholic schools have been forced to survive by adopting a purchase mentality. The solution is to embrace the stewardship way of life. Points out that stewardship takes a while to take effect, but once it does it will create a counter cultural attitude toward one's income and assets. (MZ)

Discusses that something should be done about Catholic schools that are closing, but that there are no shortcuts to a comprehensive development program. Explains that effective institutional advancement can move Catholic schools in a positive direction. Institutional advancement can be achieved in the following ways: (1) investment; (2)…

Discusses how Moreau Catholic High School has had a 290% growth in a 3-4 year period. Author attributes this to (1) insightful board of trustees; (2) fundraising achieved through friendship; (3) providing individual opportunities for advancing the school; and (4) focusing on principles of Christian stewardship, philanthropy, collaboration, and…

Recognizes the unused potential of inner city kids and describes how The Institute for Leadership, Excellence and Academic Development (I-Lead) program has helped prepare these students for admittance to universities and colleges. I-Lead offers four core courses: (1) test prep class; (2) constitutional law class; (3) writing class; and (4)…

Leaders of Christian wilderness expeditions may facilitate their own and others' spiritual growth by striving to develop a sense of community; focusing on relations, not information; planning for thorough wilderness immersion; bringing home as much of the wilderness experience as possible; and leaving the old self behind and opening oneself to…

Contends that Christ's mission to proclaim God's good news of salvation is reaffirmed in the upcoming millennium. States Catholics must help accomplish Christ's mission by answering the baptismal call to missionary work in the community. Lists local and national agencies, dioceses, parishes, and schools that provide mission resources. (11…

Adventure programs at Gordon College (Massachusetts), a small Christian liberal arts college, attempt to promote student growth through adventure, community, and solitude; help Christian students develop an experience-based understanding of Biblical teachings they grew up with; and provide opportunities for self-discovery and spiritual experience.…

Discusses the self as socially constructed by comparing George Herbert Mead and Robert Kegan and then addresses the construction of the religious self by focusing on Mead, Kegan, and George Lindbeck. Considers the "theonomous self" (identity related to God). Concludes by discussing ecclesial practices that correspond to the theonomous…

Depicts the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) as a model for Christian spirituality and the primary initiation structure of the Church. Describes catechesis, community, liturgy, and service as the foundations required to live in the Spirit's presence. (VWC)

Explores the logic of ethnographic inquiry that seeks to make gay and lesbian subjects seen and heard. Focuses on participants' opinions of the course Introduction to Christianity. Theorizes the effects of religious and sexual "open secrets," or "knowledge that is present yet unarticulated," in constituting the teacher's form of instruction. (CMK)

Over the past thirty years, independent lines of research in the fields of classroom environment and student attitudes toward Christianity have been conducted. This research brought these two fields together by investigating the relationship between student perceptions of religion classroom environment and their attitudes toward Christianity. A…

Questions about the relationship between religion and politics are discussed with particular focus on the consequences for religious education. Norway is taken as an example of a country where increasing cultural diversity challenges traditional politics of religion. In the present climate of conflicting views on the role of religion in politics,…

This document combines the findings of two projects for the purpose of making some overall observations about the state of religious youth work in the United States. The first project was a review of the literature on such programs. Research on the topic is rare, while a vast body of indirectly related research spans many disciplines and empirical…

Views on the place and power of the university, the church's role in the university, and the sciences and humanities are presented. The secularization of western universities raises fundamental criticisms from the Christian point of view that the university atmosphere is not congenial to Christian spiritual values, and that higher education…

The most pressing business for those segments of the Christian community interested in the university is to develop some fresh and current theological understanding of the university that will take account of the peculiar nature of the academy and place the university in the context of a world theology. This discussion of a theology of the…