Christian Education and theological education in the secular age has to change their traditional framework. Theological Education which regards and addresses secularization as a negative phenomenon cannot properly serve the contemporary pluralistic society. The traditional understanding of both Christian Education and Theological Education is that they serve as the “light“ of world. The traditional position of theological education in the West is that education should serve as a light that brightens the dark world with the Christian spirit. Theology was considered the most superior discipline which lit the world from its ivory tower. There is the position of Christian and Theological Education as the “salt“ which purifies the secular things of the world as well as the secular aspects which have penetrated Christianity through the process of secularization. This is the position maintained by the school of fundamental Christian and Theological Education which is against secularization. The problem of this position is that, according to the dualistic world-view, the church is not willing to go into the world but attempts to purify the world and bring it into the church. Thus it does not complete the secularization of Jesus Christ who was incarnated to come and serve the world. As such, Christian Education and Theological Education has to play the role of “leaven“ in the world just as the Church has to be the leaven of the world. Education should be like leaven which spreads the Christian spirit and the Gospel by changing the world in the pluralistic fields of mission of the secular age. For this kind of education, Christian Education and Theological Education need to become concrete and practical to befit contemporary pluralism, and further to be changed into mission-oriented education. In this sense, I would like to propose the reform of Theological Education focusing on practical Biblical Theology, practical Church History, practical Systematic theology and missional Practical Theology.

• 최성일(한신대학교 선교신학 교수)