Cultural Liturgies goes to a madrasah: What can Christians learn from how Muslims educate children?

Abstract

This article brings James Smith’s three-volume Cultural Liturgies into dialogue with fieldwork in ‘Midlands Madrasah’, drawing out questions and points of discussion that are applicable to Christian education of children, especially within a church context. The article begins with an overview of madrasah education and the main arguments of Cultural Liturgies. The second, third and fourth sections then bring Cultural Liturgies into dialogue with the function of a madrasah in faith formation, the content taught in the madrasah, and the pedagogical approach taken. Finally, three recommendations are made to Christians: to invest time, create community and embody the story of faith.

Keywords

church madrasah pedagogy practice worldview

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