Christian Religious Education: Sharing Our Story and Vision

The Shared Praxis is Groome's contribution to Christian education pedagogy. In this very comprehensive book, Groome examined the nature, purpose and context of Christian religious education. He defined "Christian religious education is a political activity with pilgrims in time that deliberately and intentionally attends with them to the activity of God in our present, to the Story of the Christian faith community, and to the Vision of God's Kingdom, the seeds of which are already among us."(p.25) The key to the understanding of Shared Praxis is the understanding of time. Instead of linear time or kronos, Groome suggested that kairos time, especially the present time being most important. In the present time, which he described as "present of things present, the present of things past, and the present of things future" is where true learning take place. He suggested that the Shared Praxis approach is the most reasonable way to do Christian religious education. There are five components or movements in shared praxis. They are (1) present action, (2) critical reflection, (3) dialogue, (4) the Christian Story, and (5) the Vision that arises from that Story. It is in the present time that action takes place. Action is a reflection of our self. Hence critical reflection of such action in terms of past Christian tradition, present situation and the future of what is hoped for in the Kingdom. This is to be done within the context of the Christian Story. The hope is the Vision of the educational outcome. Groome summarised with "Christian religious education by shared praxis can be described as a group of Christians sharing in dialogue their critical reflection on present action in light of the Christian Story and its Vision toward the end of lived Christian faith."(p.184) It is an innovative approach to Christian religious education and a viable alternative to the more traditional schooling approach.

Groome has some very practical ideas which can easily be implemented in the classroom, I have found, without too much effort. An excellent book with some limitations, it has helped me in my Masters of Religious Education to acquire a new approach and has synergistically taught me that the purpose of education is to teach the student to think and evaluate all things, being equipped to come to better conclusions, the better the process of thinking works in the individual. I highly recommend the work.

A basic how-to guide for religious education this book is not. However, I feel strongly that anyone involved in Christian religious education should encounter Groome's work because he so clearly delineates and discusses the foundational questions that inform our practice in religious education. In reading Groome's exploration of answers to these foundational educational questions, the reader will be encouraged to consider these questions for herself or himself and thus come to better understand and more clearly articulate the underlying assumptions, beliefs, and theories that shape his or her practice. The format of Groome's book is clear, with six parts centering on the what, why, where, how, when and who of Christian religious education. These may seem like simple questions with basic answers, but Groome draws upon psychological, philosophical, educational and theological resources to answers them in a way that is thought-provoking, educationally sound, and true to the Story and Vision of the Christian faith. Particularly useful is Groome's articulation of the shared praxis approach to religious education in the fourth section of the book. This attitude toward religious education (Groome would be hesitant to call it a method) puts the entire lived experiences of individuals and groups of people in critical and constructive dialogue with the Story, understood as the entirety of the Christian faith tradition, and the Vision, Groome's term for God's vision of creation and the kingdom of God and the lived response that this invites from people of faith, of Christianity. In his description of the shared praxis approach, I found much that affirmed and put words to some of my current educational practice, as well as ideas that challenged me to reconsider various aspects of my teaching style. For educators already working unknowingly out of a shared praxis approach, Groome's work is still valuable because it provides a vocabulary and a framework for understanding such practice. For educators who have not yet considered this way of approaching the educational task, there is much that bears pondering and appropriating for one's own practice. Only one statement of warning is necessary. Groome is a scholar who seems most at home in the philosophical realm. For those readers not as familiar with philosophy and more accustomed to reading books with an ostensibly more practical focus, it will help to read for his main ideas so that one does not get bogged down when Groome traces the philosophical influences of many of his ideas.

I've already read this book 13 years before. At that time I was a seminarian and very interested in the catechesis. When I finished this book, I had to change my focus from the boring knowledge to the wondering life. He presented 5 steps from the abundant sources of philosophical, psychological, educational, and religious theories. Now I have been ordained to being a priest. I am re-reading this book. There are lots of needs to be changed in my attitude for education as before. This book is a kind of mirror for correcting my makeup. Life is always more important than any others. Our story and vision of life should be effected by Jesus Story and Vision of life. Thomas gives us an appropriate method. On the other hand, I think this book should be revised for practical needs. Frankly,It's really hard yet to get understanding.

The good news timeless. What I need to renew is my articulation of it. In turn, it needs to be sensitive to what motivates my neighbour to listen, how my neighbour hears, interprets, and reappropriate the message. This book (although at times a bit difficult to read, as I am not an education scholar) offers me a very thoughtful analysis of how my neighbour today grows in faith. I believe it helps me to truly be of service to my neighbour.