Curricular strategy

Our curricular strategy at Luther is based on work that was begun more than 20 years ago, and continues at Luther in the form of several strands: “learning the story,” “interpreting/confessing,” “leading in mission,” and “discipleship.” I’ve always liked this framework, in part because it doesn’t fit within any narrow disciplinary context.

Recently I was reading some of that older literature, from the basic aims and purposes of theological education conversation, and came upon a description of the three sorts of things that faculty at the time of the discussion, thought were important: bringing students to a basic intellectual grasp of the subject matter, developing in students some ability for the assessment of religious practice, and fostering self-transformation through engagement in study. These are not identical to the strands I noted above, but they DO provide a better sense, for me at least of some of what was undergirding our curricular strategy, back when it first emerged.