New Dimensions of Adult Religious Education

Adults who grew up attending church may remember Sunday school activities like gathering around a felt board for Bible stories, signing about the rainbow of children Jesus loves, or coloring pictures of the best-known scenes from Scripture. They may also remember being told to keep quiet, sit still, or stop asking unrelated questions.

What happens when children become adults? In some churches, they still sit quietly and listen to someone tell Bible stories-including the lessons they are expected to take from them. Many Bible study teachers follow a printed curriculum, reading a script that includes questions to ask and, sometimes, the "right" answers. Just as children attending Bible study need room to wonder and reflect and explore, so do adults.

In New Dimensions of Adult Religious Education: From Theory to Practice, Leon McKenzie and Mike Harton build on McKenzie's decades of research and analysis on the ways adults learn and how these needs translate to the church setting. The authors provide a thorough assessment of adult religious education and offer practical ways to make it more meaningful for everyone involved.

An essential addition to any church library, this book helps religious leaders educate their educators, preparing them to empower adults as they move from spiritual lessons to practical ways of living for Christ in the twenty-first century.