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MULTICULTURAL CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHURCH A Professional Project Presented to the Faculty of the School of Theology at Claremont In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Linda Lee Pickens-Jones May 1993 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. (§) 1993 Linda Lee Pickens-Jones ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. This professional project, completed by- Linda L. Pickens-Jones ■■ — ■ — — ---------1 has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Theology at Claremont in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MINISTRY Faculty Committee y)r\aLM S, ' Date U Dean Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Permission to make use of copyrighted material has been granted for the following. James A. Banks. Multiethnic Education; Theory and Practice. 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1988. Permission is granted upon the condition that one bound copy of the thesis is sent to James A. Banks upon its approval by the thesis committee and accepted by the School of Theology at Claremont. Charles Foster, ed. Ethnicity in the Education of the Church. Nashville: Scarritt Press, 1987. Glenn Hopkins. The Winter Wonder Land Rap Song. Performance permission should be sought from Glenn Hopkins at 11882, Texas Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Howard Thurman. Jesus and the Disinherited. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1949. Permission is granted from Anne Thurman, Howard Thurman Educational Trust, 2020 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 95206. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Multicultural Christian Education: Emerging Opportunities for the Church by Linda Lee Pickens-Jones The multiracial, multicultural communities of the major cities of the United States provide a challenge and opportunity for the church and the Christian education process. The central focus of this work is to seek paradigms for Christian education in a rapidly changing context. Christian education is approached as a process which leads persons to wholeness through their faith encounter with the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. In Chapter 1 the context of multicultural community is established, with specific reference to the dynamics of diversity in Los Angeles, California. Issues of the local church in relationship to diversity are discussed. Several perspectives on the intent and content of multicultural education are explored. In Chapter 2 the work of a variety of Christian educators in discussing multiethnic, multicultural and ethnic specific education is presented. The development of multicultural education in community context is described. In Chapter 3 the multicultural/multiethnic theory of James Banks is comprehensively developed, and then reflected on in relationship to the Christian community. Chapter 4 presents theological concepts as points of dialogue with Christian Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. education, exploring the ways in which theology is informed by and contributes to multicultural educational issues. Developing local theology is introduced as a method useful to multicultural Christian education. Chapter 5 is the presentation of a local church educational program, designed to be multicultural in all dimensions of school life. A description of the program provides a commentary and critique. Chapter 6 addresses the integration of theory and practice, while defining issues and tasks for multicultural Christian education. Some implications and proposals are made, in light of the previous discussions and study. Multicultural community is seen as hope and promise for the church, as an illustration of God's community in relationship. Concepts are explored which express diversity as reflective of the nature of God; which seek human dignity; and affirm the worth of all persons as created by God. Some insights are provided for local churches, mono- or multicultural, which are raising theological and sociological questions about their relationship to the rest of humanity. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work is only possible because of the care, love and commitment of many people. I am especially thankful for the people of Wilshire United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, who struggle daily with the hope of living as a community of God which reflects the diversity of God's creation. With honor and deep respect I thank my professor, mentor, and friend, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Moore, whose "teaching from the heart" has been empowering to me and to so many others. My deepest thanks I give to my husband and partner, Alan, for his cross-cultural ways of living, and for the many ways he believes in me; and to my children, Emily and Daniel, for the gift of time they have given me as I spent many hours "in my office." iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1. Introduction and Context for Multicultural Christian Education.............. 1 Limitations of the Study....................... 3 The Context of Los Angeles as a Setting for Multicultural Education.................. 4 Multicultural and Multiethnic Concepts in Education: An Introduction............... 11 Searching for a Vision of Multicultural Community....................................18 2. Addressing Multicultural Issues in Christian Education........................... 21 Multicultural Christian Education Is Defined Within Communities................. 24 The Response of Different Communities to Multicultural Interaction.................. 30 The Formation of Multicultural Christian Education...................................35 Multicultural Curriculum in the Church.......37 Community Insights Which Inform Christian Multicultural Education..........40 Multicultural Education in the Church........50 3. James Banks' Model of Multicultural/ Multiethnic Education........................ 52 Theory of Multicultural Education: Defining Multicultural Education...........52 Overview of Multicultural Education........54 Goals of Multicultural Education...........57 Five-Phase Development of Multicultural Education................................66 Multicultural Education: Developmental or Transformative Education?............69 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Issues for Church and Community: Cross Cultural Competency.................. 73 An Exploration of Models of Diversity in the Context of the Church...............78 Some Implications of Banks' Theory for the Church............................. 84 Implications for Curriculum................84 Implications for Social Action.............86 Conclusion................................... 87 4. Exploring Theological Concepts Within Multicultural Education...................... 89 Theological Expressions Which Undergird Multicultural Education: Samuel Rayan............................... 94 Kosuke Koyama.............................. 98 Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki.................. 104 Howard Thurman............................ Ill Gustavo Gutierrez......................... 121 Contextual Theology as an Educational Methodology for Multicultural Community...126 Summary Observations........................ 133 5. A Local Church Multicultural Educational Program......................................135 Development of the School................... 136 Theological and Educational Premise.........138 The Multicultural Premise of the School 140 The Teaching Staff and the Training of Teachers............................... 145 Curriculum.................................. 156 Evaluation.................................. 190 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 6. Integrating Theory and Practice: A Dialogue....202 Defining Some Issues and Tasks..............204 Some Practical Implications and Proposals for the Church............................ 213 Appendix A. Staff Questionnaire and Responses...............219 B. Curriculum Bibliography.........................227 C. Winter Wonder Land Rap Song.....................229 Bibliography..............................................231 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.