02.05.2024 / Volker Glissmann
Theological Education by Extension (also known as theological extension education), or short TEE, is a form of theological education that emphasises the extension of theological training outwards to those that seek theological education. At the heart of TEE is an inclusive theological vision that emphasises that theological education is for everyone. The vision is that everyone, everyone who requires access to theological education, should have the opportunity to access quality theological education. Theological education might be theoretically centrally available through established theological institutions, yet unfortunately, huge practical obstacles exist in accessing theological education which prevents for practical and financial not spiritual reasons far too many from accessing quality theological education. Some of these obstacles are lack of finances to pay for theological education, living too far away from a place of theological learning, family commitments, a lack of fluency in the language that theological education is done in locally. This not only applies to those called to full-time ministry but also the elders, deacons, lay preachers, evangelists and Sunday school teachers who are backbone of the church. The vision behind theological education by extension is that theological education should be available to everyone-everywhere. This is well expressed in classical TEE which stresses as its vision, approach, and method: theological education by extension.
Extension simply means overcoming the limitations that learners face accessing theological education be it through geographical, economic, cultural, ecclesiastical, gender, age, ethnicity, class as well as prior schooling access. These before mentioned barriers are huge hindrances to individuals who are clearly gifted by God, who show great potential to contributing to God’s kingdom, who can shepherd and develop God’s church in difficult surroundings. Extension is about removing the obstacles and thus allowing everyone-everywhere to appropriate access to theological education. TEE is about theological education for everyone as well as theological education accessible everywhere, or simply theological education for everyone-everywhere.
The theological extension vision with its emphasis on empowering everyone-everywhere, does not really distinguish between what is sometimes “Christian education” or lay training and theological education for those preparing for ministry. This distinction is not helpful as it separates what intimately belongs together. The reality is that all Christians theologise and all Christians are part of communities that benefit from good theology. Therefore, all Christians should be empowered to live in the fullness of God. Theological education includes all levels of theological training: grassroots, ministerial and higher (or academic) theological education The vision of TEE is to enable quality theological education that equips everyone, everywhere for ministry but especially for the church community.
Strong theological communicates exist where theological education is extended to all its members; where all members are invited to learn and explore their faith, where all members are systematically exposed to the depth of theological reflection, where all members are encouraged to deeply think about how their faith relates to real life, where all members can learn, practice and develop relevant ministry skills and are encouraged to use their gifts in the ministry of the church and to further the kingdom of God on earth. God gifts and calls people to use their gifts to build God’s kingdom The gifting of Christians is not dependent on schooling or education, therefore, theological education that prepares for best practices in ministry and spirituality should be made available to all church members in an appropriate pedagogical way. Academic theology is not always the right way and similar devotional theology is neither. When we say, “theological education”, we simply use it as an umbrella term to describe all biblical, theological, ministerial, practical and spiritual engagement that are needed by God’s people.
TEE was conceptualised in the early 1960s in Guatemala in order to overcome specific challenges of ministerial training offered by a theological seminary, the Evangelical Presbyterian Seminary of Guatemala (in Spanish Seminario Evangélico Presbiteriano de Guatemala). The challenge was basically how do we train the right people contextually for ministry. Naturally, the extension of theological education away from the buildings of the seminary attracted many others
TEE uses a nowadays well-known pedagogical method to enhance theological learning. TEE flips the order of how students engage with the learning materials. Let me explain how many of us experienced schooling. Too often learning content is delivered through a lecture during the class meeting. Yet, educators are aware that more is needed than simple to listen and passively receive information. What is needed is comprehension, or in other words, a deep understanding of the material. Comprehension is supported by activities, or active learning elements, like exercises, questions and answers and of course reflective questions. Reflective questions are helpful, especially when time for reflection is given and afterwards, the opportunity to talk about one’s reflection. The chance to talk about one’s learning greatly enhance once’ learning. Reflective questions are often missing in lectures because personal reflection takes time. Or alternatively, reflective questions are given as homework so that the learners reflect (hopefully) at home on the implication of their learning in their own time. The homework is either regularly or, more often, irregularly, or not at all properly checked and feedback given or more often not given to the learners directly.
TEE imagines the learning process the other way around – flipped. Content including reflective questions is given to the learners as a home study in preparation for a face-to-face class meeting. The group meeting is primarily used to discuss the content and their comprehension/application of the material with the learners. In the process, the emphasis is on the application to life, faith and church. The teacher moves away from teaching to facilitating comprehension and learning. Nowadays, we would describe TEE is a flipped classroom or flipped learning approach. In a sense very similar to a tutorial-based form of theological education or Tutorial-based Theological Education.
In summary TEE is:
Theological Education by Extension
Theological Education for Everyone
Theological Education accessible Everywhere
Theological Education for Everyone-everywhere
Tutorial-based Theological Education